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mountain swamp onion, swamp onion

twincrest onion

Bulbs

1–3, larger bulbs each usually with cluster of 10–30 easily detached bulbels to one side of base, not clustered on stout, primary rhizome, globose to ovoid, 1–1.6 × 0.8–1.5 cm;

outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, brownish, membranous, without fibers;

inner coats white to pink;

inner and outer coats frequently without obvious reticulations, these, when present, contorted.

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

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

blade solid, flat or channeled, 10–25 cm × 1–4 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, sometimes ridged, 10–20 cm × 1–2 mm.

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

Umbel

persistent, erect, compact, 10–20-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2, 5–7-veined, ovate, ± equal, apex acuminate.

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

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

Flowers

campanulate, 6–10 mm;

tepals erect or ± spreading, white with prominent green or pink midveins, lanceolate, ± equal, becoming papery in fruit, margins entire, apex obtuse to acuminate, becoming involute at tip;

stamens included;

anthers white or yellow;

pollen yellow;

ovary crestless or obscurely crested;

processes 3, low, central, rounded, minute;

style linear, equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, unlobed or slightly lobed;

pedicel 5–12 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 dull;

cells ± smooth.

coat shining;

cells each with minute, central papilla.

2n

= 28, 42.

= 14, 28.

Allium madidum

Allium bisceptrum

Phenology Flowering May–Jul. Flowering May–Jul.
Habitat Seasonally wet meadows Meadows and aspen groves, less commonly on open slopes in mountains
Elevation 1100–2000 m (3600–6600 ft) 1100–3000 m (3600–9800 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
ID; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CA; ID; NM; NV; OR; UT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Allium madidum is found in the Blue Mountains, Oregon and in Idaho near Payette Lake and New Meadows.

(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, p. 255. 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. 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. 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. bisceptrum var. palmeri, A. bisceptrum var. utahense, A. palmeri
Name authority S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 14: 228. (1879) S. Watson: Botany (Fortieth Parallel), 351, plate 37, figs. 1–3. (1871)
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