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Columbia onion, Columbian onion

Howell's onion

Bulbs

1–5+, not clustered on stout, primary rhizome, ovoid, 1–1.5 × 0.8–1.4 cm;

outer bulb coats brownish or grayish, enclosing 1 or more bulbs, membranous, lacking cellular reticulation or cells arranged in only 2–3 rows distal to roots, ± quadrate, without fibers;

inner coats white to pink, cells obscure, ± quadrate.

usually solitary, not clustered on stout, primary rhizome, ovoid to ± globose, 0.9–1.7 × 0.8–2 cm;

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

inner coats light brown to white, cells obscure, quadrate.

Leaves

usually persistent, green at anthesis, 2, basally sheathing, sheaths not extending much above soil surface;

blade solid, flat, broadly channeled, ± falcate, 10–35 cm × (2–)5–8 mm, margins entire.

persistent, withering from tip by anthesis, 1, basally sheathing, sheath not extending much above soil surface;

blade solid, terete, 20–55 cm × 1–4 mm.

Scape

persistent, solitary, erect, solid, terete, enlarged proximal to inflorescence, (10–)20–30(–40) cm × 1.5–4 mm.

persistent, solitary, erect, solid, terete, 15–60 cm × 1–3.5 mm.

Umbel

persistent, erect, compact, 25–50-flowered, hemispheric to globose, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 3, 5–7-veined, ovate, ± equal, apex acute.

persistent, erect, compact, 15–100-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2–4, 5–8-veined, lanceolate to broadly ovate, ± equal, apex mucronate to acuminate or long-acuminate.

Flowers

± stellate, (6–)7–8(–10) mm;

tepals spreading, light pink to purple with prominent green midribs, narrowly lanceolate, ± equal, becoming papery in fruit, margins entire, apex acuminate;

stamens equaling or longer than tepals;

anthers blue-gray;

pollen light blue to gray;

ovary crested;

processes 6, 2 per lobe, low, rounded, margins entire;

style exserted, linear;

stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed;

pedicel 10–20 mm.

stellate to ± campanulate, 5–8 mm;

tepals spreading to ± erect, white to pink or pale lavender with darker midveins, ovate to oblong, ± equal, becoming papery in fruit, margins entire, apex obtuse;

stamens ± equaling tepals to long-exserted;

anthers yellow or purple;

pollen yellow;

ovary crested;

processes 6, prominent, ± triangular, margins ± irregularly denticulate to laciniate;

style linear, equaling stamens or longer;

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

pedicel 6–25 mm.

Seed

coat shining;

cells smooth.

coat dull or shining;

cells minutely roughened.

2n

= 14.

Allium columbianum

Allium howellii

Phenology Flowering May–Jul.
Habitat Winter-wet, shallow soils on rock outcrops, or wet meadows
Elevation 300–1100 m (1000–3600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
ID; MT; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).

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

Key
1. Scape 15–25(–35) cm; umbels generally 15–30 (–50)-flowered; tepals usually white to pink or lavender; ovary crests purple in fresh specimens.
var. howellii
1. Scape 20–60 cm; umbels generally 25–100-flowered; tepals usually white or pale pink; ovary crests white or greenish in fresh specimens.
→ 2
2. Stamens exserted, 2–4 mm.
var. sanbenitense
2. Stamens ± equaling tepals.
var. clokeyi
Source FNA vol. 26. FNA vol. 26, p. 250.
Parent taxa Liliaceae > Allium Liliaceae > Allium
Sibling taxa
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. 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. 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
Subordinate taxa
A. howellii var. clokeyi, A. howellii var. howellii, A. howellii var. sanbenitense
Synonyms A. douglasii var. columbianum
Name authority (Ownbey & Mingrone) P. M. Peterson: Syst. Bot. 13: 211. (1988) Eastwood: Leafl. W. Bot. 2: 109. (1938)
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