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narrow-leaf onion, slim-leaf onion

Sanborn's 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, not clustered on stout, primary rhizome, ovoid, 1–2.5(–3) × 1.2–2 cm;

outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, dark reddish brown, chartaceous, lacking cellular reticulation or cells arranged in 2–3 rows distal to roots, ± quadrate, without fibers;

inner coats light brown or white, cells obscurely 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 by anthesis, 1, basally sheathing, sheath never extending much above soil level;

blade solid, terete, 30–45 cm × 2–4 mm.

Scape

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

persistent, solitary, erect, ± solid, terete, 18–60 cm × 2–3 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, 18–190-flowered, hemispheric to globose, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 4, 3-veined, ovate, ± equal, apex 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, 5–9 mm;

tepals erect, white to pink with darker midveins, unequal, becoming papery in fruit, margins entire or irregular to erose, apex acute or acuminate to long-acuminate;

outer tepals lanceolate to ovate, reflexed at tip;

inner 1/4–1/3 longer than outer, ovate to broadly ovate;

stamens exserted;

anthers yellow or purple;

pollen yellow or white;

ovary crested;

processes 6, prominent, erect, ± triangular, margins entire;

style linear, equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, obscurely to distinctly 3-lobed, lobes erect or spreading, ± stout;

pedicel 8–22 mm.

Seed

coat dull;

cells minutely roughened.

coat dull;

cells minutely roughened.

2n

= 14, 21, 28.

Allium amplectens

Allium sanbornii

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 USDA
Calif and Oreg
[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 2 (2 in the flora).

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

Key
1. Stigma obscurely 3-lobed; tepal apex acute; anthers mostly yellow; flowering late Jun–Aug.
var. sanbornii
1. Stigma distinctly 3-lobed; tepal apex acuminate to long-acuminate; anthers mostly purple; flowering late Jun–Jul.
var. congdonii
Source FNA vol. 26, p. 262. FNA vol. 26, p. 248.
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. 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. 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. sanbornii var. congdonii, A. sanbornii var. sanbornii
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) Alph. Wood: Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 20: 171. (1868)
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