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Columbia onion, Columbian onion

victory 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.

1–several, attached to ± oblique rhizome, cylindric-conic, 5–6 × 1–2 cm;

outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, light brown to grayish brown, reticulate, cells fine-meshed, open, ± fibrous;

inner coat white to light brown, not appearing cellular, 10–18-veined, veins prominent, parallel.

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, green at anthesis, 2–3, sheathing proximal 1/3–1/2 scape;

blade solid, flat, narrowly lanceolate to broadly elliptic, 10–20 cm × 15–90 mm, base evidently petiolate, margins entire;

petiole 1–20 cm.

Scape

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

persistent, solitary, erect, terete distally, 2-edged proximally, 30–70 cm × 2–3 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, loose, 20–35-flowered, hemispheric, bulbels unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 1–2, 3–6-veined, lanceolate to ovate, ± equal, apex obtuse, nearly beakless.

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, 4–5 mm;

tepals spreading, white or greenish white, outer lanceolate, inner narrowly ovate, ± equal, reflexed in age, withering in fruit, margins entire, apex acute or obtuse;

stamens exserted;

anthers yellow;

pollen yellow;

ovary crestless;

style exserted, linear, equaling stamens or longer;

stigma capitate, scarcely thickened;

pedicel 10–30 mm.

Seed

coat shining;

cells smooth.

coat not known.

2n

= 14.

Allium columbianum

Allium victorialis

Phenology Flowering May–Jul. Flowering Jul–Aug.
Habitat Winter-wet, shallow soils on rock outcrops, or wet meadows Rocky areas
Elevation 300–1100 m (1000–3600 ft) 0–30 m (0–100 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
ID; MT; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK; e Asia
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Allium victorialis is found in North America only on Attu Island, where it is reported to be native, and on Unalaska Island, where it is reported to be introduced from Attu Island. Within this species, various subspecies and varieties have been described, but, as circumscribed, they are not clearly distinct. The North American plants have been known as subsp. platyphyllum, but until the variation within this widespread species can be worked out along natural lines, recognition of infraspecific taxa seems pointless.

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

Source FNA vol. 26. FNA vol. 26, p. 234.
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. 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. vineale, A. yosemitense
Synonyms A. douglasii var. columbianum A. victorialis subsp. platyphyllum
Name authority (Ownbey & Mingrone) P. M. Peterson: Syst. Bot. 13: 211. (1988) Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 295. (1753)
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