Hello Lauw and Jim, The invalid name Allium "cowanii" is a name so deeply entrenched in horticulture and the Dutch bulb trade that it will never be eradicated, sigh. Allium "cowanii" Lindley was described in 1823 as a species sent from Peru by James Cowan and cultivated in the garden of the Horticultural Society at Chiswick England. John Lindley believed it to be a true South American species, and named it, not understanding at the time the plant in fact represented an early introduction of Allium neapolitanum (a European-Mediterranean species) into the "New World". Some will argue "but this looks different than typical A. neapolitanum". This ubiquitous species is found through southern Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa, and accordingly it varies widely, although the bulk of what is grown in the Dutch bulb trade is probably derived from a single clone that's been mass produced for many decades, so growers are unfamiliar with varying forms of the species. Googling around, one can also find made up epithets such as A. neapolitanum var. cowanii, and A. neapolitanum Cowanii Group (???) and other nonsense. If it is felt to be a particularly good form of neapolitanum, then perhaps it should just get a cultivar name and be called something like A. neapolitanum 'James Cowan'. But the long and short of it, it is nothing more than Allium neapolitanum. I wonder if the mistake will presist for another two centuries? Mark McDonough antennaria@charter.net Massachusetts, USA Alpine-L list-owner NARGS moderator & co-admin forum sign-up at http://nargs.orf/smf/ ============================= > From: "contact" <contact@bulbargence.com> > > Hello Jim, > Yes at first we called it A cowanni, but then an allium expert pointed > out that this plant was merely a subspecies or form of A. > neopolitanum. > Maybe Mark can elighten us on this point. > Greetings > > Lauw de Jager > South of France > > -----Original Message----- > that one with straight thick stems - is that the plant known in > gardening circles as Allium cowanii? Jim McKenney