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narrow-leaf onion, slim-leaf onion

pitted onion

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(–5), not clustered on stout primary rhizome, ovoid, 1–2 × 1–2 cm;

outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, brown, prominently cellular-reticulate, membranous, accumulating and investing bulb with thick cover, cells square, polygonal, or ± transversely elongate, walls thick, sinuous, without fibers;

inner coats white to light brown, 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 tip at anthesis, 2–3, basally sheathing, sheaths not extending much above soil surface;

blade solid, flattened, subterete or ± channeled and carinate, ± falcate, 10–30 cm × 0.5–3 mm, margins entire.

Scape

persistent, solitary, erect, solid, terete, 15–50 cm × 3–5 mm.

persistent, solitary, erect, solid, terete, 10–35 cm × 1–4 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 or loose, 5–45-flowered, bulbils unknown, umbel shattering after seeds mature, each flower deciduous with its pedicel;

spathe bracts persistent, 2–3, 4–6-veined, lance-ovate to ovate, ± equal, apex obtuse or 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, 4–9 mm;

tepals erect or spreading from base, white to deep pink with darker midveins, lance-ovate to ovate, ± equal, margins entire, apex obtuse, acute, or short-acuminate;

stamens included;

anthers yellow;

pollen yellow;

ovary 3-grooved with ridge on either side of each groove, ridges prolonged into crest, ridges and crest densely covered with minute, rounded papillae;

processes 3, central, 2-lobed, minute;

style linear, equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, obscurely 3-lobed;

pedicel 4–30 mm.

Seed

coat dull;

cells minutely roughened.

coat dull or shining;

cells minutely roughened.

2n

= 14, 21, 28.

Allium amplectens

Allium lacunosum

Phenology Flowering Apr–Jul.
Habitat Clay soils, including serpentine, dry slopes, and open plains
Elevation 0–1800 m (0–5900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR; WA; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
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.)

Varieties 4 (4 in the flora).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Key
1. Umbel compact; pedicel 0.75–1.5 times flower; scape 10–25 cm.
→ 2
1. Umbel loose; pedicel equaling–3.5 times flower; scape 15–35 cm.
→ 3
2. Scape 10–20 cm; leaf blade 1–2 times scape; flowers (6–)7–9 mm; Coast Ranges of c California and Channel Islands.
var. lacunosum
2. Scape 15–25 cm; leaf blade equaling or shorter than scape; flowers 6–7(–8) mm; Sierra Nevada, California.
var. kernensis
3. Leaf blade subterete, 1 mm or less wide, straight; spathe bracts 3, apex obtuse or acute; flowers 4–6 mm.
var. micranthum
3. Leaf blade ± carinate, to 3 mm wide, ± falcate; spathe bracts 2, apex acuminate; flowers 6–8 mm.
var. davisiae
Source FNA vol. 26, p. 262. FNA vol. 26, p. 260.
Parent taxa Liliaceae > Allium Liliaceae > Allium
Sibling taxa
A. aaseae, A. abramsii, A. acuminatum, A. ampeloprasum, A. anceps, A. atrorubens, A. bigelovii, A. bisceptrum, A. bolanderi, A. brandegeei, A. brevistylum, A. burlewii, A. campanulatum, A. canadense, A. cepa, A. cernuum, A. columbianum, A. constrictum, A. coryi, A. cratericola, A. crenulatum, A. crispum, A. cuthbertii, A. denticulatum, A. diabolense, A. dichlamydeum, A. dictuon, A. douglasii, A. drummondii, A. elmendorfii, A. falcifolium, A. fibrillum, A. fimbriatum, A. fistulosum, A. geyeri, A. gooddingii, A. haematochiton, A. hickmanii, A. hoffmanii, A. howellii, A. hyalinum, A. jepsonii, A. kunthii, A. lacunosum, A. lemmonii, A. macropetalum, A. macrum, A. madidum, A. membranaceum, A. monticola, A. munzii, A. neapolitanum, A. nevadense, A. nevii, A. nigrum, A. obtusum, A. oleraceum, A. paniculatum, A. parishii, A. parryi, A. parvum, A. passeyi, A. peninsulare, A. perdulce, A. platycaule, A. plummerae, A. praecox, A. punctum, A. rhizomatum, A. robinsonii, A. rotundum, A. runyonii, A. sanbornii, A. sativum, A. schoenoprasum, A. scilloides, A. serra, A. sharsmithiae, A. shevockii, A. simillimum, A. siskiyouense, A. speculae, A. stellatum, A. textile, A. tolmiei, A. tribracteatum, A. tricoccum, A. triquetrum, A. tuberosum, A. tuolumnense, A. unifolium, A. validum, A. victorialis, A. vineale, A. yosemitense
A. aaseae, A. abramsii, A. acuminatum, A. ampeloprasum, A. amplectens, A. anceps, A. atrorubens, A. bigelovii, A. bisceptrum, A. bolanderi, A. brandegeei, A. brevistylum, A. burlewii, A. campanulatum, A. canadense, A. cepa, A. cernuum, A. columbianum, A. constrictum, A. coryi, A. cratericola, A. crenulatum, A. crispum, A. cuthbertii, A. denticulatum, A. diabolense, A. dichlamydeum, A. dictuon, A. douglasii, A. drummondii, A. elmendorfii, A. falcifolium, A. fibrillum, A. fimbriatum, A. fistulosum, A. geyeri, A. gooddingii, A. haematochiton, A. hickmanii, A. hoffmanii, A. howellii, A. hyalinum, A. jepsonii, A. kunthii, A. lemmonii, A. macropetalum, A. macrum, A. madidum, A. membranaceum, A. monticola, A. munzii, A. neapolitanum, A. nevadense, A. nevii, A. nigrum, A. obtusum, A. oleraceum, A. paniculatum, A. parishii, A. parryi, A. parvum, A. passeyi, A. peninsulare, A. perdulce, A. platycaule, A. plummerae, A. praecox, A. punctum, A. rhizomatum, A. robinsonii, A. rotundum, A. runyonii, A. sanbornii, A. sativum, A. schoenoprasum, A. scilloides, A. serra, A. sharsmithiae, A. shevockii, A. simillimum, A. siskiyouense, A. speculae, A. stellatum, A. textile, A. tolmiei, A. tribracteatum, A. tricoccum, A. triquetrum, A. tuberosum, A. tuolumnense, A. unifolium, A. validum, A. victorialis, A. vineale, A. yosemitense
Subordinate taxa
A. lacunosum var. davisiae, A. lacunosum var. kernensis, A. lacunosum var. lacunosum, A. lacunosum var. micranthum
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) S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 14: 231. (1879)
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