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

Sharsmith'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.

usually solitary, not clustered on stout, primary rhizome, ovoid to globose, 1–1.8 × 1–1.5 cm;

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

inner coats pale brown, 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, withering from tip by anthesis, 1, basally sheathing, sheath not extending much above soil surface;

blade solid, terete, 15–25 cm × 1–4 mm.

Scape

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

persistent, solitary, erect, solid, terete, 4–17 cm × 1–2.5 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, compact, 5–50-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2–3, 3–8-veined, lanceolate to lance-ovate, ± equal, apex long-acuminate to 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.

urceolate, 10–18 mm;

tepals erect, deep reddish purple, linear-lanceolate to lance-ovate, ± equal, becoming rigid in fruit, margins entire, apex acute to obtuse, recurved-spreading at tips;

stamens included;

anthers yellow;

pollen yellow;

ovary crested;

processes 6, prominent, ± triangular, margins entire, surfaces usually papillate;

style linear, equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, 3-lobed, lobes slender, recurved;

pedicel 6–19 mm.

Seed(s)

coat dull;

cells minutely roughened.

coat dull or shining;

cells minutely roughened.

2n

= 18.

= 14.

Allium triquetrum

Allium sharsmithiae

Phenology Flowering Mar–Apr. Flowering Apr–May.
Habitat Disturbed sites Serpentine clay soil on talus slopes
Elevation 0–100 m (0–300 ft) 500–1100 m (1600–3600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; sw Europe [Introduced in North America]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA
[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.)

Of conservation concern.

Allium sharsmithiae is known only from the Mount Hamilton Range.

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

Source FNA vol. 26, p. 257. FNA vol. 26, p. 252.
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. robinsonii, A. rotundum, A. runyonii, A. sanbornii, A. sativum, A. schoenoprasum, A. scilloides, A. serra, 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
Synonyms A. fimbriatum var. sharsmithiae
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 300. (1753) (Ownbey & Aase ex Traub) McNeal: Aliso 13: 417. (1992)
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