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rock onion

coast flatstem onion, scytheleaf onion, sickle-leaf onion

Bulbs

1–3, not clustered on stout, primary rhizome, globose to ovate, 0.6–2 × 0.5–1.5 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, lacking cellular reticulation.

1–5+, not clustered on stout primary rhizomes, rhizomes absent, increase bulbs absent or ± equaling parent bulbs, never appearing as basal cluster, ovoid, 1.5–2.5 × 1–1.8 cm;

outer coats enclosing renewal and increase bulbs, brown to reddish brown, membranous, lacking cellular reticulation or cells arranged in only 2–3 rows distal to roots, ± quadrate, without fibers;

inner coats white or pink, cells obscure, ± quadrate.

Leaves

usually persistent, withering from tip at anthesis, 2, basally sheathing, sheaths not extending much above soil surface;

blade solid, flat or channeled, ± falcate, 12–38 cm × 2–3 mm, margins entire.

usually deciduous with scape, withering from tip at anthesis, 2, basally sheathing, sheaths not extending much above soil surface;

blade solid, flat, falcate, 8–21 cm × 2–8 mm, margins entire.

Scape

persistent, solitary, erect, solid, ± terete, not expanded proximal to inflorescence, 9–32 cm × 0.5–4 mm.

usually forming abcission layer and deciduous with leaves after seeds mature, frequently breaking at this level after pressing, solitary, erect, solid, strongly flattened, winged distally, 5–25 cm × 1–4 mm.

Umbel

persistent, erect, loose, 10–20-flowered, globose, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2, 3–7-veined, lanceolate to lance-ovate, ± equal, apex abruptly acute.

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

spathe bracts persistent, 2, 6–9-veined, lanceolate, ± equal, apex acuminate.

Flowers

campanulate, 5–7 mm;

tepals spreading, white or pinkish with prominent red midveins, narrowly lanceolate, ± equal, becoming papery in fruit, margins entire, apex acuminate;

stamens equaling tepals or exserted;

anthers yellow;

pollen yellow;

ovary crested;

processes 3, thick, obtuse, margins entire;

style linear, equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed;

pedicel 5–20 mm.

conic to campanulate, 9–15 mm;

tepals erect, reddish purple or dingy white, lanceolate, ± equal, rigid and membranous in fruit, at least inner margins denticulate with minute glands, apex long-acuminate;

stamens included;

anthers purple or yellow;

pollen yellow or white;

ovary crested;

processes 3, central, low, rounded, broad, margins entire;

style linear, equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, unlobed;

pedicel 8–15 mm.

Seed

coat dull;

cells ± smooth.

coat dull;

cells ± smooth.

2n

= 14.

= 14.

Allium macrum

Allium falcifolium

Phenology Flowering Apr–May. Flowering Apr–Jun.
Habitat Barren, gravelly soils Heavy, rocky, clay soils, including serpentine
Elevation 100–1400 m (300–4600 ft) 100–2100 m (300–6900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Source FNA vol. 26, p. 267. FNA vol. 26, p. 275.
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. 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. 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. 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. equicaeleste A. breweri, A. falcifolium var. breweri
Name authority S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 14: 233. (1879) Hooker & Arnott: Bot. Beechey Voy., 400. (1841)
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