Allium triquetrum |
Allium scilloides |
|
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three-corner leek, three-cornered leek, white flower onion |
fragile onion, scilla-like 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. |
1–5, not clustered on stout, primary rhizome, increase bulbs ± equaling parent bulbs, never appearing as basal cluster, rhizomes absent, globose to ovoid, 1–2 cm × 8–20 mm; outer coats enclosing renewal bulbs, reddish or brownish, membranous, lacking cellular reticulation or cells arranged in only 2–3 rows distal to roots, ± quadrate, without fibers; inner coats white or light brown, cells absent or obscure and ± 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. |
deciduous with scape after seeds mature, 2, basally sheathing, sheaths not extending much above soil surface; blade solid, flat, falcate, 6–15 cm × 2–4 mm, margins entire or obscurely papillose. |
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, strongly flattened, 2-edged or winged distally, wings obscurely papillose, 4–8 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. |
decisuous with scape, erect, compact, 5–12-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown; spathe bracts persistent, 2–3, 3-veined, broadly ovate, ± equal, apex 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, 6–8 mm; tepals erect, white or pinkish with green midribs, becoming reddish purple, broadly elliptic-oblong, ± equal, becoming rigid, papery and ± connivent over fruit, margins entire, apex obtuse, not involute at tip; stamens included; anthers purple; pollen white to gray; ovary crestless or obscurely crested; processes 3, central, rounded, margins entire; style linear, equaling stamens; stigma capitate, unlobed or minutely 3-lobed; pedicel 2–10.5(–18.5 in fruit) mm. |
Seed(s) | coat dull; cells minutely roughened. |
coat dull; cells smooth. |
2n | = 18. |
= 14. |
Allium triquetrum |
Allium scilloides |
|
Phenology | Flowering Mar–Apr. | Flowering Mar–Apr. |
Habitat | Disturbed sites | Barren, gravelly soils, arid interior slopes and ridges well back from Columbia River |
Elevation | 0–100 m (0–300 ft) | 300–1300 m (1000–4300 ft) |
Distribution |
CA; sw Europe [Introduced in North America]
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WA
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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.) |
Of conservation concern. Allium scilloides is known only from east of the Cascades. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 26, p. 257. | FNA vol. 26, p. 275. |
Parent taxa | Liliaceae > Allium | Liliaceae > Allium |
Sibling taxa | ||
Name authority | Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 300. (1753) | Douglas ex S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 14: 229. (1879) |
Web links |