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fragile onion, scilla-like onion

red skinned onion, redskin onion

Bulbs

1–5, not clustered on stout, primary rhizome, increase bulbs ± equaling parent bulbs, never appearing as basal cluster, rhizomes absent, globose to ovoid, 1–2 cm × 8–20 mm;

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

inner coats white or light brown, cells absent or obscure and ± 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

deciduous with scape after seeds mature, 2, basally sheathing, sheaths not extending much above soil surface;

blade solid, flat, falcate, 6–15 cm × 2–4 mm, margins entire or obscurely papillose.

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

usually forming abcission layer and deciduous with leaves after seeds mature, frequently breaking at this level after pressing, solitary, erect, solid, strongly flattened, 2-edged or winged distally, wings obscurely papillose, 4–8 cm × 1–3 mm.

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

Umbel

decisuous with scape, erect, compact, 5–12-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2–3, 3-veined, broadly ovate, ± equal, apex acute.

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

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

Flowers

campanulate, 6–8 mm;

tepals erect, white or pinkish with green midribs, becoming reddish purple, broadly elliptic-oblong, ± equal, becoming rigid, papery and ± connivent over fruit, margins entire, apex obtuse, not involute at tip;

stamens included;

anthers purple;

pollen white to gray;

ovary crestless or obscurely crested;

processes 3, central, rounded, margins entire;

style linear, equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, unlobed or minutely 3-lobed;

pedicel 2–10.5(–18.5 in fruit) 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;

cells smooth.

coat dull;

cells minutely roughened.

2n

= 14.

= 14.

Allium scilloides

Allium haematochiton

Phenology Flowering Mar–Apr. Flowering Mar–May.
Habitat Barren, gravelly soils, arid interior slopes and ridges well back from Columbia River Dry slopes and ridges of clay or stony soil
Elevation 300–1300 m (1000–4300 ft) 50–800 m (200–2600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; Mexico (Baja California)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Of conservation concern.

Allium scilloides is known only from east of the Cascades.

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

Source FNA vol. 26, p. 275. 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. 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. rhizomatum, A. robinsonii, A. rotundum, A. runyonii, A. sanbornii, A. sativum, A. schoenoprasum, 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
Synonyms A. marvinii
Name authority Douglas ex S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 14: 229. (1879) S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 14: 227. (1879)
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