Allium stellatum |
Allium columbianum |
|
---|---|---|
autumn onion, prairie onion |
Columbia onion, Columbian onion |
|
Bulbs | 1–5+, usually clustered, often short-rhizomatous at base, rhizome not stout or iris-like, ovoid, 2–4 × 1–2.5 cm; outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, grayish or brownish, membranous, fibers parallel, few, or sometimes reticulate, cells obscure, finely meshed; inner coats whitish to pinkish, cells obscure, ± quadrate. |
1–5+, not clustered on stout, primary rhizome, ovoid, 1–1.5 × 0.8–1.4 cm; outer bulb coats brownish or grayish, enclosing 1 or more bulbs, membranous, lacking cellular reticulation or cells arranged in only 2–3 rows distal to roots, ± quadrate, without fibers; inner coats white to pink, cells obscure, ± quadrate. |
Leaves | persistent, green at anthesis, 3–5, basally sheathing, sheaths never extending much above soil level; blade solid, flat, channeled, 14–35 cm × 1–5 mm, margins ± entire. |
usually persistent, green at anthesis, 2, basally sheathing, sheaths not extending much above soil surface; blade solid, flat, broadly channeled, ± falcate, 10–35 cm × (2–)5–8 mm, margins entire. |
Scape | persistent, solitary, erect, or, if nodding at anthesis, becoming erect, solid, terete or ± 4-angled, particularly distally, 20–50 cm × 1–3.5 mm. |
persistent, solitary, erect, solid, terete, enlarged proximal to inflorescence, (10–)20–30(–40) cm × 1.5–4 mm. |
Umbel | persistent, nodding, becoming erect, ± loose, 9–40-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown; spathe bracts persistent, 2, 2–4-veined, lanceolate, ± equal, apex acuminate. |
persistent, erect, compact, 25–50-flowered, hemispheric to globose, bulbils unknown; spathe bracts persistent, 3, 5–7-veined, ovate, ± equal, apex acute. |
Flowers | stellate, 5–8 mm; tepals spreading, deep pink, elliptic-lanceolate, ± equal, withering in fruit, margins entire, apex acute, midribs not thickened; stamens exserted; anthers yellow; pollen yellow; ovary conspicuously crested; processes 6, distinct, flattened, ± triangular, margins entire or toothed; style exserted, linear, ± equaling stamens; stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed; pedicel 0–20 mm. |
± stellate, (6–)7–8(–10) mm; tepals spreading, light pink to purple with prominent green midribs, narrowly lanceolate, ± equal, becoming papery in fruit, margins entire, apex acuminate; stamens equaling or longer than tepals; anthers blue-gray; pollen light blue to gray; ovary crested; processes 6, 2 per lobe, low, rounded, margins entire; style exserted, linear; stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed; pedicel 10–20 mm. |
Seed | coat dull; cells minutely roughened. |
coat shining; cells smooth. |
2n | = 14. |
= 14. |
Allium stellatum |
Allium columbianum |
|
Phenology | Flowering Jul–Oct. | Flowering May–Jul. |
Habitat | Often on calcareous soils | Winter-wet, shallow soils on rock outcrops, or wet meadows |
Elevation | 300–2200 m (1000–7200 ft) | 300–1100 m (1000–3600 ft) |
Distribution |
AR; IA; IL; KS; MI; MN; MO; ND; NE; OK; SD; TN; TX; WI; MB; ON; SK
|
ID; MT; WA
|
Source | FNA vol. 26. | FNA vol. 26. |
Parent taxa | Liliaceae > Allium | Liliaceae > Allium |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | A. douglasii var. columbianum | |
Name authority | Ker Gawler: Bot. Mag. 38: plate 1576. (1813) | (Ownbey & Mingrone) P. M. Peterson: Syst. Bot. 13: 211. (1988) |
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