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three-corner leek, three-cornered leek, white flower onion

Robinson's 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+, not clustered on stout primary rhizome, rhizomes absent, renewal bulbs formed within coats of parent bulb, increase bulbs absent or 1–2, ± equaling parent bulbs, never appearing as basal cluster, ovoid, 1–2 cm × 8–15 mm;

outer coats grayish to brownish, membranous, lacking cellular reticulation or cells arranged in only 2–3 rows distal to roots, ± quadrate, without fibers;

inner coats white, cells absent or ± 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.

usually deciduous with scape, 2, basally sheathing, sheaths not extending much above soil surface;

blade solid, flat, strongly falcate, 5–18 cm × 1–2 mm, margins entire.

Scape

persistent, clustered, 1–4, erect, solid, sharply 3-angled, 10–40 cm × 1–10 mm.

usually forming abcission layer and deciduous with leaves after seeds mature, frequently breaking at this level after pressing, solitary, erect, solid, flattened, slightly 2-edged, 3–7 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.

deciduous with scape, erect, compact, 5–12-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2, 5–8-veined, ovate, ± equal, apex abruptly acute.

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.

campanulate, 7–9 mm;

tepals erect, white to pale pink with red midribs, oblong, ± equal, becoming papery and not carinate in fruit, margins entire, apex obtuse;

stamens included;

anthers purple;

pollen gray or yellow;

ovary ± distinctly crested;

processes 3 or 6, central, low, rounded, margins entire;

style included, linear;

stigma capitate, unlobed;

pedicel 3–12 mm.

Seed(s)

coat dull;

cells minutely roughened.

coat dull;

cells smooth.

2n

= 18.

= 14.

Allium triquetrum

Allium robinsonii

Phenology Flowering Mar–Apr. Flowering Apr–May.
Habitat Disturbed sites Sand and gravel deposits along bottom and lower benches of Columbia River
Elevation 0–100 m (0–300 ft) 50–200 m (200–700 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; sw Europe [Introduced in North America]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
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 robinsonii has been found along the Columbia River from Ferry County, northeastern Washington, to about the mouth of the John Day River, north-central Oregon, and is now possibly extirpated from Oregon.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 26, p. 257. FNA vol. 26, p. 276.
Parent taxa Liliaceae > Allium Liliaceae > Allium
Sibling taxa
A. aaseae, A. abramsii, A. acuminatum, A. ampeloprasum, A. amplectens, A. anceps, A. atrorubens, A. bigelovii, A. bisceptrum, A. bolanderi, A. brandegeei, A. brevistylum, A. burlewii, A. campanulatum, A. canadense, A. cepa, A. cernuum, A. columbianum, A. constrictum, A. coryi, A. cratericola, A. crenulatum, A. crispum, A. cuthbertii, A. denticulatum, A. diabolense, A. dichlamydeum, A. dictuon, A. douglasii, A. drummondii, A. elmendorfii, A. falcifolium, A. fibrillum, A. fimbriatum, A. fistulosum, A. geyeri, A. gooddingii, A. haematochiton, A. hickmanii, A. hoffmanii, A. howellii, A. hyalinum, A. jepsonii, A. kunthii, A. lacunosum, A. lemmonii, A. macropetalum, A. macrum, A. madidum, A. membranaceum, A. monticola, A. munzii, A. neapolitanum, A. nevadense, A. nevii, A. nigrum, A. obtusum, A. oleraceum, A. paniculatum, A. parishii, A. parryi, A. parvum, A. passeyi, A. peninsulare, A. perdulce, A. platycaule, A. plummerae, A. praecox, A. punctum, A. rhizomatum, A. robinsonii, A. rotundum, A. runyonii, A. sanbornii, A. sativum, A. schoenoprasum, A. scilloides, A. serra, A. sharsmithiae, A. shevockii, A. simillimum, A. siskiyouense, A. speculae, A. stellatum, A. textile, A. tolmiei, A. tribracteatum, A. tricoccum, A. tuberosum, A. tuolumnense, A. unifolium, A. validum, A. victorialis, A. vineale, A. yosemitense
A. aaseae, A. abramsii, A. acuminatum, A. ampeloprasum, A. amplectens, A. anceps, A. atrorubens, A. bigelovii, A. bisceptrum, A. bolanderi, A. brandegeei, A. brevistylum, A. burlewii, A. campanulatum, A. canadense, A. cepa, A. cernuum, A. columbianum, A. constrictum, A. coryi, A. cratericola, A. crenulatum, A. crispum, A. cuthbertii, A. denticulatum, A. diabolense, A. dichlamydeum, A. dictuon, A. douglasii, A. drummondii, A. elmendorfii, A. falcifolium, A. fibrillum, A. fimbriatum, A. fistulosum, A. geyeri, A. gooddingii, A. haematochiton, A. hickmanii, A. hoffmanii, A. howellii, A. hyalinum, A. jepsonii, A. kunthii, A. lacunosum, A. lemmonii, A. macropetalum, A. macrum, A. madidum, A. membranaceum, A. monticola, A. munzii, A. neapolitanum, A. nevadense, A. nevii, A. nigrum, A. obtusum, A. oleraceum, A. paniculatum, A. parishii, A. parryi, A. parvum, A. passeyi, A. peninsulare, A. perdulce, A. platycaule, A. plummerae, A. praecox, A. punctum, A. rhizomatum, A. rotundum, A. runyonii, A. sanbornii, A. sativum, A. schoenoprasum, A. scilloides, A. serra, A. sharsmithiae, A. shevockii, A. simillimum, A. siskiyouense, A. speculae, A. stellatum, A. textile, A. tolmiei, A. tribracteatum, A. tricoccum, A. triquetrum, A. tuberosum, A. tuolumnense, A. unifolium, A. validum, A. victorialis, A. vineale, A. yosemitense
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 300. (1753) L. F. Henderson: Rhodora 32: 22. (1930)
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