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passey's onion

spreading wild onion

Bulbs

2–3+, not rhizomatous, ovoid, 1–2 × 1.2–2 cm;

outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, light brown, reticulate, fibrous;

inner coats whitish to light brown, cells vertically elongate and regular or obscure.

solitary, not basally clustered, replaced annually by new bulbs borne terminally on rhizome;

rhizomes 1–3, conspicuous, slender, 2–3 cm, scaly;

parent bulbs persisting, often not collected, oblique-ovoid, 1–2.5 × 1 cm;

outer coats enclosing parent bulbs, grayish, lacking cellular reticulation, membranous, without fibers;

inner coats white or hyaline, cells obscure, ± quadrate.

Leaves

persistent, green at anthesis, 2–3, sheathing;

blade solid, flat, ± falcate, 10–20 cm × 3–6 mm, margins entire.

persistent, green at anthesis, 2–3, basally sheathing, sheaths not extending much above soil surface;

blade solid, flat, not falcate, 20–35 cm × 2–3 mm, margins entire.

Scape

persistent, solitary, erect, terete or ± winged-angled, mostly 10–20 cm × 1–2.5 mm.

solitary, erect, solid, terete, 20–30 cm × 1–3 mm.

Umbel

persistent, erect, compact, 8–27-flowered, hemispheric-globose, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2–4, mostly 1-veined, ovate, ± equal, apex acuminate to caudate.

persistent, erect, loose, 5–15(–22)-flowered, globose to hemispheric, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2, 3-veined, ovate to lance-ovate, ± equal, apex acute.

Flowers

campanulate, 7–9 mm;

tepals erect, light pink, narrowly lanceolate to lance-ovate, becoming callous-keeled, persistent and permanently investing capsule, margins entire, apex acuminate, inner shorter and narrower than outer, outer strongly keeled and gibbous at base;

stamens included;

anthers yellow;

pollen yellow;

ovary obscurely crested;

processes 6, central, ± erect, rounded, minute, to 1 mm, margins entire;

style linear, equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed;

pedicel 10–18 mm.

stellate, 6–9 mm;

tepals erect, pink with purplish or pinkish midveins, oblong to lanceolate, slightly carinate basally, ± equal, becoming papery in fruit, margins entire, apex acute to acuminate;

stamens included;

anthers yellow or pink;

pollen yellow or white;

ovary crestless, 3-grooved with thickened ridge on either side of groove;

style linear, shorter than stamens;

stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed;

pedicel 10–20(–50) mm.

Seed

coat shining;

cells smooth, each with minute, central papilla.

coat shining;

cells smooth.

2n

= 28.

Allium passeyi

Allium rhizomatum

Phenology Flowering Jun. Flowering Jul–Sep.
Habitat Shallow, stony, lithosolic soil over dolomitic limestone, hilltops Dry, usually grassy areas
Elevation 1400–1600 m (4600–5200 ft) 1200–2200 m (3900–7200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
UT
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; NM; TX; Mexico
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Of conservation concern.

Allium passeyi is known only from Box Elder County.

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

Allium rhizomatum has often been included within the Mexican species A. glandulosum. This reduction is unwarranted. The perianth of A. rhizomatum is pale, with the color mainly confined to the midribs. Additionally, the species can be distinguished by its 3-lobed, apically 3-grooved ovary and lack of sepal glands. Allium glandulosum has a red perianth, an apically rounded ovary, and sepal glands. The nectar produced from these glands does not show in herbarium specimens.

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

Source FNA vol. 26, p. 242. FNA vol. 26.
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. 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. 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. 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
Name authority N. H. Holmgren & A. H. Holmgren: Brittonia 26: 309, figs. 1, 4. (1974) Wooton & Standley: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 16: 114. (1913)
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