Allium amplectens |
Allium diabolense |
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narrow-leaf onion, slim-leaf onion |
Diablo onion, serpentine onion |
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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, not clustered on stout, primary rhizomes, ovoid to ± globose, 1–1.6 × 0.9–1.6 cm; outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, reddish brown, membranous, lacking cellular reticulation or cells arranged in 2–3 rows proximal to roots, ± quadrate, without fibers; inner coats pale brown to white, cells obscure, quadrate. |
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. |
persistent, withering from apex by anthesis, 1, basally sheathing, sheath not extending much above soil surface; blade solid, terete, 10–30(–40) cm × 1–3 mm. |
Scape | persistent, solitary, erect, solid, terete, 15–50 cm × 3–5 mm. |
persistent, solitary, erect, solid, terete, 7–20(–30) cm × 1–3 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 ± loose, 10–50-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown; spathe bracts persistent, 2–3, 8–10-veined, lanceolate, ± equal, apex acuminate to long-acuminate. |
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. |
campanulate, 6–10 mm; tepals erect, white or tinged pink with dark red midveins, lanceolate to ovate, ± equal, becoming papery in fruit, margins entire, apex obtuse to acute or apiculate, not conspicuously recurved at tip; stamens included; anthers yellow; pollen yellow; ovary crested; processes 6, prominent, ± triangular, margins erose to ± laciniate; style linear, equaling stamens; stigma capitate, 3-lobed, lobes slender, recurved; pedicel 7–20 mm. |
Seed | coat dull; cells minutely roughened. |
coat dull; cells minutely roughened. |
2n | = 14, 21, 28. |
= 14. |
Allium amplectens |
Allium diabolense |
|
Phenology | Flowering Apr–Jul. | Flowering mid Apr–Jun. |
Habitat | Clay soils, including serpentine, dry slopes, and open plains | Serpentine clay soils |
Elevation | 0–1800 m (0–5900 ft) | 500–1500 m (1600–4900 ft) |
Distribution |
CA; OR; WA; BC
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CA |
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.) |
Allium diabolense is known only from the southern Coast Ranges and western Transverse Ranges. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 26, p. 262. | FNA vol. 26. |
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 | A. fimbriatum var. diabolense |
Name authority | Torrey: Pacif. Railr. Rep. 4(5): 148. (1857) | (Ownbey & Aase ex Traub) McNeal: Aliso 13: 425. (1992) |
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