Nothoscordum gracile |
Nothoscordum |
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slender false garlic |
false garlic, false onion |
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Habit | Herbs, perennial, scapose, from bulbs. | |||||
Bulbs | ovoid, ca. 1.5 cm diam.; outer coats brown; bulblets 10–20+. |
in general appearance very similar to some species of Allium, without alliaceous odor; outer coats membranous. |
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Leaves | 2–9, sheaths enveloping neck of bulb, hyaline, reduced apically; blade linear, 20–40(–50) cm × 4–12 mm, margins entire. |
usually present at flowering time, basal, imbricate, sheathing basally; blade filiform to linear. |
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Scapes | 1–2, terete, 30–60 cm × 2–3 mm. |
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Inflorescences | umbellate, subtended by spathe bracts; bracts 2, membranous. |
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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. |
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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. |
fastigiate, withering-persistent; tepals 6, 2-whorled, connate proximal 1/3, 1-veined, subequal; stamens 6, adnate to tepal bases, included; filaments distinct, ± dilated basally, subulate and entire apically; anthers dorsifixed, oblong, introse; ovary superior, sessile, 3-locular; ovules several(–12); style filiform; stigma terminal, small. |
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Fruits | capsular, 3-lobed, membranous, dehiscence loculicidal. |
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Capsules | obovoid, ca. 6–7 × 6–7 mm. |
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Seeds | 8–12 per locule. |
black, angled [compressed or almost flat]. |
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Nothoscordum gracile |
Nothoscordum |
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Phenology | Flowering Mar–Dec. | |||||
Habitat | Roadsides, waste places | |||||
Elevation | 0–100 m (0–300 ft) | |||||
Distribution |
AL; CA; FL; GA; LA; MS; SC; South America [Introduced in North America] |
North America; South America |
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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.) |
Species ca. 19 (2 in the flora). All species of Nothoscordum are native to the Americas. Nothoscordum gracile has become naturalized in Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia; it spreads rapidly by seeds and bulblets. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
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Key |
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Source | FNA vol. 26, p. 277. | FNA vol. 26, p. 276. | ||||
Parent taxa | Liliaceae > Nothoscordum | Liliaceae | ||||
Sibling taxa | ||||||
Subordinate taxa | ||||||
Synonyms | Allium gracile, Allium fragrans, N. fragrans | |||||
Name authority | (Dryander) Stearn: Taxon 35: 335. (1986) | Kunth: Enum. Pl. 4: 457. (1843) | ||||
Web links |