Allium rhizomatum |
Allium simillimum |
|
---|---|---|
spreading wild onion |
simil 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 rhizome, ovoid, 0.8–1.6 × 0.6–1.4 cm; outer coats enclosing single bulb, brownish, membranous, with ± obscure reticulations, cells isodiametric to transversely elongate, often contorted, without fibers; inner coats white to pink, cells obscure, 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 dedicuous with scape, green at anthesis, 2, basally sheathing, sheaths not extended much above soil surface; blade solid, flat to ± terete, linear, broadly channeled, 4–22 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, slightly flattened, very narrowly winged or not, 1–5 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, 5–15-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown; spathe bracts persistent, 2, 6–9-veined, ovate, ± equal, apex obtuse or 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, 5–9 mm; tepals erect, white with green or reddish midribs or rarely pink, oblong to lanceolate, ± equal, becoming papery in fruit, margins obscurely to distinctly denticulate-serrulate, apex obtuse to acuminate; stamens included; anthers purple or mottled purple and white; pollen white or gray; ovary crested; processes 3, low, rounded, margins entire; style linear, equaling stamens; stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed; pedicel 2–5 mm. |
Seed | coat shining; cells smooth. |
coat dull or shining; cells smooth. |
2n | = 28. |
= 14. |
Allium rhizomatum |
Allium simillimum |
|
Phenology | Flowering Jul–Sep. | Flowering Apr–Jun. |
Habitat | Dry, usually grassy areas | Coarse, sandy soils of granitic, calcareous, or basaltic origins |
Elevation | 1200–2200 m (3900–7200 ft) | 1800–3400 m (5900–11200 ft) |
Distribution |
AZ; NM; TX; Mexico
|
ID; MT
|
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. 268. |
Parent taxa | Liliaceae > Allium | Liliaceae > Allium |
Sibling taxa | ||
Name authority | Wooton & Standley: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 16: 114. (1913) | L. F. Henderson: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 27: 355. (1900) |
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