Allium stellatum |
Allium hickmanii |
|
---|---|---|
autumn onion, prairie onion |
Hickman's 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, increase bulbs absent or ± equaling parent bulbs, never appearing as basal cluster, ovoid to ± globose, 0.8–1.2 × 0.7–1.2 cm; outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, gray to gray-brown, prominently cellular-reticulate, membranous, cells arranged in ± vertical rows, forming irregular herringbone pattern, transversely elongate, wavy, V-shaped, without fibers; inner coats white, 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. |
persistent, withering from tip by anthesis, 2, basally sheathing, sheaths not extending much above soil level; blades solid, subterete, 3–20 cm × 0.5–1 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, (3–)5–15(–17) cm × 0.5–2 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, 4–15-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown; spathe bracts persistent, 2, 3–5-veined, broadly ovate, ± equal, apex mucronate. |
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. |
campanulate, 5–7 mm; tepals erect, white to pale pink, lanceolate to lance-ovate, ± equal, becoming papery in fruit and remaining erect, margins entire, apex acute or obtuse, becoming ± involute at tip and appearing short-acuminate; stamens included; anthers white; pollen white; ovary crested or crestless; processes 3, central, rounded, very minute, margins entire; style linear, equaling stamens; stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed; pedicel 4–12 mm. |
Seed | coat dull; cells minutely roughened. |
coat dull; cells minutely roughened. |
2n | = 14. |
= 14. |
Allium stellatum |
Allium hickmanii |
|
Phenology | Flowering Jul–Oct. | Flowering Mar–May. |
Habitat | Often on calcareous soils | Grassy, wooded slopes and flats |
Elevation | 300–2200 m (1000–7200 ft) | 0–50 m (0–200 ft) |
Distribution |
AR; IA; IL; KS; MI; MN; MO; ND; NE; OK; SD; TN; TX; WI; MB; ON; SK
|
CA |
Discussion | Of conservation concern. Allium hickmanii is a rare endemic of the Monterey Peninsula and Arroyo de la Cruz. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
|
Source | FNA vol. 26. | FNA vol. 26, p. 262. |
Parent taxa | Liliaceae > Allium | Liliaceae > Allium |
Sibling taxa | ||
Name authority | Ker Gawler: Bot. Mag. 38: plate 1576. (1813) | Eastwood: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 30: 483. (1903) |
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