Allium falcifolium

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Monocots
Ordo: Asparagales

Familia: Amaryllidaceae
Subfamilia: Allioideae
Tribus: Allieae
Genus: Allium
Subgenus: A. subg. Amerallium
Sectio: A. sect. Lophioprason
Species: Allium falcifolium
Name

Allium falcifolium Hook. & Arn. (1840)
Synonyms

Heterotypic
Allium breweri S.Watson, Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 14: 233. 1879.
Allium falcifolium var. breweri (S.Watson) M.E.Jones, Contr. W. Bot. 10: 83. 1901.

Distribution
Native distribution areas:

Continental: Northern America
Regional: Southwestern USA
California; Oregon

References: Brummitt, R.K. 2001. TDWG – World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions, 2nd Edition
References

Hooker, W.J. & Arnott, G.A.W. 1840: Botany of Captain Beechey's Voyage ; comprising an account of the plants collected by Messrs. Lay and Collie...
Govaerts, R. et al. 2014. Allium falcifolium in World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published online. Accessed: 2014 July 26. Reference page.
USDA, ARS, Germplasm Resources Information Network. Allium falcifolium in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service. Accessed: 08-Apr-12.

Vernacular names
English: scytheleaf onion

Allium falcifolium is a North American species of wild onion known by the common name scytheleaf onion or coast flatstem onion.[2] It is native to northern California and southern Oregon, where it grows in heavy, rocky soils, especially serpentine soils.[3][4]

Description

Allium falcifolium, grows from a reddish-brown bulb one to two centimeters wide. The reddish or yellowish green stem is flattened such that it is thick in the center and thin along the edges. There are usually two leaves, which, as its common name suggests, are curved like the blade of a scythe. The stem is short and topped with an inflorescence of 10 to 30 flowers, each of which is one to one and a half centimeters wide. Each flower has six pinkish, red-purple, or white-streaked purple tepals.[5]

formerly included

The name Allium falcifolium var. demissum Jeps. was coined in 1921,[6] referring to the taxon now known as Allium siskiyouense Ownbey ex Traub.[7][8]
References

Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, Allium falcifolium Hook. & Arn.
Hooker, William Jackson & Arnott, George Arnott Walker. 1840. Botany of Captain Beechey's Voyage 400 description in Latin, commentary in English
USDA Plants Profile — Allium falcifolium (scytheleaf onion)
Jepson Manual Treatment: Allium falcifolium
Flora of North America Vol. 26 Page 275 Allium falcifolium Hooker & Arnott, Bot. Beechey Voy. 400. 1841.
Jepson, Willis Linn. 1921. A Flora of California 1: 280
Traub, Hamilton Paul 1972. Plant Life 28: 63
Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, Allium falcifolium var. demissum Jeps.