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slender false garlic

Bulbs

ovoid, ca. 1.5 cm diam.;

outer coats brown;

bulblets 10–20+.

Leaves

2–9, sheaths enveloping neck of bulb, hyaline, reduced apically;

blade linear, 20–40(–50) cm × 4–12 mm, margins entire.

Scapes

1–2, terete, 30–60 cm × 2–3 mm.

Umbel

10–20-flowered, often asymmetrical, to 5 cm diam.;

bracts persistent, 2, 1.2–2 cm × 5–8 mm, bases fused, imbricate, margins scarious.

Flowers

fragrant;

tepals white adaxially with pink midvein and greenish bases, oblanceolate, 9–15 × 4 mm, apex obtuse;

filaments simple, adnate to tepals, 7–10 mm;

anthers dark brown;

ovary crestless;

style persistent in fruit, ± equaling stamens;

stigma unlobed, equaling perianth;

pedicel erect to spreading, 2–6 cm, unequal.

Capsules

obovoid, ca. 6–7 × 6–7 mm.

Seeds

8–12 per locule.

Nothoscordum gracile

Phenology Flowering Mar–Dec.
Habitat Roadsides, waste places
Elevation 0–100 m (0–300 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; CA; FL; GA; LA; MS; SC; South America [Introduced in North America]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

There is considerable controversy over the correct epithet. Based on the information available, the authors feel that Nothoscordum borbonicum Kunth is a misapplied name and that the correct name is Nothoscordum gracile.

In the flora area, Nothoscordum gracile is an escape from cultivation.

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

Source FNA vol. 26, p. 277.
Parent taxa Liliaceae > Nothoscordum
Sibling taxa
N. bivalve
Synonyms Allium gracile, Allium fragrans, N. fragrans
Name authority (Dryander) Stearn: Taxon 35: 335. (1986)
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