An erect herb; bulb composed of 4-15 lateral bulbs (cloves) up to 7cm in diameter;leaves 4-10, flat or V-shaped in transverse section; Inflorescence composed of bulbilsand flowers; flowers often rudimentary or absent with greenish-pink to purplishtepals; fruit abortive, seedless. (Philippines) Annual, glabrous, bulbous herb with pungent odour. Bulb short, consists of severalsmaller bulbs (called cloves) and is surrounded by a thin, white or pinkish sheath.Leaves flat and nanow, attenuate-acute at the apex; nerves parallel. Flowers while orpink with bulbils in globose head covered with a large bract. (Vietnam)