Allium rhizomatum |
Allium hoffmanii |
|
---|---|---|
spreading wild onion |
beegum onion |
|
Bulbs | solitary, not basally clustered, replaced annually by new bulbs borne terminally on rhizome; rhizomes 1–3, conspicuous, slender, 2–3 cm, scaly; parent bulbs persisting, often not collected, oblique-ovoid, 1–2.5 × 1 cm; outer coats enclosing parent bulbs, grayish, lacking cellular reticulation, membranous, without fibers; inner coats white or hyaline, cells obscure, ± quadrate. |
usually solitary, not clustered on stout primary rhizomes, ovoid, 1.5–2.5 × 1–1.5 cm; outer coats enclosing single bulb, brown or gray, membranous, lacking cellular reticulation or cells arranged in only 2–3 rows distal to roots, ± quadrate, without fibers; inner coats white or pink, cells not visible. |
Leaves | persistent, green at anthesis, 2–3, basally sheathing, sheaths not extending much above soil surface; blade solid, flat, not falcate, 20–35 cm × 2–3 mm, margins entire. |
usually deciduous with scape, withering from tip at anthesis, 1, basally sheathing, sheath not extending much above soil surface; blade solid, flat or broadly channeled, ± falcate, 10–22 cm × 4–8 mm, margins entire. |
Scape | solitary, erect, solid, terete, 20–30 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, terete, 5–10 cm × 0.5–2 mm. |
Umbel | persistent, erect, loose, 5–15(–22)-flowered, globose to hemispheric, bulbils unknown; spathe bracts persistent, 2, 3-veined, ovate to lance-ovate, ± equal, apex acute. |
persistent, erect, compact, 10–40-flowered, globose to conic, bulbils unknown; spathe bracts persistent, 3–4, 3-veined, ovate, ± equal, apex acuminate. |
Flowers | stellate, 6–9 mm; tepals erect, pink with purplish or pinkish midveins, oblong to lanceolate, slightly carinate basally, ± equal, becoming papery in fruit, margins entire, apex acute to acuminate; stamens included; anthers yellow or pink; pollen yellow or white; ovary crestless, 3-grooved with thickened ridge on either side of groove; style linear, shorter than stamens; stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed; pedicel 10–20(–50) mm. |
conical to campanulate, 8–10 mm; tepals strictly erect, pink to purplish with prominent greenish midvein, linear-lanceolate, ± equal, becoming membranous, withering in fruit, margins entire, apex acuminate; stamens exserted; filaments papillose-glandular proximally; anthers purple; pollen yellow or gray; ovary crested; processes 6, obscure, central, low, rounded, margins entire; style linear, equaling stamens; stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, obscurely 3-lobed; pedicel 8–15 mm. |
Seed | coat shining; cells smooth. |
coat dull; cells smooth. |
2n | = 28. |
= 14. |
Allium rhizomatum |
Allium hoffmanii |
|
Phenology | Flowering Jul–Sep. | Flowering Jun–Jul. |
Habitat | Dry, usually grassy areas | Serpentine clay |
Elevation | 1200–2200 m (3900–7200 ft) | 1100–1800 m (3600–5900 ft) |
Distribution |
AZ; NM; TX; Mexico
|
CA |
Discussion | Allium rhizomatum has often been included within the Mexican species A. glandulosum. This reduction is unwarranted. The perianth of A. rhizomatum is pale, with the color mainly confined to the midribs. Additionally, the species can be distinguished by its 3-lobed, apically 3-grooved ovary and lack of sepal glands. Allium glandulosum has a red perianth, an apically rounded ovary, and sepal glands. The nectar produced from these glands does not show in herbarium specimens. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
|
Source | FNA vol. 26. | FNA vol. 26, p. 273. |
Parent taxa | Liliaceae > Allium | Liliaceae > Allium |
Sibling taxa | ||
Name authority | Wooton & Standley: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 16: 114. (1913) | Ownbey ex Traub: Pl. Life 28: 63. (1972) |
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