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Bulb
A '''bulb''' is an underground vertical shoot that has modified leaf|leaves (or thickened leaf bases) that are used as food storage organs by a dormancy|dormant plant.
A bulb's leaf bases generally do not support leaves, but contain food reserves to enable the plant to survive adverse conditions. The leaf bases may resemble scales, or they may overlap and surround the center of the bulb as with the onion. A modified Plant stem|stem forms the base of the bulb, and plant growth occurs from this basal plate. Roots emerge from the underside of the base, and new stems and leaves from the upper side.
Other types of storage organs (such as corms, rhizomes, and tubers) are sometimes erroneously referred to as bulbs. The correct term for plants that form underground storage organs, including bulbs as well as tubers and corms, is '''geophyte'''. Some epiphytic orchids (family Orchidaceae) form above-ground storage organs called '''pseudobulbs''', that superficially resemble bulbs.
Plants that form true bulbs are all monocotyledons, and include:
- Onion, garlic, and other alliums, family ''Alliaceae''.
- Lily, tulip, and many other members of the lily family ''Liliaceae''.
- ''Amaryllis'', ''Hippeastrum'', ''Narcissus (genus)|Narcissus'', and several other members of the amaryllis family ''Amaryllidaceae''.
- Two groups of ''Iris (plant)|Iris'' species, family ''Iridaceae'': subgenus ''Xiphium'' (the "Dutch" irises) and subgenus ''Hermodactyloides'' (the miniature "rock garden" irises).
Bulbil
Some lilies form small bulbs, called '''bulbils''' in their leaf axils. Several members of the onion family, ''Alliaceae'', including ''Allium sativum'' (garlic), form bulbils in their flower heads, sometimes as the flowers fade, or even instead of the flowers. The so-called Tree onion (''Allium cepa'' var. ''proliferum'') forms small onions which are large enough for pickling.
Some ferns, such as Asplenium bulbiferum|Hen and Chicken Fern grow offshoots on top of their fronds, which are also referred to as '''bulbils'''.
Most flower bulbs require a cold winter frost to bloom perennially. In the southern United States, bulbs species have developed which do not need this cold frost to return year after year and multiply. These bulbs include several narcissus, the French Roman Hyacinth, and a tulip among others. The Southern Bulb Co. sells many varieties: www.southernbulbs.com. The adapted southern bulbs need less irrigation water than imported Dutch bulbs and rely on natural rainfall.
References
Category:Plant morphology
Category:Plant reproduction
simple:Bulb
Related Images- Wild garlic (''Allium vineale'') bulbils sprouting
- Tree onions form clusters of small bulbs instead of flowers
Sources: StartLearningNow, Wikipedia | Usage license: GNU FDL
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