Bulb 51260 217905343 2008-06-08T06:52:08Z 58.160.152.89 {{otheruses}} [[Image:Shallots_-_sliced_and_whole.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[Shallot]] bulbs]] A '''bulb''' is an underground vertical [[shoot]] that has modified [[leaf|leaves]] (or thickened leaf bases) that are used as [[food]] [[storage organ]]s 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]]. [[Root]]s emerge from the underside of the base, and new stems and leaves from the upper side. Other types of storage organs (such as [[corm]]s, [[rhizome]]s, and [[tuber]]s) are sometimes erroneously referred to as bulbs. The correct term for plants that form underground storage organs, including bulbs as well as [[tuber]]s and [[corm]]s, is '''[[geophyte]]'''. Some [[epiphytic]] [[orchid]]s (family [[Orchidaceae]]) form above-ground storage organs called '''[[pseudobulb]]s''', that superficially resemble bulbs. [[Plants]] that form true bulbs are all [[monocotyledon]]s, and include: *[[Onion]], [[garlic]], and other [[allium]]s, 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 ==<!-- This section is linked from [[Lilium]] --> Some lilies form small bulbs, called '''bulbils''' in their leaf [[axil]]s. 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'''. [[Image:Alliumvineale1web.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Wild garlic (''Allium vineale'') bulbils sprouting]] [[Image:Allium fistulosum bulbifera0.jpg|thumb|220px|right|Tree onions form clusters of small bulbs instead of flowers]] ==References== {{Unreferenced|date=October 2007}} [[Category:Plant morphology]] [[Category:Plant reproduction]] [[bg:Луковица]] [[ca:Bulb]] [[cs:Cibule (orgán)]] [[de:Zwiebel (Pflanzenteil)]] [[el:Βολβός]] [[es:Bulbo (botánica)]] [[eo:Bulbo]] [[fr:Bulbe]] [[it:Bulbo]] [[he:בצל]] [[hu:Hagyma (szerv)]] [[ms:Bebawang]] [[nl:Bol (biologie)]] [[ja:球根]] [[pl:Cebula (botanika)]] [[ru:Луковица]] [[simple:Bulb]] [[sk:Cibuľa (stonka)]] [[zh:鳞茎]]