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Robinson's onion

Bulbs

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

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

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

deciduous with scape, erect, compact, 5–12-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2, 5–8-veined, ovate, ± equal, apex abruptly acute.

Flowers

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 dull;

cells smooth.

2n

= 14.

Allium robinsonii

Phenology Flowering Apr–May.
Habitat Sand and gravel deposits along bottom and lower benches of Columbia River
Elevation 50–200 m (200–700 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

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, p. 276.
Parent taxa 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. rhizomatum, 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
Name authority L. F. Henderson: Rhodora 32: 22. (1930)
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