Allium amplectens |
Allium ampeloprasum |
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narrow-leaf onion, slim-leaf onion |
broadleaf wild leek, elephant garlic, wild leek |
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Bulbs | 1–15+, increase bulbs absent or ± equaling parent bulbs, never appearing as basal cluster, not clustered on stout primary rhizome, ovoid to ± globose, 0.6–1.5 × 0.6–1.3 cm; outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, brown, prominently cellular-reticulate, membranous, cells in ± vertical rows, forming irregular herringbone pattern, transversely elongate, V-shaped, without fibers; inner coats usually dark red, sometimes white to pink, cells obscure, quadrate. |
1–3+, variable, some with poorly developed bulbs, others ovoid with 1–2 large bulbs and several yellowish to light brown bulbels at base, 0.4–1(–3) × 0.4–1(–1.5) cm; outer coat enclosing 1 or more bulbs, yellowish, membranous; inner coats white to light brown, cells not evident, fibers ± parallel, few. |
Leaves | persistent, withering from tip at anthesis, 2–4, basally sheathing, sheaths not extending much above soil surface; blade solid, subterete or ± channeled, 10–36 cm × 0.5–2 mm, margins entire. |
withering from tips by anthesis, 6–9, sheathing 1/3–1/2 scape; blade solid, flat, channeled, 1–5 cm × 2–20(–30) mm, margins scabrid. |
Scape | persistent, solitary, erect, solid, terete, 15–50 cm × 3–5 mm. |
persistent, solitary, erect, fistulose, terete, 45–180 cm × 3–7 mm. |
Umbel | shattering after seeds mature, each flower deciduous with its pedicel as a unit, erect, compact, 10–50-flowered, hemispheric, bulbels unknown; spathe bracts persistent, 2–3, 6–13-veined, ovate, ± equal, apex short-acuminate. |
persistent, erect, compact, to 500-flowered, few-flowered in variants with bulbils, globose; spathe bracts persistent, 3–5, 2–3-veined, lanceolate, ± equal, apex abruptly narrowed to beak, beak to 10 cm. |
Flowers | stellate, 5–9 mm; tepals spreading at anthesis, white to pink, lanceolate, ± equal, becoming papery and connivent over capsule, margins entire, apex acute; stamens included; anthers yellow or purple; pollen yellow; ovary crested; processes 6, lateral, ± prominent, ± rectangular, margins entire; style linear, equaling stamens; stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed; pedicel 4–16 mm. |
urceolate, 4–5.5 mm; tepals erect, white, pink, or dark red, unequal, becoming papery and investing capsule in fruit; outer tepal oblong-lanceolate, margins entire, apex obtuse, sometimes mucronate; inner tepal narrowly ovate to spatulate, margins entire, apex obtuse; stamens equaling perianth or exserted; outer filaments simple, inner with 2 prominent lateral teeth that exceed anther-bearing portion, glabrous; anthers yellow or purple; pollen yellow; ovary crestless; style linear, equaling stamens; stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed; pedicel 15–50 mm. |
Seed | coat dull; cells minutely roughened. |
coat not known. |
2n | = 14, 21, 28. |
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Allium amplectens |
Allium ampeloprasum |
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Phenology | Flowering Apr–Jul. | Flowering Apr–Jul. |
Habitat | Clay soils, including serpentine, dry slopes, and open plains | Roadsides and other disturbed areas |
Elevation | 0–1800 m (0–5900 ft) | 0–100 m (0–300 ft) |
Distribution |
CA; OR; WA; BC
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Europe; Asia; n Africa [Introduced in North America]
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Discussion | All three chromosome races of Allium amplectens are widespread. The triploids are achiasmatic, causing a breakdown in the first meiotic division. This is followed by a normal second division resulting in pollen dyads that are, presumably, nonfunctional; seeds are produced by apomixis. The diploids and tetraploids produce normal pollen, in tetrads, that appears to be functional. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Normally the umbel of Allium ampeloprasum has no bulbils, but there are some variants with a few flowers that produce bulbils. The species has been reported as established in New England and adjacent Canada and can be found along roadsides and in other disturbed areas. It is probably conspecific with A. porrum Linnaeus, the leek of commerce. Allium porrum can be distinguished from A. ampeloprasum based on its unique bulb morphology and chemistry from centuries of cultivation and selection. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 26, p. 262. | FNA vol. 26, p. 238. |
Parent taxa | Liliaceae > Allium | Liliaceae > Allium |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | A. acuminatum var. gracile, A. attenuifolium, A. attenuifolium var. monospermum, A. monospermum, A. occidentale, A. serratum | |
Name authority | Torrey: Pacif. Railr. Rep. 4(5): 148. (1857) | Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 294. (1753) |
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