ABSTRACT
Even relatively well-informed readers, asked to name the most popular herbal panacea or cure-all, might be inclined to say ginseng. They would be wrong. As broad as its claims of curative properties are, ginseng's hypothesized range of therapeutic and overall use, until recently limited primarily to Asia, does not begin to compare with the many and varied worldwide applications of garlic and its near relatives, onions, leeks, and shallots. These wellknown members of the lily family (Liliaceae) all belong to the genus Allium: garlic is A sativum L.; onion is A. cepa L.; the leek is A. ampeloprasum L.; and the shallot is A. ascalonicum L.
