Allium howellii is a North American species of wild onion known by the common name Howell's onion. It is endemic to California.

Allium howellii

Vulnerable  (NatureServe)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Amaryllidaceae
Subfamily: Allioideae
Genus: Allium
Subgenus: Allium subg. Melanocrommyum
Species:
A. howellii
Binomial name
Allium howellii

Description

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Allium howellii is a tall onion plant, producing a stem which may exceed half a meter in height from a reddish-brown bulb one to two centimeters long. There is a single cylindrical leaf about as long as the stem. The inflorescence holds up to 100 dark-veined lavender to white flowers, each under a centimeter long.[2][3][4]

Varieties

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Several varieties have been named:[5][6]

Distribution and habitat

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Howell's onion grows in the granite and serpentine soils of several mountain ranges, hills, and valleys from San Joaquin County to San Bernardino County.[9][10][6][11]

References

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  1. ^ "NatureServe Explorer 2.0".
  2. ^ Flora of North America Allium howellii
  3. ^ Jepson Manual Treatment
  4. ^ USDA Plants Profile
  5. ^ Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  6. ^ a b Calflora Consortium of California Herbaria Taxon Report 199 , Allium howellii Eastw., Howell's onion
  7. ^ Traub, Hamilton Paul. 1972. Plant Life 28: 63–64
  8. ^ Traub, Hamilton Paul, & Aase, Hannah Caroline. 1959. in Munz, Philip Alexander & Keck, David Daniels. California Flora page 1376
  9. ^ Eastwood, Alice 1938. New Species in Liliaceae. Leaflets of Western Botany 2(7): 109
  10. ^ Tropicos, Allium howellii Eastw.
  11. ^ Biota of North America 2013 county distribution map
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