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Grand Coulee onion

twincrest onion

Bulbs

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

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

inner coats white, cells obscure, quadrate.

1–7+, commonly producing either cluster of stalked, basal bulbels or filiform rhizomes to 1 dm, terminated by bulbels, rhizomes generally lost when specimens are collected, ovoid, 1–2 × 0.6–1.8 cm;

outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, light brown to gray, membranous, obscurely cellular-reticulate, cells rectangular, walls minutely sinuous, vertical, varying to irregular, all sinuous, without fibers;

inner coats white to pink, 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 × 1–3(–5) mm, margins entire.

persistent, green at anthesis, 2–5, basally sheathing, sheaths not extending much above soil surface;

blade solid, flat, broadly channeled, 8–30 cm × 1–13 mm, margins entire.

Scape

persistent, solitary, erect, solid, terete, enlarged apically but distinctly constricted just proximal to inflorescence, 15–20 cm × 1.5–4 mm.

persistent, solitary or clustered 1–3, erect, solid, terete, 10–30(–40) cm × 1–5 mm.

Umbel

persistent, erect, compact, 15–30-flowered, hemispheric to globose, bulbils unknown;

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

persistent, erect, loose, 15–40-flowered, globose, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2, 3–4-veined, ovate to lanceolate, ± equal, apex acuminate.

Flowers

± stellate, 7–8 mm;

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

stamens exserted;

anthers blue-gray;

pollen light blue to gray;

ovary crested;

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

style exserted, linear;

stigma capitate, unlobed;

pedicel 10–20 mm.

stellate, 7–10 mm;

tepals spreading, lilac to white, lanceolate, ± equal, becoming papery in fruit, not carinate, margins entire, apex acuminate, not involute;

stamens included;

anthers purple;

pollen yellow;

ovary conspicuously crested;

processes 6, central, distinct, flattened, triangular, margins papillose-denticulate;

style included, linear, ± equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, unlobed;

pedicel 10–20 mm, often becoming flexuous and deflexed in fruit.

Seed

coat shining;

cells smooth.

coat shining;

cells each with minute, central papilla.

2n

= 14.

= 14, 28.

Allium constrictum

Allium bisceptrum

Phenology Flowering May–Jul. Flowering May–Jul.
Habitat Shallow, lithosolic soils, often dry and sandy Meadows and aspen groves, less commonly on open slopes in mountains
Elevation 300–500 m (1000–1600 ft) 1100–3000 m (3600–9800 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CA; ID; NM; NV; OR; UT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Of conservation concern.

Allium constrictum is known only from Douglas, Grant, and Lincoln counties.

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

Two varieties of Allium bisceptrum have been recognized. Where their ranges overlap (central Utah and central Nevada), the putative varieties cannot be distinguished confidently except by chromosome number.

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

Source FNA vol. 26. FNA vol. 26, p. 256.
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. columbianum, 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. 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
Synonyms A. douglasii var. constrictum A. bisceptrum var. palmeri, A. bisceptrum var. utahense, A. palmeri
Name authority (Ownbey & Mingrone) P. M. Peterson: Syst. Bot. 13: 211. (1988) S. Watson: Botany (Fortieth Parallel), 351, plate 37, figs. 1–3. (1871)
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