Allium constrictum |
Allium scilloides |
|
---|---|---|
Grand Coulee onion |
fragile onion, scilla-like 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. |
1–5, not clustered on stout, primary rhizome, increase bulbs ± equaling parent bulbs, never appearing as basal cluster, rhizomes absent, globose to ovoid, 1–2 cm × 8–20 mm; outer coats enclosing renewal bulbs, reddish or brownish, membranous, lacking cellular reticulation or cells arranged in only 2–3 rows distal to roots, ± quadrate, without fibers; inner coats white or light brown, cells absent or obscure and ± 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. |
deciduous with scape after seeds mature, 2, basally sheathing, sheaths not extending much above soil surface; blade solid, flat, falcate, 6–15 cm × 2–4 mm, margins entire or obscurely papillose. |
Scape | persistent, solitary, erect, solid, terete, enlarged apically but distinctly constricted just proximal to inflorescence, 15–20 cm × 1.5–4 mm. |
usually forming abcission layer and deciduous with leaves after seeds mature, frequently breaking at this level after pressing, solitary, erect, solid, strongly flattened, 2-edged or winged distally, wings obscurely papillose, 4–8 cm × 1–3 mm. |
Umbel | persistent, erect, compact, 15–30-flowered, hemispheric to globose, bulbils unknown; spathe bracts persistent, 3, 5–7-veined, ovate, ± equal, apex acute. |
decisuous with scape, erect, compact, 5–12-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown; spathe bracts persistent, 2–3, 3-veined, broadly ovate, ± equal, apex acute. |
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. |
campanulate, 6–8 mm; tepals erect, white or pinkish with green midribs, becoming reddish purple, broadly elliptic-oblong, ± equal, becoming rigid, papery and ± connivent over fruit, margins entire, apex obtuse, not involute at tip; stamens included; anthers purple; pollen white to gray; ovary crestless or obscurely crested; processes 3, central, rounded, margins entire; style linear, equaling stamens; stigma capitate, unlobed or minutely 3-lobed; pedicel 2–10.5(–18.5 in fruit) mm. |
Seed | coat shining; cells smooth. |
coat dull; cells smooth. |
2n | = 14. |
= 14. |
Allium constrictum |
Allium scilloides |
|
Phenology | Flowering May–Jul. | Flowering Mar–Apr. |
Habitat | Shallow, lithosolic soils, often dry and sandy | Barren, gravelly soils, arid interior slopes and ridges well back from Columbia River |
Elevation | 300–500 m (1000–1600 ft) | 300–1300 m (1000–4300 ft) |
Distribution |
WA
|
WA
|
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.) |
Of conservation concern. Allium scilloides is known only from east of the Cascades. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 26. | FNA vol. 26, p. 275. |
Parent taxa | Liliaceae > Allium | Liliaceae > Allium |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | A. douglasii var. constrictum | |
Name authority | (Ownbey & Mingrone) P. M. Peterson: Syst. Bot. 13: 211. (1988) | Douglas ex S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 14: 229. (1879) |
Web links |