PHENOLOGICAL OBSERVATION AND BIOMORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERS OF ALLIUM ROBOROWSKIANUM FROM XINJIANG, CHINA

A. roborowskianum distributes only in Xinjiang Province, China. It is regarded as the wild relative of garlic. While the plant phenological pattern is an important biological character and it is the first determined and decisive feature for introducing and domesticating the plant germplasm resource successfully. Phenological pattern and biomorphological characters of A. roborowskianum were carried out from 2008 to 2010. The results showed that there were eight phenophases or growing periods which were bud sprouting, leaf spreading, scape presenting, flowering, fruit setting, seed dispersal, leaf withering and dormancy phase. The second growth phase or bud sprouting in autumn was not found in the same year. A. roborowskianum sprouted in late February to early March, scape appeared with the beginning of the reproductive period in late April to early May and completed their annual life cycle in late June to early July. The leaves were withered at the beginning of the reproductive period and lasted the end of seed dispersal, and the whole plant entered dormancy. The annual reproductive period was about 2/3 of the whole life span time. It is perennial herb and it enters dormancy phase to evade the summer. After seedling vernalization and under a long-light photoperiod, plants enter to reproductive growth. It is one of the ephemeroid plants and bud sprouts in early spring with cold endurance characters. The bulb is a storage organ with thick specialized scales. The root system distributing in 5-10 cm depth of top soil consists of numerous annually rejuvenated, non-branching roots. Two to three grey-green linear leaves with weak waxiness are low density and prostrate attitude, and leaf sheaths dried out and formed the enveloping dry skins at the end of the growing season. Hemispheric umbel inflorescence with more than 30 flowers presents the ability to be fertile and the perianth with purple midvein is recurved after anthesis. There are four to eight ovules per locule. White or whitish lilac flowers, purple anther and green fruit with densely papillose are of important ornamental value in early spring especially in Xinjiang. Seeds are black with fine papillose and dormant after dispersal. These phenological and biomorphological characters are adaptable to environmental components and ensure themselves thriving and multiplying while the drought, heat and strong light summer comes in arid and semi-arid climate in Xinjiang.