Allium amplectens

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Allium amplectens, or the narrowleaf onion, is a flowering plant of the Liliaceae family.

Allium amplectens


Synonyms:
  • Allium acuminatum Hook. var. gracile
  • Allium attenuifolium Kellogg
  • Allium attenuifolium Kellogg var. monospermum
  • Allium monospermum Jepson
  • Allium occidentale Gray
  • Allium serratum S. Watson [1]


Taxonomy

  • Kingdom Plantae – Plants
  • Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
  • Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants
  • Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
  • Class Liliopsida – Monocotyledons
  • Subclass - Liliidae
  • Order - Liliales
  • Family Liliaceae – Lily family
  • Genus Allium L. – onion
  • Species Allium amplectens Hook. – narrowleaf onion

Description

Perennial growing from bulbs sometimes clustered. Stem somewhat cylindrical, 15-50 cm tall. 2-4 slender leaves growing from the scape. Almost spherical umbels of many white or pink flowers. Tepals 6; pedicals slender 1-2 times length of tepals. Stamens 6 and as long as the tepals. [2] [3]

Bloom Period

May-July [2]

Distribution

California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia.

Habitat

Open or wooded with clay soils [3]

Uses

First Nations-The small strong tasting onion bulbs were occasionally eaten by some northwest coast groups. Note that this is a relatively restricted species, however, and should not be harvested from the wild.

Propagation

Seed

Abbreviation: ALAM

Seed sample from: 2011

Average Measurement: 2.1 x 1.7 x 1.7

Measurement Range: L: 1.8 - 2.5, W: 1.5 - 1.8, D: 1.3 - 1.75

Features

Shape: Seeds narrow at hilum end, broadening at opposite apex.

Color: Seeds black. Hilum beige to white.

Surface: Seed’s most distinct feature is extreme puckering or wrinkling. Some seeds have concave pitting, ridging, or some net veined patterns. Seeds roughly textured and matte.

Latitudinal Cross Section: elliptical ALAM-lat-crosssection.png

Longitudinal Cross Section: elliptical ALAM-long-crosssection.png

Allium amplectens
Allium amplectens



Basic Explanations and Assumptions:

The dimensions for the seeds are length x width x depth. The location of the hilum is used as the base of the seed, and the length is measured from hilum to the opposite apex. Where a style is present, the length is measured from the hilum to the bottom of the style. Width is measured at a right angle to the length at the widest part. Depth is measured at a right angle to the intersection of height and width lines.

Measurements included are the mean average for each measurement of ten separate seeds.

All measurements in millimeters unless otherwise noted.

Photo Gallery

References

  1. Washington Flora Checklist
  2. 2.0 2.1 WTU Herbarium
  3. 3.0 3.1 Jepson Flora Project