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dwarf onion, small onion

San Bernardino Mountain 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.

1–3+, generally with 1–2 stalked, basal bulbels, not clustered on stout, primary rhizome, ovoid, 1–2.2 × 1.2–2 cm;

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

inner coats white to pinkish, cells obscurely 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.

persistent, withering just at tip by anthesis, 1, basally sheathing, sheath not extending much above soil surface;

blade solid, terete, 9–35 cm × 2–4 mm.

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, 6–25 cm × 2–4 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, 8–25-flowered, conic, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2–3, 5–7-veined, broadly ovate, ± equal, apex acuminate.

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.

urceolate, 12–19 mm;

tepals erect, rose-purple distally, often white proximally, lance-linear to lance-ovate, ± equal, becoming rigid in fruit, margins entire, apex long-acuminate, flaring at tip;

stamens included;

anthers yellow;

pollen yellow;

ovary crested;

processes 6, ± prominent, ± triangular to ± linear, margins entire;

style linear, ± equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed;

pedicel 5–12 mm.

Seed

coat dull;

cells smooth.

coat dull;

cells minutely roughened.

2n

= 14.

= 14.

Allium parvum

Allium monticola

Phenology Flowering late Apr–Jun. Flowering late May–Jul.
Habitat Rocky, clay slopes and talus Loose rock and talus slopes, alpine ridges and talus
Elevation 1200–2800 m [3900–9200 ft] 1400–3200 m [4600–10500 ft]
Distribution
map from FNA
CA; ID; NV; OR; UT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
map from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Allium monticola is known only from the southern California mountains.

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

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. 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. 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. monticola var. keckii, A. parishii var. keckii, A. peirsonii
Name authority Kellogg: Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. 3: 54, fig. 13. (1863) Davidson: Bull. S. Calif. Acad. Sci. 20: 51. (1921)
Source FNA vol. 26. Treatment authors: Dale W. McNeal Jr., T. D. Jacobsen. FNA vol. 26, p. 250. Treatment authors: Dale W. McNeal Jr., T. D. Jacobsen.
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