Allium stellatum |
Allium fistulosum |
|
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autumn onion, prairie onion |
Japanese bunching onion, Welsh onion |
|
Bulbs | 1–5+, usually clustered, often short-rhizomatous at base, rhizome not stout or iris-like, ovoid, 2–4 × 1–2.5 cm; outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, grayish or brownish, membranous, fibers parallel, few, or sometimes reticulate, cells obscure, finely meshed; inner coats whitish to pinkish, cells obscure, ± quadrate. |
2–12+, borne on short rhizome, cylindric, 2–5 × 1–2.5 cm; outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, white to light brown, membranous, without reticulation; inner coats white, cells obscure, quadrate. |
Leaves | persistent, green at anthesis, 3–5, basally sheathing, sheaths never extending much above soil level; blade solid, flat, channeled, 14–35 cm × 1–5 mm, margins ± entire. |
persistent, 2–6, sheathing lower 1/4–1/3 of scape; blade terete, fistulose, 10–40 cm × 10–25 mm. |
Scape | persistent, solitary, erect, or, if nodding at anthesis, becoming erect, solid, terete or ± 4-angled, particularly distally, 20–50 cm × 1–3.5 mm. |
persistent, solitary, erect, fistulose, inflated in middle, tapering to umbel, (12–)15–70 cm × 8–25 mm. |
Umbel | persistent, nodding, becoming erect, ± loose, 9–40-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown; spathe bracts persistent, 2, 2–4-veined, lanceolate, ± equal, apex acuminate. |
persistent, erect, compact, 50–100-flowered, globose to ovoid, bulbils unknown; spathe bracts persistent, 1–2, 1–3-veined, ovate, ± equal, apex acute. |
Flowers | stellate, 5–8 mm; tepals spreading, deep pink, elliptic-lanceolate, ± equal, withering in fruit, margins entire, apex acute, midribs not thickened; stamens exserted; anthers yellow; pollen yellow; ovary conspicuously crested; processes 6, distinct, flattened, ± triangular, margins entire or toothed; style exserted, linear, ± equaling stamens; stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed; pedicel 0–20 mm. |
narrowly campanulate to urceolate, 6–9 mm; tepals erect, yellowish white, withering in fruit, margins entire, apex acute, outer lanceolate, inner narrowly ovate, unequal; stamens long-exserted; anthers white to yellow; pollen white; ovary crestless; style linear, equaling stamens; stigma capitate, obscurely 3-lobed; pedicel 10–30 mm. |
Seed | coat dull; cells minutely roughened. |
coat shining; cells 4–6-angled, ± rectangular. |
2n | = 14. |
|
Allium stellatum |
Allium fistulosum |
|
Phenology | Flowering Jul–Oct. | Flowering Jul–Aug. |
Habitat | Often on calcareous soils | Disturbed areas |
Elevation | 300–2200 m (1000–7200 ft) | |
Distribution |
AR; IA; IL; KS; MI; MN; MO; ND; NE; OK; SD; TN; TX; WI; MB; ON; SK
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AK; NT; cultivated in Europe; Asia [Introduced in North America] |
Discussion | Allium fistulosum is cultivated in Europe and Asia. It is reported to have escaped in Alaska and is established near the north end of Great Slave Lake. The species is to be expected elsewhere in Canada and the northern United States. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
|
Source | FNA vol. 26. | FNA vol. 26, p. 244. |
Parent taxa | ||
Sibling taxa | ||
Name authority | Ker Gawler: Bot. Mag. 38: plate 1576. (1813) | Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 301. (1753) |
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