What specialized structure makes up the edible portion of an onion bulb?

Answer

Short, compressed central stems surrounded by thick, fleshy, scale-like leaves.

The onion, recognized as the classic edible bulb, is botanically categorized as a type of modified underground stem structure. This modification involves the development of short, compressed central stems situated at the base. Surrounding this core stem are numerous thick, fleshy layers which are specialized leaves designed for storage. When one consumes an onion, they are essentially peeling away these protective, scale-like leaves, each layer containing stored nutrients. Garlic operates on this identical structural principle, often separating into smaller, discrete units known as cloves, where each clove is essentially a self-contained version of the larger bulb structure, complete with its own growing point and layered leaves.

What specialized structure makes up the edible portion of an onion bulb?

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