Allium tuberosum |
Allium sharsmithiae |
|
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Chinese chive, garlic chives, oriental garlic |
Sharsmith's onion |
|
Bulbs | 1–3, borne on stout, ± horizontal rhizome, elongate, cylindric or conic, 0.5–1.5 × 0.7–2 cm; outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, brown, reticulate, cells ± fine-meshed, open, fibrous; inner coats white, cells closely parallel, elongate. |
usually solitary, not clustered on stout, primary rhizome, ovoid to globose, 1–1.8 × 1–1.5 cm; outer coats enclosing bulb, reddish brown, membranous, lacking cellular reticulation or cells arranged in only 2–3 rows distal to roots, ± quadrate, without fibers; inner coats pale brown, cells obscure, quadrate. |
Leaves | withering from tip by anthesis, 2–5, sheathing scape to ± soil level; blade solid, flat, carinate abaxially, 20–40 cm × 2–6 mm, margins entire. |
persistent, withering from tip by anthesis, 1, basally sheathing, sheath not extending much above soil surface; blade solid, terete, 15–25 cm × 1–4 mm. |
Scape | persistent, solitary, erect, terete, 30–50 cm × 1–3 mm. |
persistent, solitary, erect, solid, terete, 4–17 cm × 1–2.5 mm. |
Umbel | persistent, erect, loose, 20–50-flowered, hemispheric-globose, bulbils unknown; spathe bracts persistent, 1–3, 3–7-veined, lance-ovate, shorter than pedicel, apex acuminate. |
persistent, erect, compact, 5–50-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown; spathe bracts persistent, 2–3, 3–8-veined, lanceolate to lance-ovate, ± equal, apex long-acuminate to setaceous. |
Flowers | substellate, 4–9 mm; tepals spreading, white with green or brownish midveins, lanceolate to elliptic, ± equal, withering and exposing capsule, margins entire, apex obtuse or acute; stamens included; anthers purple; pollen white; ovary crestless; style linear, ± equaling stamens; stigma capitate, unlobed; pedicel 10–30 mm. |
urceolate, 10–18 mm; tepals erect, deep reddish purple, linear-lanceolate to lance-ovate, ± equal, becoming rigid in fruit, margins entire, apex acute to obtuse, recurved-spreading at tips; stamens included; anthers yellow; pollen yellow; ovary crested; processes 6, prominent, ± triangular, margins entire, surfaces usually papillate; style linear, equaling stamens; stigma capitate, 3-lobed, lobes slender, recurved; pedicel 6–19 mm. |
Seed | coat shining; cells smooth, irregularly shaped, with ± sinuous walls. |
coat dull or shining; cells minutely roughened. |
2n | = 14. |
|
Allium tuberosum |
Allium sharsmithiae |
|
Phenology | Flowering Jul–Aug. | Flowering Apr–May. |
Habitat | Roadsides and other disturbed ground | Serpentine clay soil on talus slopes |
Elevation | 500–1100 m (1600–3600 ft) | |
Distribution |
IA; NE; WI; se Asia [Introduced in North America]
|
CA |
Discussion | Allium tuberosum is cultivated in China, Siberia, and North America, and is reported to be established in New England. It may escape anywhere the species is cultivated. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Of conservation concern. Allium sharsmithiae is known only from the Mount Hamilton Range. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 26, p. 240. | FNA vol. 26, p. 252. |
Parent taxa | ||
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | A. fimbriatum var. sharsmithiae | |
Name authority | Rottler ex Sprengel: Syst. Veg. 2: 38. (1825) | (Ownbey & Aase ex Traub) McNeal: Aliso 13: 417. (1992) |
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