UW Burke Herbarium species comparison

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Allium constrictum

Allium columbianum

Grand Coulee onion

Columbia onion
Habit Scapose perennial from one or more ovoid bulbs, the inner coats reddish to white, the outer coats gray to brown; with a thin inner membrane showing a distinct network pattern. Scapose perennial herbs from bulbs not usually clustered on a stout primary rhizome, the inner coats white to pink, the outer coats brownish to grayish, lacking reticulation and enclosing at least 1 bulb.
Leaves

Leaves 2, narrow, concave-convex, persisting at maturity, shorter than the scape;

scape strongly thickened below the umbel, with a definite constriction between the swollen apex of the scape and the umbel;

scape usually 2-3 dm. tall, terete.

Leaves typically persistent, green at time of flowering, sheathing basally with sheaths not extending far above soil surface;

blade solid and flat, somewhat curved, 10-35 cm long and 5-8 mm wide, margins entire;

scape persistent and solitary, cylindrical, 20-30 cm tall and 1.5-4 mm wide.
Inflorescence

Umbels of 25-50 flowers, hemispheric to globose;

scape persistent and solitary, cylindrical, 20-30 cm tall and 1.5-4 mm wide;

spathe bracts 3, ovate.
Flowers

Umbel several- to many-flowered, the slender pedicels 2-3 times the length of the tepals;

tepals usually 7-8 mm. long, entire, pointed, narrowly lanceolate, usually pink;

stamens 6, about as long as the tepals.

Tepals 6, light or bright purple to purplish pink, lanceolate, acuminate, margins entire, becoming papery in fruit;

stamens 6, equal to or longer than tepals with blue-grey anthers;

ovary 3-chambered, stigma capitate.
Fruits

Capsule 3-celled.

Fruits

Capsule dehiscing lengthwise along back of carpal, containing 2 shiny black seeds.

Allium constrictum

Allium columbianum
Flowering time May-July May-July
Habitat Shallow, vernally-moist soils in low, open areas. Seasonally wet soils on rock outcrops, wet meadows.
Distribution
Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Grant and Douglas counties in Washington.
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Occurring east of the Cascades crest in far eastern Washington; Washington to Idaho and Montana.
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Origin Native Native
Conservation status Sensitive in Washington (WANHP) Review Group 1 in Washington (WANHP)
Sibling taxa
A. acuminatum, A. amplectens, A. campanulatum, A. cernuum, A. columbianum, A. crenulatum, A. dictuon, A. douglasii, A. fibrillum, A. geyeri, A. macrum, A. nevii, A. robinsonii, A. schoenoprasum, A. scilloides, A. textile, A. tolmiei, A. validum, A. vineale
A. acuminatum, A. amplectens, A. campanulatum, A. cernuum, A. constrictum, A. crenulatum, A. dictuon, A. douglasii, A. fibrillum, A. geyeri, A. macrum, A. nevii, A. robinsonii, A. schoenoprasum, A. scilloides, A. textile, A. tolmiei, A. validum, A. vineale
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Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the University of Washington's Burke Herbarium.



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