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jeweled onion, pom-pon onion, serrated onion

Sanborn's onion

Bulbs

1–3, increase bulbs absent and ± equaling parent bulbs, never appearing as basal cluster, not clustered on stout primary rhizome, ovoid to ± globose, 0.8–1.2 × 0.8–1.2 cm;

outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, brown, prominently cellular-reticulate, membranous, cells arranged in ± vertical rows, forming distinct herringbone pattern, transversely elongate, V-shaped, without fibers;

inner coats white, cells obscure, arranged in vertical rows, forming distinct herringbone pattern or ± quadrate, V-shaped.

1–3, not clustered on stout, primary rhizome, ovoid, 1–2.5(–3) × 1.2–2 cm;

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

inner coats light brown or white, cells obscurely quadrate.

Leaves

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

blade solid, subterete, channeled, 13–35 cm × 1–4 mm, margins entire.

persistent, withering from tip by anthesis, 1, basally sheathing, sheath never extending much above soil level;

blade solid, terete, 30–45 cm × 2–4 mm.

Scape

persistent, solitary, erect, solid, terete, 1.5–4 cm × 2–3 mm.

persistent, solitary, erect, ± solid, terete, 18–60 cm × 2–3 mm.

Umbel

shattering after seeds mature, each flower deciduous with its pedicel as a unit, erect, compact, 10–40-flowered, hemispheric to globose, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 2–3, 5–6-veined, lance-ovate to ovate, ± equal, apex acuminate.

persistent, erect, compact, 18–190-flowered, hemispheric to globose, bulbils unknown;

spathe bracts persistent, 4, 3-veined, ovate, ± equal, apex long-acuminate.

Flowers

urceolate to campanulate, 8–11 mm;

tepals erect, pink, lanceolate to lance-ovate, unequal, inner shorter and narrower than outer, becoming papery and connivent over capsule, margins entire, apex acute;

stamens included;

anthers yellow;

pollen yellow;

ovary crested;

processes 3, central, 2-lobed, minute, margins entire;

style linear, equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, 3-lobed;

pedicel 7–15 mm.

campanulate, 5–9 mm;

tepals erect, white to pink with darker midveins, unequal, becoming papery in fruit, margins entire or irregular to erose, apex acute or acuminate to long-acuminate;

outer tepals lanceolate to ovate, reflexed at tip;

inner 1/4–1/3 longer than outer, ovate to broadly ovate;

stamens exserted;

anthers yellow or purple;

pollen yellow or white;

ovary crested;

processes 6, prominent, erect, ± triangular, margins entire;

style linear, equaling stamens;

stigma capitate, obscurely to distinctly 3-lobed, lobes erect or spreading, ± stout;

pedicel 8–22 mm.

Seed

coat dull;

cells minutely roughened.

coat dull;

cells minutely roughened.

2n

= 14.

Allium serra

Allium sanbornii

Phenology Flowering Apr–May.
Habitat Heavy, clay soils, including serpentine
Elevation 30–1200 m (100–3900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from USDA
Calif and Oreg
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Allium serra is known only from the central and north Coast Ranges.

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

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

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

Key
1. Stigma obscurely 3-lobed; tepal apex acute; anthers mostly yellow; flowering late Jun–Aug.
var. sanbornii
1. Stigma distinctly 3-lobed; tepal apex acuminate to long-acuminate; anthers mostly purple; flowering late Jun–Jul.
var. congdonii
Source FNA vol. 26, p. 263. FNA vol. 26, p. 248.
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. scilloides, 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. rhizomatum, A. robinsonii, A. rotundum, A. runyonii, 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. sanbornii var. congdonii, A. sanbornii var. sanbornii
Name authority McNeal & Ownbey: Madroño 24: 25, fig. 1. (1977) Alph. Wood: Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 20: 171. (1868)
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