Allium triquetrum |
Allium bisceptrum |
|
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three-corner leek, three-cornered leek, white flower onion |
twincrest onion |
|
Bulbs | 5–20+, not clustered on stout primary rhizome, rhizomes absent, increase bulbs absent or ± equaling parent bulbs, never appearing as basal cluster, ovoid, 1–2 × 1–2 cm; outer coats enclosing renewal bulbs, ± translucent, yellow-brown, obscurely cellular-reticulate, thin, membranous, meshes delicate, cells vertically elongate, contorted, without fibers; inner coats white, cells obscure, quadrate, or not visible. |
1–7+, commonly producing either cluster of stalked, basal bulbels or filiform rhizomes to 1 dm, terminated by bulbels, rhizomes generally lost when specimens are collected, ovoid, 1–2 × 0.6–1.8 cm; outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, light brown to gray, membranous, obscurely cellular-reticulate, cells rectangular, walls minutely sinuous, vertical, varying to irregular, all sinuous, without fibers; inner coats white to pink, cells obscure, quadrate. |
Leaves | persistent, green at anthesis, 2–3, basally sheathing, sheaths not extending much above soil surface; blade solid, flat, not falcate, ± carinate, 15–50 cm × 3–15 mm, margins entire. |
persistent, green at anthesis, 2–5, basally sheathing, sheaths not extending much above soil surface; blade solid, flat, broadly channeled, 8–30 cm × 1–13 mm, margins entire. |
Scape | persistent, clustered, 1–4, erect, solid, sharply 3-angled, 10–40 cm × 1–10 mm. |
persistent, solitary or clustered 1–3, erect, solid, terete, 10–30(–40) cm × 1–5 mm. |
Umbel | persistent, lax, loose, 3–15-flowered, ± 1-sided, bulbils unknown; spathe bracts persistent, 1–2, 3-veined, narrowly lanceolate, ± equal, apex acute. |
persistent, erect, loose, 15–40-flowered, globose, bulbils unknown; spathe bracts persistent, 2, 3–4-veined, ovate to lanceolate, ± equal, apex acuminate. |
Flowers | becoming pendent, campanulate, 10–18 mm; tepals erect to spreading, white with prominent green midrib, lanceolate, ± equal, becoming membranous in fruit, margins entire, apex acute; stamens included; anthers yellow; pollen yellow; ovary crestless; style linear, ± equaling stamens; stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed; pedicel 15–25 mm. |
stellate, 7–10 mm; tepals spreading, lilac to white, lanceolate, ± equal, becoming papery in fruit, not carinate, margins entire, apex acuminate, not involute; stamens included; anthers purple; pollen yellow; ovary conspicuously crested; processes 6, central, distinct, flattened, triangular, margins papillose-denticulate; style included, linear, ± equaling stamens; stigma capitate, unlobed; pedicel 10–20 mm, often becoming flexuous and deflexed in fruit. |
Seed(s) | coat dull; cells minutely roughened. |
coat shining; cells each with minute, central papilla. |
2n | = 18. |
= 14, 28. |
Allium triquetrum |
Allium bisceptrum |
|
Phenology | Flowering Mar–Apr. | Flowering May–Jul. |
Habitat | Disturbed sites | Meadows and aspen groves, less commonly on open slopes in mountains |
Elevation | 0–100 m (0–300 ft) | 1100–3000 m (3600–9800 ft) |
Distribution |
CA; sw Europe [Introduced in North America]
|
AZ; CA; ID; NM; NV; OR; UT
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Discussion | Allium triquetrum is a garden escape, introduced from southwestern Europe, and is potentially a noxious weed. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Two varieties of Allium bisceptrum have been recognized. Where their ranges overlap (central Utah and central Nevada), the putative varieties cannot be distinguished confidently except by chromosome number. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 26, p. 257. | FNA vol. 26, p. 256. |
Parent taxa | Liliaceae > Allium | Liliaceae > Allium |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | A. bisceptrum var. palmeri, A. bisceptrum var. utahense, A. palmeri | |
Name authority | Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 300. (1753) | S. Watson: Botany (Fortieth Parallel), 351, plate 37, figs. 1–3. (1871) |
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