Allium stellatum

Allium stellatum, commonly known as the autumn onion, prairie onion,[1] cliff onion,[2] or glade onion,[3] is a North American species of wild onion in the Amaryllidaceae family that is native to central Canada and the central United States.

Allium stellatum

Secure  (NatureServe)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Amaryllidaceae
Subfamily: Allioideae
Genus: Allium
Species:
A. stellatum
Binomial name
Allium stellatum
Synonyms
  • Stelmesus stellatus (Nutt. ex Ker Gawl.) Raf.
  • Hexonychia stellatum (Nutt. ex Ker Gawl.) Salisb.

Description

Allium stellatum is a perennial forming a bulb underground. An erect, leafless scape up to 30–60 centimetres (1–2 ft) tall arises from grass-like basal leaves that are up to 30 centimetres (1 ft) long. [4][5] The leaves die back as the rounded umbel of pink to purple flowers[4] forms at the end of the scape in the summer. The umbel is approximately 5–8 centimetres (2–3 in) across, and each of the tiny flowers is slightly longer than 0.6 centimetres (.25 in), with 3 petals and 3 sepals that flare outward.[5] The bulbs are strongly flavored but edible.[4]

Etymology

The genus name Allium is from the classical Latin name for garlic. The species name stellatum is botanical Latin for "starry", and refers to the umbels. This species was described for science by John Bellenden Ker Gawler in 1813.[6][7]

Distribution and habitat

The plant ranges from Ontario and Saskatchewan south to Tennessee and Texas.[8][9] Allium stellatum grows in rocky, sandy soil.[10]

Ecology

A. stellatum attracts small bees and flies to its foliage. It probably is not eaten by native mammals because of its strong scent and taste.[2]

1913 illustration.[11]

References
  1. "Allium stellatum". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 2010-03-20.
  2. "Cliff Onion (Allium stellatum)". www.illinoiswildflowers.info.
  3. "NatureServe Explorer 2.0". explorer.natureserve.org.
  4. "Allium stellatum". Native Plant Database. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, University of Texas at Austin. Retrieved 2010-03-24.
  5. "Allium stellatum - Plant Finder". www.missouribotanicalgarden.org.
  6. Kantrud, Harold A. (1995). "Pink Wild Onion (Allium stellatum)". Native Wildflowers of the North Dakota Grasslands. Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center. Archived from the original on 2014-08-13. Retrieved 2010-03-24.
  7. Nuttall, Thomas, ex Ker Gawler, John Bellenden. 1813 Botanical Register 38: plate 1576
  8. McNeal Jr., Dale W.; Jacobsen, T. D. (2002). "Allium stellatum". In Flora of North America Editorial Committee (ed.). Flora of North America North of Mexico (FNA). Vol. 26. New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press – via eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
  9. "Allium stellatum". County-level distribution map from the North American Plant Atlas (NAPA). Biota of North America Program (BONAP). 2014.
  10. "Allium stellatum". Robert W. Freckmann Herbarium University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point. Archived from the original on 2011-09-28. Retrieved 2010-03-24.
  11. Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An illustrated flora of the northern United States, Canada and the British Possessions. 3 vols. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York. Vol. 1: 498
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