Allium stellatum |
Allium simillimum |
|
---|---|---|
autumn onion, prairie onion |
simil 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. |
usually solitary, not clustered on stout, primary rhizome, ovoid, 0.8–1.6 × 0.6–1.4 cm; outer coats enclosing single bulb, brownish, membranous, with ± obscure reticulations, cells isodiametric to transversely elongate, often contorted, 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 dedicuous with scape, green at anthesis, 2, basally sheathing, sheaths not extended much above soil surface; blade solid, flat to ± terete, linear, broadly channeled, 4–22 cm × 1–2 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. |
usually forming abcission layer and deciduous with leaves after seeds mature, frequently breaking at this level after pressing, solitary, erect, solid, slightly flattened, very narrowly winged or not, 1–5 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, 5–15-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown; spathe bracts persistent, 2, 6–9-veined, ovate, ± equal, apex obtuse or 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. |
campanulate, 5–9 mm; tepals erect, white with green or reddish midribs or rarely pink, oblong to lanceolate, ± equal, becoming papery in fruit, margins obscurely to distinctly denticulate-serrulate, apex obtuse to acuminate; stamens included; anthers purple or mottled purple and white; pollen white or gray; ovary crested; processes 3, low, rounded, margins entire; style linear, equaling stamens; stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed; pedicel 2–5 mm. |
Seed | coat dull; cells minutely roughened. |
coat dull or shining; cells smooth. |
2n | = 14. |
= 14. |
Allium stellatum |
Allium simillimum |
|
Phenology | Flowering Jul–Oct. | Flowering Apr–Jun. |
Habitat | Often on calcareous soils | Coarse, sandy soils of granitic, calcareous, or basaltic origins |
Elevation | 300–2200 m (1000–7200 ft) | 1800–3400 m (5900–11200 ft) |
Distribution |
AR; IA; IL; KS; MI; MN; MO; ND; NE; OK; SD; TN; TX; WI; MB; ON; SK
|
ID; MT
|
Source | FNA vol. 26. | FNA vol. 26, p. 268. |
Parent taxa | Liliaceae > Allium | Liliaceae > Allium |
Sibling taxa | ||
Name authority | Ker Gawler: Bot. Mag. 38: plate 1576. (1813) | L. F. Henderson: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 27: 355. (1900) |
Web links |