Allium rhizomatum |
Allium platycaule |
|
---|---|---|
spreading wild onion |
broad-stem onion, flat-stem 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. |
1–5+, not clustered on stout primary rhizomes, renewal bulbs formed within coats of parent bulb, ovoid, 2–3 × 1.4–2.5 cm, increase bulbs ± equaling parent bulbs, rhizomes absent; outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, gray or brown, membranous, lacking cellular reticulation or cells arranged in only 2–3 rows distal to roots, ± quadrate, without fibers; inner coats white, cells obscure, quadrate to rectangular, or 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, 2, basally sheathing, sheaths not extending much above soil surface; blade solid, flat, falcate, 10–30-cm × 8–18 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, strongly flattened, winged distally, 7–25 cm × 2–7 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, loose, 30–90-flowered, globose, bulbils unknown; spathe bracts persistent, 2–5, 10–15-veined, lanceolate to broadly 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. |
stellate, 8–15 mm; tepals spreading, bright pink to rose, narrowly lanceolate, ± equal, becoming erect, rigid, constricted distal to ovary in fruit, margins entire, apex long-acuminate; stamens exserted; anthers yellow; pollen gray; ovary crestless; style linear, equaling stamens; stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed, apex acute; pedicel 10–25 mm. |
Seed | coat shining; cells smooth. |
coat dull or shining; cells smooth. |
2n | = 28. |
= 14. |
Allium rhizomatum |
Allium platycaule |
|
Phenology | Flowering Jul–Sep. | Flowering May–Jun. |
Habitat | Dry, usually grassy areas | Rocky, sandy slopes |
Elevation | 1200–2200 m (3900–7200 ft) | 1500–2500 m (4900–8200 ft) |
Distribution |
AZ; NM; TX; Mexico
|
CA; NV; OR
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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.) |
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Source | FNA vol. 26. | FNA vol. 26, p. 274. |
Parent taxa | Liliaceae > Allium | Liliaceae > Allium |
Sibling taxa | ||
Name authority | Wooton & Standley: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 16: 114. (1913) | S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 14: 234. (1879) |
Web links |