scaly bulb

A bulb is a modified stem that serves as a resting stage for certain perennial plants, particularly monocotyledons. It consists of a short stem base with overlapping leaves that store food, allowing the plant to survive periods of drought or cold.1

There are two main types of bulbs:
* Tunicate bulbs: These have a papery outer covering protecting fleshy leaves, like onions.1
* Scaly bulbs: These have naked storage leaves without a papery covering, appearing as angular scales, such as in true lilies.12

Bulbs enable rapid flowering in spring for many ornamental plants like tulips and hyacinths. Some bulb-producing plants are economically important for food, like garlic and leeks, while others contain poisonous compounds used as rat poison.1

It's important to note that structures like corms (in crocuses) and rhizomes (in irises) are sometimes incorrectly referred to as bulbs.1