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narrow-leaf onion, slim-leaf onion

Sharsmith'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.

usually solitary, not clustered on stout, primary rhizome, ovoid to globose, 1–1.8 × 1–1.5 cm;

outer coats enclosing bulb, reddish brown, membranous, lacking cellular reticulation or cells arranged in only 2–3 rows distal to roots, ± quadrate, without fibers;

inner coats pale 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 by anthesis, 1, basally sheathing, sheath not extending much above soil surface;

blade solid, terete, 15–25 cm × 1–4 mm.

Scape

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

persistent, solitary, erect, solid, terete, 4–17 cm × 1–2.5 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, 5–50-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2–3, 3–8-veined, lanceolate to lance-ovate, ± equal, apex long-acuminate to setaceous.

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, 10–18 mm;

tepals erect, deep reddish purple, linear-lanceolate to lance-ovate, ± equal, becoming rigid in fruit, margins entire, apex acute to obtuse, recurved-spreading at tips;

stamens included;

anthers yellow;

pollen yellow;

ovary crested;

processes 6, prominent, ± triangular, margins entire, surfaces usually papillate;

style linear, equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, 3-lobed, lobes slender, recurved;

pedicel 6–19 mm.

Seed

coat dull;

cells minutely roughened.

coat dull or shining;

cells minutely roughened.

2n

= 14, 21, 28.

= 14.

Allium amplectens

Allium sharsmithiae

Phenology Flowering Apr–Jul. Flowering Apr–May.
Habitat Clay soils, including serpentine, dry slopes, and open plains Serpentine clay soil on talus slopes
Elevation 0–1800 m (0–5900 ft) 500–1100 m (1600–3600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR; WA; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA
[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.)

Of conservation concern.

Allium sharsmithiae is known only from the Mount Hamilton Range.

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

Source FNA vol. 26, p. 262. FNA vol. 26, p. 252.
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. sanbornii, A. sativum, A. schoenoprasum, A. scilloides, A. serra, 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
Synonyms A. acuminatum var. gracile, A. attenuifolium, A. attenuifolium var. monospermum, A. monospermum, A. occidentale, A. serratum A. fimbriatum var. sharsmithiae
Name authority Torrey: Pacif. Railr. Rep. 4(5): 148. (1857) (Ownbey & Aase ex Traub) McNeal: Aliso 13: 417. (1992)
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