Allium perdulce, the Plains onion, is a plant species native to the central part of the United States and cultivated as an ornamental elsewhere.[1] It has been found in Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, and one county in western Iowa (Woodbury County).[2][3]
| Plains onion | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Amaryllidaceae |
| Subfamily: | Allioideae |
| Genus: | Allium |
| Species: | A. perdulce
|
| Binomial name | |
| Allium perdulce S.V.Fraser 1940
| |
The species name, "perdulce", is neo Latin meaning "especially sweet". This is a reference to the scent of the flowers which resembles hyacinths.[4]
Allium perdulceproduces 2-20 bulbs, each up to 3 cm (1.2 inches) in diameter. Flowers are urn-shaped, up to 10 mm (0.4 inches) across; tepals deep rose to purple (except in var. sperryi; see below); pollen yellow.[2][5][6][7]
Two varieties are recognized:[2][8]
Var. sperryi is a color variant known only from western Texas in the trans-Pecos region. It has white to pale pink flowers instead of the more widespread deep rose to purple.[2]
Cultivation
editThe plains onion prefers sandy loam soil. Though tolerant of drought conditions they will make good use of some additional moisture when in cultivation.[4]
References
edit- ^ "Gardening Europa, Allium perdulce". Archived from the original on 2014-03-14. Retrieved 2014-03-14.
- ^ a b c d Flora of North America, Allium perdulce
- ^ BONAP (Biota of North America Program), 2014 county distribution map, Allium perdulce
- ^ a b Barr, Claude A. (1983). Jewels of the plains : wild flowers of the Great Plains grasslands and hills. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. p. 20. ISBN 0-8166-1127-0.
- ^ Fraser, Samuel Victorian. 1940. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science 42: 124–126.
- ^ Great Plains Flora Association. 1986. Flora of the Great Plains i–vii, 1–1392. University Press of Kansas, Lawrence.
- ^ Correll, D. S. & M. C. Johnston. 1970. Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas i–xv, 1–1881. The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson.
- ^ The Plant List
- ^ Ownbey, Francis Marion. 1950. Research Studies of the State College of Washington 18(4): 202–203, f. 4.
- ^ Traub, Hamilton Paul, & Ownbey, Francis Marion. 1967. Plant Life 23: 110.
- ^ photo of herbarium specimen at Missouri Botanical Garden, isotype of Allium perdulce var. sperryi
