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dark red onion, red onion

red skinned onion, redskin onion

Bulbs

1–3, not clustered on primary rhizome, with 0–2 stalked basal bulbels, ovoid to globose, 1–1.6 × 0.8–1.4 cm;

outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, brown, membranous, lacking cellular reticulation or cells arranged in only 2–3 rows distal to roots, ± quadrate, without fibers;

inner coats pink or white, cells obscure, quadrate.

2–3+, usually clustered, short-rhizomatous at base, rhizome not stout or iris-like, oblong, 2–3 × 1–1.5 cm;

outer coats enclosing single bulb, ± reddish brown, membranous, striations fine, cells narrow, elongate, vertical;

inner coats deep red to white, finely striate, cells narrow, vertically elongate.

Leaves

persistent, 1, basally sheathing, sheath not extending much above soil level;

blade solid, terete, 8–22 cm × 1–2.5 mm.

persistent, green at anthesis, 3–6, basally sheathing, sheaths not extending much above soil level;

blade solid, terete, 3-angled, 15–30 cm × 1–4 mm, margins entire.

Scape

persistent, solitary, erect, solid, terete, 5–17 cm × 1–3 mm.

persistent, 1–2, clustered, erect, solid, slightly compressed, 10–40 cm × 1–3 mm.

Umbel

persistent, erect, ± compact, 5–50-flowered, hemispheric to globose, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, (2–)3, 3–6-veined, ovate to lanceolate, ± equal, apex acuminate.

persistent, erect, compact, 10–30-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2–4, 2–3-veined, ovate-lanceolate, ± equal, apex obtuse.

Flowers

campanulate, 8–12 mm;

tepals erect, pale pink to deep reddish purple, rarely white, lanceolate to ovate, ± equal or inner longer and narrower than outer, becoming rigid and ± keeled in fruit, margins entire, apex acute to acuminate;

stamens included;

anthers purple;

pollen white or light yellow;

ovary crested;

processes 6, prominent, ± triangular, margins entire to notched or shallowly toothed;

style linear, equaling stamens;

stigma obscurely capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed;

pedicel 10–22 mm.

campanulate, 6–8 mm;

tepals erect, white to rose, with darker midvein, broadly ovate to lance-ovate, ± equal, becoming rigid and permanently investing capsule, margins entire, apex acute;

stamens included;

anthers white;

pollen white to dark gray;

ovary crested;

processes 6, rounded, short, densely papillose;

style linear, equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed;

pedicel 1–2 cm.

Seed

coat dull or shining;

cells minutely roughened.

coat dull;

cells minutely roughened.

2n

= 14.

Allium atrorubens

Allium haematochiton

Phenology Flowering Mar–May.
Habitat Dry slopes and ridges of clay or stony soil
Elevation 50–800 m (200–2600 ft)
Distribution
from USDA
Intermountain w United States
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; Mexico (Baja California)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

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

Key
1. Tepals deep reddish purple (rarely pure white), lanceolate, apex margins becoming involute, apex thus appearing long-acuminate.
var. atrorubens
1. Tepals pale pink with darker midveins, lance-ovate to ovate, apex margins flat, not becoming involute.
var. cristatum
Source FNA vol. 26, p. 248. FNA vol. 26, p. 246.
Parent taxa Liliaceae > Allium Liliaceae > Allium
Sibling taxa
A. aaseae, A. abramsii, A. acuminatum, A. ampeloprasum, A. amplectens, A. anceps, 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. triquetrum, 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. 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. triquetrum, A. tuberosum, A. tuolumnense, A. unifolium, A. validum, A. victorialis, A. vineale, A. yosemitense
Subordinate taxa
A. atrorubens var. atrorubens, A. atrorubens var. cristatum
Synonyms A. marvinii
Name authority S. Watson: Botany (Fortieth Parallel), 352, plate 38, figs. 4, 5. (1871) S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 14: 227. (1879)
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