Allium triquetrum |
Allium membranaceum |
|
---|---|---|
three-corner leek, three-cornered leek, white flower onion |
papery 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. |
1–3, producing bulbels in basal cluster around roots, ovoid, 1–1.6 × 0.9–1.4 cm; outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, brown, membranous, obscurely cellular-reticulate, cells quadrate, walls very sinuous, without fibers; inner coats white or 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, 2–3, basally sheathing, sheaths not extending much above soil surface; blade solid, flat, 15–40 cm × 3–5 mm, margins entire. |
Scape | persistent, clustered, 1–4, erect, solid, sharply 3-angled, 10–40 cm × 1–10 mm. |
persistent, solitary, erect, solid, terete, 15–40 cm × 1–3 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, 15–35-flowered, ± globose, bulbils unknown; spathe bracts persistent, 2, 4–6-veined, lanceolate, ± equal, apex acuminate, setaceous. |
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, 7–12 mm; tepals spreading, pink or less commonly white, ovate to elliptic, ± equal, becoming papery in fruit, not carinate, margins entire, apex acute to acuminate, not involute; stamens included; anthers yellow; pollen yellow; ovary crested; processes 6, prominent, central, triangular, short, margins minutely denticulate; style linear, equaling stamens; stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed; pedicel 10–20 mm. |
Seed(s) | coat dull; cells minutely roughened. |
coat dull; cells each with minute, central papilla. |
2n | = 18. |
= 14. |
Allium triquetrum |
Allium membranaceum |
|
Phenology | Flowering Mar–Apr. | Flowering May–Jun. |
Habitat | Disturbed sites | Wooded, shady slopes |
Elevation | 0–100 m (0–300 ft) | 200–1400 m (700–4600 ft) |
Distribution |
CA; sw Europe [Introduced in North America]
|
CA |
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.) |
Allium membranaceum is found in the foothills of the northern and central Sierra Nevada. (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 | ||
Name authority | Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 300. (1753) | Ownbey ex Traub: Pl. Life 28: 63. (1972) |
Web links |