Allium crenulatum |
Allium sharsmithiae |
|
---|---|---|
Olympic onion, scalloped onion |
Sharsmith's onion |
|
Bulbs | 1–6+, replaced annually with new bulbs borne terminally on rhizomes; rhizomes 1–2, secondary, short; parent bulb disappearing by anthesis except for still-functional roots and shriveled bulb coat, oblique-ovoid, 1–2 × 0.8–1.8 cm; outer coats not or only partially enclosing bulbs, brown to gray-brown, membranous, lacking cellular reticulation or cells arranged in only 2–3 rows distal to roots, ± quadrate, without fibers; inner coats white, cells very obscurely quadrate or not visible. |
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 | usually deciduous with scape, withering from tip at anthesis, (1–)2, basally sheathing, sheaths not extending much above soil surface; blade solid, flat, falcate, 10–33 cm × 1.5–10 mm, margins sometimes minutely denticulate. |
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 | usually forming abcission layer and deciduous with leaves after seeds mature, frequently breaking at this level after pressing, solitary, ± erect, solid, flattened, winged distally, wings frequently crenulate proximal to umbel, 5–15 cm × 1–5 mm. |
persistent, solitary, erect, solid, terete, 4–17 cm × 1–2.5 mm. |
Umbel | persistent, erect, compact, 10–25-flowered, conic to hemispheric, bulbils unknown; spathe bracts persistent, 2, 8–10-veined, lanceolate, ± equal, apex acute. |
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 | campanulate, 6–12 mm; tepals erect, pinkish with deeper pink midveins, lanceolate, ± equal, becoming papery in fruit, margins entire, apex acute; stamens included; anthers yellow or purple; pollen yellow; ovary obscurely crested; processes 3, central, 2-lobed, minute, margins entire; style linear, equaling stamens; stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed; pedicel 6–16 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 shining; cells smooth. |
coat dull or shining; cells minutely roughened. |
2n | = 14. |
= 14. |
Allium crenulatum |
Allium sharsmithiae |
|
Phenology | Flowering late May–Jul. | Flowering Apr–May. |
Habitat | Talus slopes and clay soils, including serpentine, on bald summits and ridges | Serpentine clay soil on talus slopes |
Elevation | 600–2500 m (2000–8200 ft) | 500–1100 m (1600–3600 ft) |
Distribution |
OR; WA; BC
|
CA |
Discussion | Allium crenulatum is known only from west of the Cascade Mountains from Vancouver Island to southwestern Oregon, in Jefferson Park, Oregon, and in the Wenatchee Mountains, central Washington. The disjunct populations of Allium crenulatum in western Oregon are markedly different among themselves and from the more typical representatives to the north. It has thus far proven impossible to draw meaningful taxonomic distinctions among these populations, hence we have followed historical precedent and have placed them all in a single, highly variable species. (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. 274. | FNA vol. 26, p. 252. |
Parent taxa | Liliaceae > Allium | Liliaceae > Allium |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | A. cascadense, A. vancouverense, A. watsonii | A. fimbriatum var. sharsmithiae |
Name authority | Wiegand: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 26: 135, plate 355, fig. 1. (1899) | (Ownbey & Aase ex Traub) McNeal: Aliso 13: 417. (1992) |
Web links |