CONTRIBUTIONS TO WESTERN BOTANY NO. 15 55 



of propagation is entirely different, and is that of A. bisceptrum, while 

 the bulb coats rarely show the tortuous markings of bisceptrum. 



Allium decipiens Jones is yet to be segregated from the bisceptrum 

 roup. There axe two good bulbls in the tj-pe whose markings may keep 





the species up, but the general aspect of the plant is too near bisceptrum. 



Allium amplectens Torr. Jepson confuses with A. serratum Watson, 

 which is the same as A. peninsulare Lcmmon. There is no mistaking 

 Watson's description of A, serratum. 



Allium acuminatum Hook. Jepson never seems to have noticed the 



peculiar markings of this species which can be instantly separated from 

 all other species, 



I am not in a position to criticise the species of Jcp'sou, intactum, 

 anserinum, and Modocense, never having seen the tynea But their valid- 

 ity is doubtful. 



Allium monticola Davidson. This onion which has been found grow- 

 ing on San Antonio peak by various botanists. I have had an oppor- 

 tunity to study growing in its native habitat, and can give mo. e definite 

 information about it. I am convinced that its place is near to A. bis- 

 ceptrum and campanulatum, and not at all with the fakifolium group, 

 for the following reasons. That group all propagate by division of the 

 mother bulb by splitting down the center, as well as by the seeds. They 



all grow in clayey situations mostly on bare knolls \\here tliere is a 

 Vv'ater seep in the spring. The crests vrhcre they exist at all are low and 

 thick and not lacerate and inclined to be central instead of on tlie angles. 

 They all have the wide onion-like leavfi^ v.hich greatly rurpnss the in- 

 florescence and are falcate. A monticola does not propagate 'by division 

 but by filiform underground runners as does A. bisceptrum. on the 

 ends of which is at least one bulblet. These runners va y in length 

 from a millimeter in length to four inches. Very fr quently we find 

 bulblets coming out at the angle where the bottom and s'idc xK tlie mo- 

 ther bulb come together and pointinc^ do^\'nward, at other tini' s the bulb- 

 lets are remote from the mother. The length of the runner s-cem,; to be 

 a matter of convenience of location among the slide where the plant 

 grows. The plants always grow in talus, or sliding shingle, -nev'er in 

 clayey situations, and generally singly and not in bunches as !he other. 

 It also grows at or near timber line where the winters are ?ev?re, and 

 not in the Middle Temperate or lower life zones as do the others. Then 

 the bulb coat markings seem to resemble the Fakifolium group Ijecause 

 of meshes except the rectangular ones of the thin coats. But fhe dif- 

 ference is greater in that A. monticola has several to many thin coats 

 interspersed between thick and rather rigid coats v.hich seem to be papil- 

 lose-pubescent to such an extent as to obscure the markings 'if there are 

 any. Once in a while I seem to faintly discern niinute crinkly markings 

 of the bisceptrum group, but as yet am not certain that there are any 

 such markings. 



Another species that seems little known is A. lacunosum. TKis has 

 the habit of most onions, growing on bare "knolls v/here there "is w^ter 

 icep in the spring, where there is some clay. ?Tiie ^fect :lhat "it 'has two 



