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fragile onion, scilla-like onion

mountain swamp onion, swamp 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.

1–3, larger bulbs each usually with cluster of 10–30 easily detached bulbels to one side of base, not clustered on stout, primary rhizome, globose to ovoid, 1–1.6 × 0.8–1.5 cm;

outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, brownish, membranous, without fibers;

inner coats white to pink;

inner and outer coats frequently without obvious reticulations, these, when present, contorted.

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, 2, basally sheathing, sheaths not extending much above soil surface;

blade solid, flat or channeled, 10–25 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, solitary, erect, solid, ± terete, sometimes ridged, 10–20 cm × 1–2 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, 10–20-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2, 5–7-veined, ovate, ± equal, apex acuminate.

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, 6–10 mm;

tepals erect or ± spreading, white with prominent green or pink midveins, lanceolate, ± equal, becoming papery in fruit, margins entire, apex obtuse to acuminate, becoming involute at tip;

stamens included;

anthers white or yellow;

pollen yellow;

ovary crestless or obscurely crested;

processes 3, low, central, rounded, minute;

style linear, equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, unlobed or slightly lobed;

pedicel 5–12 mm.

Seed

coat dull;

cells smooth.

coat dull;

cells ± smooth.

2n

= 14.

= 28, 42.

Allium scilloides

Allium madidum

Phenology Flowering Mar–Apr. Flowering May–Jul.
Habitat Barren, gravelly soils, arid interior slopes and ridges well back from Columbia River Seasonally wet meadows
Elevation 300–1300 m (1000–4300 ft) 1100–2000 m (3600–6600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
ID; OR
[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.)

Allium madidum is found in the Blue Mountains, Oregon and in Idaho near Payette Lake and New Meadows.

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

Source FNA vol. 26, p. 275. FNA vol. 26, p. 255.
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. haematochiton, A. hickmanii, A. hoffmanii, A. howellii, A. hyalinum, A. jepsonii, A. kunthii, A. lacunosum, A. lemmonii, A. macropetalum, A. macrum, 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
Name authority Douglas ex S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 14: 229. (1879) S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 14: 228. (1879)
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