Allium oleraceum

Bulbs 1 or more, not attached to rhizome, ovoid, 1.2-2 × 1-1.5 cm; outer coats enclosing bulbs, brown to grayish brown, fibrous, fibers close, ± parallel; inner coats white to light brown, not cellular. Leaves withering from tip by anthesis, 2-4, sheathing proximal 1/2+ scape; blade fistulose proximally, solid distally, terete, linear to filiform, prominently ribbed proximally, channeled distally, 1.5-2.5 cm × 0.5-5 mm, margins and veins usually scabrid with minute teeth, apex acute. Scape persistent, solitary, erect, terete, 25-100 cm × 4-8 mm. Umbel persistent, erect, compact to ± loose, 0-40-flowered, subglobose, with few to many bulbils or with bulbils only; spathe bracts persistent, 2, 4-9-veined, lanceolate, unequal, apex acuminate into beak, beak long, slender, to 20 cm, ± equaling or longer than base. Flowers usually aborting before capsules mature, if present, campanulate, 6-8 mm; tepals erect, whitish or pinkish to purple, outer narrowly obovate, inner ± elliptic, unequal, margins entire, apex obtuse; stamens included; anthers yellow to reddish; pollen yellow; ovary crestless; style linear, equaling stamens; stigma capitate, unlobed; pedicel 15-60 mm. Seed coat unknown; capsules only rarely produced.

Flowering late Jul--Aug. Roadsides and other disturbed ground; introduced; Europe.

Allium oleraceum is reported from New England, where it is sometimes found on roadsides and other disturbed ground. It persists and is spread easily by the bulbils.

Bulbs ovoid-conic, 1-2 cm; stem slender, 3-6 dm; lvs linear, flat, 8-30 cm נ2-4 mm; umbel erect, subtended by 2 elongate linear bracts, bearing a few sessile bulblets and numerous nodding, red-purple or violet fls; stamens usually exsert, the filaments all slender; 2n=32, 40. Native of Europe, rarely adventive in our range.

Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.

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