Allium triquetrum |
Allium tribracteatum |
|
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three-corner leek, three-cornered leek, white flower onion |
three-bract 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. |
generally 2–5+, not clustered on stout primary rhizome, ovoid, 1–2 × 0.8–1.8 cm; outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, brownish, membranous, prominently cellular-reticulate, cells irregularly arranged, ± transversely elongate, curved, without fibers; inner coats white, cells obscure, ± transversely elongate, irregularly arranged, curved. |
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, withering from tip at anthesis, 2, basally sheathing, sheaths not extending much above soil surface; blade solid, flat or broadly channeled, ± falcate, 12–20 cm × 1–3.5 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, terete, 2–7 cm × 0.5–1.5 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, compact, 10–30-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown; spathe bracts persistent, (2–)3(–4), 4–5-veined, ovate, ± equal, apex abruptly acuminate to apiculate. |
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, 6.5–8 mm; tepals erect, white to pink with dark pink or purplish midvein, lanceolate to ± elliptic, ± equal, becoming papery in fruit, margins entire, apex acute; stamens included; anthers purple; pollen gray; ovary crested; processes 3, acute, ± lateral, margins entire; style linear, shorter than stamens; stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed; pedicel 6–9 mm. |
Seed(s) | coat dull; cells minutely roughened. |
coat dull; cells ± smooth. |
2n | = 18. |
= 14. |
Allium triquetrum |
Allium tribracteatum |
|
Phenology | Flowering Mar–Apr. | Flowering Mar–May. |
Habitat | Disturbed sites | Rocky, volcanic soils |
Elevation | 0–100 m (0–300 ft) | 1300–3000 m (4300–9800 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.) |
Of conservation concern. Allium tribracteatum is known only from the Sierra Nevada in Tuolumne County. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 26, p. 257. | FNA vol. 26, p. 269. |
Parent taxa | Liliaceae > Allium | Liliaceae > Allium |
Sibling taxa | ||
Name authority | Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 300. (1753) | Torrey: Pacif. Railr. Rep. 4(5): 148. (1857) |
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