Allium sativum

**Semantic type:** Plant

**Definition:** Garlic plants are closely related to and similar to onions and they have a similar, but stronger odor. The leaves of garlic plants are neither inflated like onion leaves nor tubular like those of bunching onions. Instead, they are flat, with a crease down the middle and are held erect in two opposite ranks. Most varieties stand about 1-2 ft (0.3-0.6 m) tall at maturity. Garlic plants produce an underground bulb that usually is divisible into 6-20 segments, called cloves. Garlic contains compounds that are antibacterial, antifungal and reduce blood clotting.

**Synonyms:** - Garlic - garlic