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spreading wild onion

rawhide Hill 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 rhizomes, ovoid, 1.3–2 × 1.4–2 cm;

outer coats enclosing single 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, 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.

persistent, withering from tip by anthesis, 1, basally sheathing, sheath not extending much above soil surface;

blade solid, terete, 30–55 cm × 2–4 mm.

Scape

solitary, erect, solid, terete, 20–30 cm × 1–3 mm.

persistent, solitary, erect, solid, terete, 25–50 cm × 2–4 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, 20–60-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, usually 3, 7–8-veined, ovate, ± equal, apex attenuate.

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.

saucer-shaped, 6–8 mm;

tepals spreading from base, white or flushed with pink, broadly ovate, ± equal, becoming papery in fruit, margins entire, apex obtuse to nearly round, not recurved at tip;

stamens included;

anthers yellow;

pollen yellow;

ovary crested;

processes 6, prominent, ± triangular, margins laciniate;

style linear, equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, 3-lobed, lobes slender, recurved;

pedicel 7–20 mm.

Seed

coat shining;

cells smooth.

coat dull;

cells minutely roughened.

2n

= 28.

= 14.

Allium rhizomatum

Allium tuolumnense

Phenology Flowering Jul–Sep. Flowering Mar–May.
Habitat Dry, usually grassy areas Serpentine soil on open hillsides
Elevation 1200–2200 m (3900–7200 ft) 400–600 m (1300–2000 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; NM; TX; Mexico
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA
[BONAP county map]
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.

Allium tuolumnense is known only from the foothills of the central Sierra Nevada, Rawhide Hill and Red Hills.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 26. FNA vol. 26, p. 254.
Parent taxa Liliaceae > Allium Liliaceae > Allium
Sibling taxa
A. aaseae, A. abramsii, A. acuminatum, A. ampeloprasum, A. amplectens, A. anceps, A. atrorubens, A. bigelovii, A. bisceptrum, A. bolanderi, A. brandegeei, A. brevistylum, A. burlewii, A. campanulatum, A. canadense, A. cepa, A. cernuum, A. columbianum, A. constrictum, A. coryi, A. cratericola, A. crenulatum, A. crispum, A. cuthbertii, A. denticulatum, A. diabolense, A. dichlamydeum, A. dictuon, A. douglasii, A. drummondii, A. elmendorfii, A. falcifolium, A. fibrillum, A. fimbriatum, A. fistulosum, A. geyeri, A. gooddingii, A. haematochiton, A. hickmanii, A. hoffmanii, A. howellii, A. hyalinum, A. jepsonii, A. kunthii, A. lacunosum, A. lemmonii, A. macropetalum, A. macrum, A. madidum, A. membranaceum, A. monticola, A. munzii, A. neapolitanum, A. nevadense, A. nevii, A. nigrum, A. obtusum, A. oleraceum, A. paniculatum, A. parishii, A. parryi, A. parvum, A. passeyi, A. peninsulare, A. perdulce, A. platycaule, A. plummerae, A. praecox, A. punctum, A. robinsonii, A. rotundum, A. runyonii, A. sanbornii, A. sativum, A. schoenoprasum, A. scilloides, A. serra, A. sharsmithiae, A. shevockii, A. simillimum, A. siskiyouense, A. speculae, A. stellatum, A. textile, A. tolmiei, A. tribracteatum, A. tricoccum, A. triquetrum, A. tuberosum, A. tuolumnense, A. unifolium, A. validum, A. victorialis, A. vineale, A. yosemitense
A. aaseae, A. abramsii, A. acuminatum, A. ampeloprasum, A. amplectens, A. anceps, A. atrorubens, A. bigelovii, A. bisceptrum, A. bolanderi, A. brandegeei, A. brevistylum, A. burlewii, A. campanulatum, A. canadense, A. cepa, A. cernuum, A. columbianum, A. constrictum, A. coryi, A. cratericola, A. crenulatum, A. crispum, A. cuthbertii, A. denticulatum, A. diabolense, A. dichlamydeum, A. dictuon, A. douglasii, A. drummondii, A. elmendorfii, A. falcifolium, A. fibrillum, A. fimbriatum, A. fistulosum, A. geyeri, A. gooddingii, A. haematochiton, A. hickmanii, A. hoffmanii, A. howellii, A. hyalinum, A. jepsonii, A. kunthii, A. lacunosum, A. lemmonii, A. macropetalum, A. macrum, A. madidum, A. membranaceum, A. monticola, A. munzii, A. neapolitanum, A. nevadense, A. nevii, A. nigrum, A. obtusum, A. oleraceum, A. paniculatum, A. parishii, A. parryi, A. parvum, A. passeyi, A. peninsulare, A. perdulce, A. platycaule, A. plummerae, A. praecox, A. punctum, A. rhizomatum, A. robinsonii, A. rotundum, A. runyonii, A. sanbornii, A. sativum, A. schoenoprasum, A. scilloides, A. serra, A. sharsmithiae, A. shevockii, A. simillimum, A. siskiyouense, A. speculae, A. stellatum, A. textile, A. tolmiei, A. tribracteatum, A. tricoccum, A. triquetrum, A. tuberosum, A. unifolium, A. validum, A. victorialis, A. vineale, A. yosemitense
Synonyms A. sanbornii var. tuolumnense
Name authority Wooton & Standley: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 16: 114. (1913) (Ownbey & Aase ex Traub) S. S. Denison & McNeal: Madroño 36: 128. (1989)
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