Allium rhizomatum |
Allium howellii |
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spreading wild onion |
Howell's onion |
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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 rhizome, ovoid to ± globose, 0.9–1.7 × 0.8–2 cm; outer coats enclosing bulb, dark reddish brown, membranous, lacking cellular reticulation or cells arranged in only 2–3 rows distal to roots, ± quadrate, without fibers; inner coats light brown to white, cells obscure, quadrate. |
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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. |
persistent, withering from tip by anthesis, 1, basally sheathing, sheath not extending much above soil surface; blade solid, terete, 20–55 cm × 1–4 mm. |
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Scape | solitary, erect, solid, terete, 20–30 cm × 1–3 mm. |
persistent, solitary, erect, solid, terete, 15–60 cm × 1–3.5 mm. |
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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, 15–100-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown; spathe bracts persistent, 2–4, 5–8-veined, lanceolate to broadly ovate, ± equal, apex mucronate to acuminate or long-acuminate. |
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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. |
stellate to ± campanulate, 5–8 mm; tepals spreading to ± erect, white to pink or pale lavender with darker midveins, ovate to oblong, ± equal, becoming papery in fruit, margins entire, apex obtuse; stamens ± equaling tepals to long-exserted; anthers yellow or purple; pollen yellow; ovary crested; processes 6, prominent, ± triangular, margins ± irregularly denticulate to laciniate; style linear, equaling stamens or longer; stigma capitate, 3-lobed, lobes slender, recurved; pedicel 6–25 mm. |
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Seed | coat shining; cells smooth. |
coat dull or shining; cells minutely roughened. |
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2n | = 28. |
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Allium rhizomatum |
Allium howellii |
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Phenology | Flowering Jul–Sep. | |||||||||
Habitat | Dry, usually grassy areas | |||||||||
Elevation | 1200–2200 m (3900–7200 ft) | |||||||||
Distribution |
AZ; NM; TX; Mexico
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CA
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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.) |
Varieties 3 (3 in the flora). (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
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Key |
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Source | FNA vol. 26. | FNA vol. 26, p. 250. | ||||||||
Parent taxa | Liliaceae > Allium | Liliaceae > Allium | ||||||||
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Subordinate taxa | ||||||||||
Name authority | Wooton & Standley: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 16: 114. (1913) | Eastwood: Leafl. W. Bot. 2: 109. (1938) | ||||||||
Web links |