Allium unifolium Kellogg

Oneleaf onion (en)

Species

Angiosperms > Asparagales > Amaryllidaceae > Allium

Characteristics

Bulbs solitary, replaced annually by new bulbs borne terminally on secondary rhizome; rhizomes 1–3, conspicuous, to 5 cm, smooth; parent bulbs disappearing by anthesis except for still-functional roots and bulb coat, ovoid to oblique-ovoid, 1–2 × 0.8–1.5 cm; outer coats not enclosing bulbs, pale brown, delicately cellular-reticulate, membranous, cells ± rectangular, without fibers; inner coats white, cells obscure, ± transversely elongate, contorted. Leaves persistent, green or withering from tip at anthesis, 2–3, basally sheathing, sheaths not extending much above soil surface; blade solid, flattened, sometimes carinate abaxially, ± falcate, 18–50 cm × 4–10 mm, margins entire. Scape persistent, solitary, erect, solid, terete, 20–80 cm × 2–7 mm. Umbel persistent, erect, loose, 15–35-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown; spathe bracts persistent, 2, 6–8-veined, lance-ovate to broadly ovate, ± equal, apex acuminate. Flowers stellate, 11–15 mm; tepals spreading, bright pink or rarely white, obovate to ovate, unequal, becoming papery and connivent over capsule, margins entire, apex acute to obtuse or emarginate, inner shorter and narrower than outer; stamens included; anthers yellow or purple; pollen yellow or gray; ovary crestless, 3-grooved, with thickened ridge on either side of groove; style linear, equaling stamens; stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed or obscurely 3-lobed; pedicel 15–40 mm. Seed coat dull; cells minutely roughened. 2n = 14.
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An onion family plant. It is a bulb plant. It grows 40-60 cm high and spreads 20-30 cm wide. The leaves are blue-green and flat. They have an easy to see central midrib. The leaves are 30 cm long and there is one leaf per bulb. The flowers are bell shaped and pink. They are in rounded heads.
Life form perennial
Growth form herb
Growth support free-standing
Foliage retention deciduous
Sexuality hermaphrodite
Pollination entomogamy
Spread -
Mature width (meter) 0.1
Mature height (meter) 0.5 - 0.6
Root system rhizome
Rooting depth (meter) -
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color
Blooming months
JanFebMar
AprMayJun
JulAugSep
OctNovDec
Fruit color -
Fruiting months -
Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway c3

Environment

Moist soils in pine or mixed evergreen forest in the coastal ranges of California. Moist, clay soils, including serpentine, usually along streams; at elevations up to 1,100 metres.
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It suits hardiness zones 8-10.
Light 7-9
Soil humidity 1-6
Soil texture 3-5
Soil acidity 2-8
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) 8-9

Usage

The bulbs and young leaves are fried and eaten. The flowers can be eaten raw or used as a garnish in salads.
Uses environmental use medicinal spice
Edible bulbs flowers leaves roots shoots
Therapeutic use Poison (unspecified)
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Can be grown by divisions or seedlings. Seeds needs stratification.
Mode divisions seedlings
Germination duration (days) 30 - 365
Germination temperacture (C°) 10
Germination luminosity light
Germination treatment stratification
Minimum temperature (C°) -12
Optimum temperature (C°) -
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Images

Flower

Allium unifolium flower picture by maristela diaz (cc-by-sa)
Allium unifolium flower picture by christine Lesca Maillard (cc-by-sa)

Distribution

Allium unifolium world distribution map, present in United States of America

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:529083-1
WFO ID wfo-0000757669
COL ID 7QJDY
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID -
Wikipedia (EN) Link
Wikipedia (FR)

Synonyms

Allium grandisceptrum Allium unifolium Allium unifolium Allium unifolium var. lacteum