Allium praecox |
Allium burlewii |
|
---|---|---|
early onion |
Burlew's onion |
|
Bulbs | 1–3, increase bulbs absent or ± equaling parent bulbs, never appearing as basal cluster, not clustered on stout primary rhizome, ovoid to globose, 1–1.8 × 1–1.7 cm; outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, gray-brown to brown, prominently cellular-reticulate, membranous, cells arranged in ± vertical rows, forming irregular herringbone pattern, transversely elongate, V-shaped, without fibers; inner coats white, cells obscure, ± transversely elongate, contorted. |
usually solitary, not clustered on stout, primary rhizome, ovoid, 1.5–2.5 × 1–1.5 cm; outer coats enclosing single bulb, brown or grayish, membranous, lacking cellular reticulation or cells arranged in only 2–3 rows distal to roots, ± quadrate, without fibers; inner coats white, cells not visible. |
Leaves | persistent, withering from tip by anthesis, 2–3, basally sheathing, sheaths not extending much above soil surface; blade solid, flat, broadly channeled, carinate, 20–75 cm × 5–10 mm, margins entire. |
usually deciduous with scape, withering from tip at anthesis, 1, basally sheathing, sheath not extending much above soil surface; blade solid, flat or broadly channeled, ± falcate, 8–33 cm × 1–10 mm, margins entire. |
Scape | persistent, solitary, erect, solid, terete, 20–60 cm × 2–4 mm. |
usually forming abcission layer and deciduous with leaves after seeds mature, frequently breaking at this level after pressing, solitary, erect, solid, terete, 2–20 cm × 1–3 mm. |
Umbel | shattering after seeds mature, each flower deciduous with its pedicel as a unit, erect, loose, 5–40-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown; spathe bracts persistent, 2, 5–7-veined, lanceolate to lance-ovate, ± equal, apex acuminate. |
persistent, erect, compact, 8–20(–30)-flowered, globose to conic, bulbils unknown; spathe bracts persistent, 3, 9–13-veined, broadly ovate, ± equal, apex abruptly acuminate. |
Flowers | stellate, 6–13 mm; tepals spreading at anthesis, white to pale pink with purple midveins, lance-ovate to ovate, ± equal, becoming papery and connivent over capsule, margins entire, apex acute, obtuse, or emarginate; stamens included; anthers purple and yellow; pollen yellow; ovary crested; processes 3, central, 2-lobed, minute, margins entire; style linear, equaling stamens; stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed; pedicel 15–40 mm. |
conical to campanulate, 7–10 mm; tepals strictly erect, dull purplish with darker midveins, ovate, ± equal, becoming membranous, withering in fruit, margins entire, apex obtuse; stamens equaling tepals or ± exserted; filaments smooth proximally; anthers purple; pollen yellow or gray; ovary crestless or crested; processes 6, central, rounded, minute, margins entire; style linear, slightly longer than stamens; stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed; pedicel 6–10 mm. |
Seed | coat shining; cells minutely roughened. |
coat shining; cells smooth. |
2n | = 14. |
= 14. |
Allium praecox |
Allium burlewii |
|
Phenology | Flowering Mar–May. | Flowering late Apr–Jul. |
Habitat | Clay soil on shaded, grassy slopes near coast | Granite sands, on dry slopes and ridges |
Elevation | 50–800 m (200–2600 ft) | 1800–2800 m (5900–9200 ft) |
Distribution |
CA; Mexico (Baja California)
|
CA
|
Source | FNA vol. 26, p. 263. | FNA vol. 26, p. 273. |
Parent taxa | ||
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | A. hyalinum var. praecox | |
Name authority | Brandegee: Zoë 5: 228. (1906) | Davidson: Bull. S. Calif. Acad. Sci. 15: 17. (1916) |
Web links |