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Nevius' garlic, Nevius' onion

fragile onion, scilla-like onion

Bulbs

1–5+, not clustered on stout, primary rhizome, ovoid, 1–2 × 1–2 cm;

outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, light brown, membranous, ± reticulate, cells quadrate to polygonal, vertically oblong, without fibers;

inner coats white or pink, 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, withering from tip at anthesis, 2, basally sheathing, sheaths not extending much above soil surface;

blade solid, flat or ± channeled, falcate, 12–25 cm × 2–3 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, 1–3, erect, solid, terete or somewhat flattened, 2-edged, not expanded proximal to inflorescence, 15–30 cm × 1–3 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, 10–30-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2, 5–6-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

campanulate to substellate, 6–8 mm;

tepals spreading, rose-colored, lanceolate, ± equal, becoming papery in fruit, margins entire, apex acuminate;

stamens ± equaling tepals, or exserted;

anthers blue-gray;

pollen light blue or gray;

ovary distinctly crested;

processes 6, 2 per lobe, low, rounded, margins entire;

style exserted, linear;

stigma capitate, unlobed;

pedicel 8–12 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 dull;

cells smooth.

coat dull;

cells smooth.

2n

= 14.

= 14.

Allium nevii

Allium scilloides

Phenology Flowering May–Jul. Flowering Mar–Apr.
Habitat Heavy, rocky soils, wet meadows, or along streams Barren, gravelly soils, arid interior slopes and ridges well back from Columbia River
Elevation 30–1900 m (100–6200 ft) 300–1300 m (1000–4300 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

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, 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. macrum, A. madidum, A. membranaceum, A. monticola, A. munzii, A. neapolitanum, A. nevadense, 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. 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. 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. douglasii var. nevii
Name authority S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 14: 231. (1879) Douglas ex S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 14: 229. (1879)
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