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dwarf onion, small onion

Grand Coulee onion

Bulbs

1–5+, not clustered on stout primary rhizome, rhizomes absent, renewal bulbs formed within coats of parent bulb, ovoid to ± globose, 1–2 × 0.7–2 cm;

outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, gray to grayish brown, membranous, lacking cellular reticulation or cells arranged in only 2–3 rows distal to roots, ± quadrate, without fibers;

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

1–5+, not clustered on stout, primary rhizome, ovoid, 1–1.5 × 0.8–1.4 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, cells obscure, quadrate.

Leaves

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

blade solid, flat, ± falcate, 8–15 cm × 2–8 mm, margins entire.

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

blade solid, flat, broadly channeled, falcate, 10–35 cm × 1–3(–5) mm, margins entire.

Scape

usually forming abcission layer and deciduous with leaves after seeds mature, frequently breaking at this level after pressing, solitary, erect, solid, flattened, frequently ± winged distally, or, in smaller specimens, ± terete, 3–12 cm × 0.5–2 mm.

persistent, solitary, erect, solid, terete, enlarged apically but distinctly constricted just proximal to inflorescence, 15–20 cm × 1.5–4 mm.

Umbel

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

spathe bracts persistent, 2, 12–14-veined, ovate, ± equal, apex acute to acuminate.

persistent, erect, compact, 15–30-flowered, hemispheric to globose, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 3, 5–7-veined, ovate, ± equal, apex acute.

Flowers

narrowly campanulate, 6–9 mm;

tepals erect, ± spreading toward tips, white or tinged with pink, with broad, dark, reddish purple or brown midvein, oblong to elliptic, unequal, outer longer, wider than inner, becoming papery and investing capsule, not carinate in fruit, margins entire, apex obtuse to ± acute;

stamens included;

anthers purple or yellow;

pollen yellow;

ovary obscurely crested;

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

style linear, ± equaling tepals;

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

pedicel 3–12 mm.

± stellate, 7–8 mm;

tepals spreading, light pink to rose with prominent green or reddish midribs, narrowly lanceolate, ± equal, becoming papery in fruit, margins entire, apex acuminate;

stamens exserted;

anthers blue-gray;

pollen light blue to gray;

ovary crested;

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

style exserted, linear;

stigma capitate, unlobed;

pedicel 10–20 mm.

Seed

coat dull;

cells smooth.

coat shining;

cells smooth.

2n

= 14.

= 14.

Allium parvum

Allium constrictum

Phenology Flowering late Apr–Jun. Flowering May–Jul.
Habitat Rocky, clay slopes and talus Shallow, lithosolic soils, often dry and sandy
Elevation 1200–2800 m (3900–9200 ft) 300–500 m (1000–1600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; ID; NV; OR; UT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Of conservation concern.

Allium constrictum is known only from Douglas, Grant, and Lincoln counties.

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

Source FNA vol. 26. FNA vol. 26.
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. nevii, A. nigrum, A. obtusum, A. oleraceum, A. paniculatum, A. parishii, A. parryi, 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. 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. modocense, A. pleianthum var. particolor, A. tribracteatum var. andersonii, A. tribracteatum var. parvum A. douglasii var. constrictum
Name authority Kellogg: Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. 3: 54, fig. 13. (1863) (Ownbey & Mingrone) P. M. Peterson: Syst. Bot. 13: 211. (1988)
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