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coast onion, coastal onion

elmendorf's onion

Bulbs

1–3, increase bulbs absent or ± equaling parent bulbs, never appearing as basal cluster, not clustered on stout primary rhizome, ovoid to ± globose, 10–15 mm;

outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, brown, prominently cellular-reticulate, membranous, cells arranged in ± vertical rows, forming distinct herringbone pattern, transversely elongate, V-shaped, without fibers;

inner coats white, cells obscure, arranged in vertical rows, forming distinct herringbone pattern, transversely elongate, V-shaped.

1–3, larger bulbs each bearing 3–10 basal bulbels surrounding roots, not clustered on stout, primary rhizome, ovoid, 1–1.5 × 0.8–1.5 cm;

outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, thin, membranous, lacking reticulation, without persistent fibers;

inner coats whitish, cells vertically elongate or contorted, walls very sinuous.

Leaves

persistent, withering from tip by anthesis, 3–6, basally sheathing, sheaths not extending much above soil surface;

blade solid, subterete or ± channeled, arcuate to ± tortuous, 7–25 cm × 1–3 mm, margins entire.

persistent, green at anthesis, 3–6, basally sheathing, sheaths not extending much above soil surface;

blades solid, flat, channeled, 15–40 cm × 1–3 mm, margins entire.

Scape

persistent, solitary, erect, solid, terete, 10–30 cm × 2–3 mm.

persistent, 1–3, clustered, erect, solid, terete, 15–40 cm × 1–4 mm.

Umbel

persistent, erect, compact, 5–30-flowered, conic to hemispheric, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2, 4–6-veined, broadly ovate, ± equal, apex abruptly acuminate.

persistent, erect, loose, 10–30-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 3–4, 4–5-veined, ovate, ± equal, apex acuminate.

Flowers

campanulate, 9–12 mm;

tepals ± erect, deep reddish purple, ovate, unequal, inner shorter and narrower than outer, becoming rigid and ± carinate in fruit, margins entire or inner minutely denticulate, apex acute to obtuse, spreading to recurved at tips;

stamens included;

anthers yellow;

pollen yellow;

ovary crested;

processes 3, central, 2-lobed, minute, margins entire;

style linear, equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed or minutely 3-lobed;

pedicel 5–20 mm.

± stellate to campanulate, 5–6 mm;

tepals erect or ± spreading, ± flexuous, white or pinkish, lanceolate, ± equal, papery and withering away from fruit, margins entire or nearly so, apex obtuse, midribs thickened;

stamens included;

anthers yellow;

pollen yellow;

ovary crestless;

style linear, equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, unlobed to distinctly lobed;

pedicel 1–2.5 mm, elongating in fruit.

Seed

coat dull or shining;

cells minutely roughened.

coat shining;

cells smooth.

2n

= 14.

= 14.

Allium dichlamydeum

Allium elmendorfii

Phenology Flowering May–Jul. Flowering Mar–early Apr.
Habitat Dry, clay soils on or near sea cliffs Sandy soil
Elevation 10–50 m (0–200 ft) 100–200 m (300–700 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
TX
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Of conservation concern.

Allium elmendorfii is known only from the Carrizo sands of eastern Bexar, Frio, Wilson, and Atacosa counties.

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

Source FNA vol. 26, p. 264. FNA vol. 26, p. 255.
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. constrictum, A. coryi, A. cratericola, A. crenulatum, A. crispum, A. cuthbertii, A. denticulatum, A. diabolense, 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. 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
Name authority Greene: Pittonia 1: 166. (1888) M. E. Jones ex Ownbey: Res. Stud. State Coll. Wash. 18: 218, fig. 8. (1951)
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