GENUS 3. 



LILY FAMILY. 



497 



3. ALLIUM L. Sp. PL 294. 1753. 



Bulbous herbs, odorous (alliaceous) ; bulbs solitary, or clustered on short rootstocks. 

 Leaves narrowly linear, rarely lanceolate or oblong, sheathing, basal, or sometimes also on 

 the stem. Stem (usually a scape) simple, erect. Flowers white, purple, pink or green, in a 

 terminal simple umbel, subtended by 2 or 3 membranous separate or united bracts. Pedicels 

 slender, not jointed. Perianth persistent; segments 6, separate, or united by their bases. 

 Stamens on the bases of the perianth-segments; filaments sometimes toothed; anther-sacs 

 introrsely dehiscent. Ovary nearly sessile, 3-celled ; style filiform, jointed, deciduous ; stigmas 

 small; ovules 1-6 in each cavity. Capsule loculicidal. [Latin for garlic.] 



About 300 species of wide distribution. Besides the following, some 50 others occur in the 

 western United States. Type species : Allium sativum L. 

 Leaves oblong-lanceolate, absent at flowering time. [VALIDALLIUM Small.] 

 Leaves linear, present at flowering time. 



Bulb-coats membranous, not fibrous-reticulated. 



Umbel capitate ; pedicels shorter than the flowers. 

 Umbel loose ; pedicels much longer than the flowers. 

 Flowering umbel nodding. 



Perianth campanulate, white or pink, its outer segments acute. 

 Perianth urn-shaped, purple, outer segments obtuse or notched. 

 Flowering umbel erect. 



Leaves flat or channeled, all nearly basal. 



i. A. tricoccum. 



2. A. sibiricum. 



3. A. ceniuuin. 



4. A. alleghaniense. 



5. A. stellatum. 

 Leaves terete, hollow, some on stem ; flowers often replaced by bulblets. 



Filaments with a tooth on each side. 6. A. carinatum. 



7. A. vineale. 



8. A. canadense. 



Filaments simple, not toothed. 

 Bulb-coats fibrous-reticulated. 

 Capsule not crested. 



Flowers mostly replaced by bulblets ; scape 8'-2 tall. 

 Flowers rarely replaced by bulblets. 



Scape i-2 tall; pedicels 8"-i2" long; perianth-segments thin. g. A. mutabile. 

 Scape 4'-8' tall; pedicels 4"-6" long; perianth-segments rigid in fruit. 10. A. Nuttzllli. 

 Capsule-valves with 2 short crests. n. A. reticulatum. 



i. Allium tricoccum Ait. Wild Leek. 

 Fig. 1242. 



Allium tricoccum Ait. Hort. Kew. i : 428. 1789. 



Bulbs ovoid, clustered, i'-2' high, seated on a 

 short rootstock, their coats fibrous-reticulated. 

 Leaves oblong-lanceolate or elliptic, appearing early 

 in the spring, but withering before flowering time, 

 6'-i2' long, i '-2' wide, narrowed at both ends, 

 tapering into a long petiole; scape 4'-is' tall; bracts 

 of the umbel usually 2, at first enclosing the flowers, 

 acuminate, deciduous; umbel erect; pedicels becom- 

 ing rigid, 6"-io" long ; flowers white ; perianth- 

 segments oblong, obtuse, 2"-3" long; filaments 

 lanceolate-subulate ; ovule I in each cavity ; capsule 

 deeply 3-lobed, about 3" broad, ii"-2" high, its 

 valves not crested ; seeds globose, black, smooth. 



In rich woods, New Brunswick to Minnesota, North 

 Carolina, Tennessee and Iowa. Often grows in large 

 beds. Three-seeded leek. Ramps. June-July. 



2. Allium sibiricum L. Chives. Chive- 

 or Rush-garlic. Fig. 1243. 



Allium sibiricum L. Mart. 2: 562. 1771. 



Bulbs "narrowly ovoid, clustered, i' high or less, 

 their membranous coats not fibrous-reticulated. 

 Scape rather stout, S'-2 high, bearing below the 

 middle i or 2 elongated linear terete hollow 

 leaves about *" in diameter, or the leaves all 

 basal ; bracts of the umbel 2, broadlv ovate, 

 veiny ; umbel many-flowered, capitate, the pedi- 

 cels i "-3" long; flowers rose-color, longer than 

 the pedicels ; perianth-segments 4" -6" long, 

 lanceolate, acuminate; stamens much shorter 

 than the perianth; filaments subulate, half- 

 terete ; ovules 2 in each cavity of ovary ; capsule 

 obtusely 3-lobed, half as long as the perianth. 



In moist soil, Newfoundland to Alaska. Maine, 

 New York, Michigan, Wyoming and Washington. 



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