Bulbous geophyte up to 30cm, strongly aromatic. Leaves absent or emergent at flowering, spreading, linear; flowers 6-10 on pedicels up to 20mm long, brownish to green with an orange corona (fleshy or petal-like appendages attached to the perianth); upper anthers inserted on to the corona; scented of coconut and honey at night.

After: Ryk Tulbagh (1699-1771), Governor of the Cape Colony, with whom Linnaeus corresponded.

Latin: allium = garlic: referring to the resemblance of this species to an onion plant.