What structural difference separates wild garlic (A. vineale) leaves from true wild onion leaves?

Answer

Wild garlic tends to have hollow leaves, while true wild onion often has solid leaves.

Even within the edible Allium group, a nuance exists between wild garlic, often identified as A. vineale, and true wild onion. This difference lies in the internal structure of the leaves. Wild garlic typically exhibits leaves that are hollow when closely examined. In contrast, the leaves of true wild onion are generally found to be solid. Recognizing this distinction, along with the fact that wild garlic usually produces a small basal bulb rather than a pronounced, layered onion bulb, helps foragers further refine their identification among generally safe edibles.

What structural difference separates wild garlic (A. vineale) leaves from true wild onion leaves?

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