Taxonomy

Allium triquetrum | Three-cornered Garlic | Glaschrreamh

Distribution

Status

Conservation status

Not Assessed 

Legal status

Third Schedule listed species under Regulations 49 & 50 in the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011. (Note: Regulation 50 not yet enacted).

First reported in the wild

1890

Invasiveness

Invasive species - risk of Medium Impact

Irish status

Established

Introduction pathways - 1

Escape from Confinement

Introduction pathways subclass - 1

Horticulture

Invasive score

15

NAPRA Ireland risk assessed

Yes. This species underwent a  Non-native species APplication based Risk Analysis  in 2014.

Overall risk of this species to Ireland is categorised as: MODERATE with a MEDIUM level of confidence.

Overall conclusion summary:  

 View the full risk assessment:  Allium triquetrum (Three-cornered Leek) (nonnativespecies.ie)

Species Biology

Identification

Bulbous perennial herb, 40-60cm tall, all parts smell of garlic, green narrow and flat leaves, white flowers, flowers early in the year with plants dying back completely by June and July (Booy, et al. 2015).

Ecology

No impacts documented to date, can rapidly colonise and dominate waste ground outcompeting native vegetation (Booy et al., 2015).

Habitat

Regularly or recently cultivated agricultural, horticultural or domestic habitat; Constructed, industrial or other artificial habitats; Miscellaneous

Reproduction

Seed dispersed by ants (Preston et al., 2002).

Pathway and vector description

Common garden escape (Reynolds, 2002) and human dispersal is likely the major pathway of expansion in Ireland. Widely available in the horticulture trade.

Mechanism of impact

Competition

Broad environment

Terrestrial

Habitat description

Found along roadsides, field margins and other waster ground (Booy et al., 2015).

Species group

Plant

Native region

Europe

Distribution

World distribution(GBIF)

Irish distribution

Established - Widespread. More common in the south east than elsewhere, this may an artefact of recording effort or may be due to the less suitable climatic conditions in the rest of the country.

Native distribution

Native to Mediterranean Europe (Preston et al., 2002).

Temporal change

Date of first record category

Pre-1900

Records submitted to Data Centre in 2024

The following map is interactive. If you would prefer to view it full screen then click here.

How can you help

Report any sightings to the National Biodiversity Data Centre. Dispose of garden waste responsibly.

References

Publications

Reynolds, S.C.P. (2002) A catalogue of alien plants in Ireland. National Botanic Gardens. Glasnevin, Dublin. Stace, C. (1997). New Flora of the British Isles 2nd Edition. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Preston, C.D., Pearman, D. A. & Dines, T. D. 2002. New atlas of the British and Irish flora. An atlas of the vascular plants of Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands, Oxford University Press. Booy, O., Wade, M. & Roy, H. (2015) A Field Guide to Invasive Plants & Animals in Britain. Bloomsbury.

NAPRA Risk Assessment of Allium triquetrum

Images