Allium rhizomatum |
Allium speculae |
|
---|---|---|
spreading wild onion |
little river canyon 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 rhizomatous, ovoid, 1–5 × 1–2 cm; outer coats usually enclosing single bulb, grayish or brownish, reticulate, cells very fine-meshed, open; inner coats whitish, cells vertically elongate, regular. |
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, green at anthesis, 3+, sheathing; blade solid, flat, channeled, 10–30 cm × 1–2 mm, margins entire. |
Scape | solitary, erect, solid, terete, 20–30 cm × 1–3 mm. |
persistent, solitary (sometimes 2 in cultivated plants), erect, terete, 20–30 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. |
persistent, erect, compact, 10–15-flowered, hemispheric-globose, bulbels unknown; spathe bracts persistent, 3, usually 1-veined, lanceolate, ± equal, apex long-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. |
± campanulate, 5–6 mm; tepals widely spreading, pinkish, elliptic, ± equal, remaining thin and withering over ovary, margins entire, apex obtuse, involute at tip; stamens included; anthers light yellow; pollen white to light yellow; ovary crested; processes 6, central, horizontally spreading, flattened, triangular, margins entire; style linear, equaling stamens; stigma capitate, obscurely 3-lobed; pedicel 9–20 mm. |
Seed | coat shining; cells smooth. |
coat shining; cells each with minute, central papilla. |
2n | = 28. |
= 14. |
Allium rhizomatum |
Allium speculae |
|
Phenology | Flowering Jul–Sep. | Flowering Jun. |
Habitat | Dry, usually grassy areas | On gneiss “flat-rocks” and sandy soil of Piedmont |
Elevation | 1200–2200 m (3900–7200 ft) | 300 m (1000 ft) |
Distribution |
AZ; NM; TX; Mexico
|
AL; GA |
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.) |
Of conservation concern. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 26. | FNA vol. 26, p. 242. |
Parent taxa | Liliaceae > Allium | Liliaceae > Allium |
Sibling taxa | ||
Name authority | Wooton & Standley: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 16: 114. (1913) | Ownbey & Aase: Rhodora 61: 70. (1959) |
Web links |