Allium rhizomatum |
Allium robinsonii |
|
---|---|---|
spreading wild onion |
Robinson's 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. |
1–3+, not clustered on stout primary rhizome, rhizomes absent, renewal bulbs formed within coats of parent bulb, increase bulbs absent or 1–2, ± equaling parent bulbs, never appearing as basal cluster, ovoid, 1–2 cm × 8–15 mm; outer coats grayish to brownish, membranous, lacking cellular reticulation or cells arranged in only 2–3 rows distal to roots, ± quadrate, without fibers; inner coats white, cells absent or ± quadrate. |
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, 2, basally sheathing, sheaths not extending much above soil surface; blade solid, flat, strongly falcate, 5–18 cm × 1–2 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, flattened, slightly 2-edged, 3–7 cm × 1–3 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. |
deciduous with scape, erect, compact, 5–12-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown; spathe bracts persistent, 2, 5–8-veined, ovate, ± equal, apex abruptly acute. |
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. |
campanulate, 7–9 mm; tepals erect, white to pale pink with red midribs, oblong, ± equal, becoming papery and not carinate in fruit, margins entire, apex obtuse; stamens included; anthers purple; pollen gray or yellow; ovary ± distinctly crested; processes 3 or 6, central, low, rounded, margins entire; style included, linear; stigma capitate, unlobed; pedicel 3–12 mm. |
Seed | coat shining; cells smooth. |
coat dull; cells smooth. |
2n | = 28. |
= 14. |
Allium rhizomatum |
Allium robinsonii |
|
Phenology | Flowering Jul–Sep. | Flowering Apr–May. |
Habitat | Dry, usually grassy areas | Sand and gravel deposits along bottom and lower benches of Columbia River |
Elevation | 1200–2200 m (3900–7200 ft) | 50–200 m (200–700 ft) |
Distribution |
AZ; NM; TX; Mexico
|
OR; WA
|
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.) |
Allium robinsonii has been found along the Columbia River from Ferry County, northeastern Washington, to about the mouth of the John Day River, north-central Oregon, and is now possibly extirpated from Oregon. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 26. | FNA vol. 26, p. 276. |
Parent taxa | Liliaceae > Allium | Liliaceae > Allium |
Sibling taxa | ||
Name authority | Wooton & Standley: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 16: 114. (1913) | L. F. Henderson: Rhodora 32: 22. (1930) |
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