Small onion
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Amaryllidaceae
Subfamily: Allioideae
Genus: Allium
Species:
A. parvum
Binomial name
Allium parvum
Synonyms[1][2][3]
  • Allium modocense Jeps.
  • Allium pleianthum var. particolor M.E.Jones
  • Allium tribracteatum var. andersonii S.Watson
  • Allium tribracteatum var. parvum (Kellogg) Jeps.

Allium parvum is an American species of wild onion known by the common name small onion.[4][5] It is native to the western United States where it is a common member of the flora in rocky, dry areas in mountainous areas, especially in talus at elevations of 1,200–2,800 m (3,900–9,200 ft). It is widespread in California, Nevada, Oregon and Idaho, and also reported from western Utah and from extreme southwestern Montana (Ravalli and Beaverhead Counties).[6][7][8]

Allium parvum has a bulb one to two and a half centimeters wide and bears a relatively short scape for an onion species, rarely more than 12 centimeters tall. The two leaves are sickle-shaped. Atop the stem is an umbel of fewer than 30 flowers, which are generally pale pink with prominent dark midveins. Anthers are purple or yellow; pollen yellow.[5][9][10][11][12]

Uses

This plant was a food and flavoring for the Paiute people.[13][14]

References

  1. ^ The Plant List
  2. ^ Tropicos
  3. ^ Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  4. ^ Calflora, Taxon Report 222, Allium parvum Kellogg
  5. ^ a b USDA Plants Profile
  6. ^ Jepson Manual Treatment
  7. ^ Flora of North America v 26 p 271, Allium parvum
  8. ^ BONAP (Biota of North America Program) 2014 county distribution map, Allium parvum
  9. ^ Calphoto Photo gallery
  10. ^ Hickman, J. C. 1993. The Jepson Manual: Higher Plants of California 1–1400. University of California Press, Berkeley.
  11. ^ Cronquist, A.J., A. H. Holmgren, N. H. Holmgren & Reveal. 1977. Vascular Plants of the Intermountain West, U.S.A. 6: 1–584. In A.J. Cronquist, A. H. Holmgren, N. H. Holmgren, J. L. Reveal & P. K. Holmgren (eds.) Intermountain Flora. Hafner Pub. Co., New York.
  12. ^ Kellogg, Albert. 1863. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 3(3): 54-55, figure 13 in English; full-page line drawing on page 55
  13. ^ Ethnobotany, University of Michigan
  14. ^ Fowler, Catherine S. 1989 Willards Z. Park's Ethnographic Notes on the Northern Paiute of Western Nevada 1933-1940. Salt Lake City. University of Utah Press (p. 44)

External links


Taxon identifiers
Categories