TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL (1993) |
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©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California
For up-to-date information about California vascular plants, visit the Jepson eFlora. |
AND IS MAINTAINED FOR ARCHIVAL PURPOSES ONLY |
Perennial to trees, from membranous bulb, fibrous corm, scaly rhizome, or erect caudex
Stem generally underground
Leaves generally basal, often withering early, alternate, generally ± linear
Inflorescence various, generally bracted
Flower generally bisexual, generally radial; perianth often showy, segments generally 6 in two petal-like whorls (outer sometimes sepal-like), free or fused at base; stamens 6 (or 3 + generally 3 ± petal-like staminodes), filaments sometimes attached to perianth or fused into a tube or crown; ovary superior or inferior, chambers 3, placentas generally axile, style generally 1, stigmas generally 3
Fruit: generally capsule, loculicidal or septicidal (berry or nut)
Genera in family: ± 300 genera, 4600 species: especially ± dry temp and subtropical; many cultivated for ornamental or food;some TOXIC . Here includes genera sometimes treated in Agavaceae, Amaryllidaceae, and other families.
Perennial with onion odor, taste; bulb solitary or on rhizomes, reforming each year, divides at base into daughter bulbs, outer bulb coats generally brown or gray, cell sculpture generally important to identification, inner bulb coats generally white
Stem scapose, cylindric or flat
Leaves basal, 15, linear, cylindric, channeled, or flat, generally withering from tip before flower
Inflorescence: umbel; bracts generally 24, conspicuous, ± fused, scarious
Flower: perianth segments 6, in 2 petal-like whorls; stamens 6, epipetalous, filaments wide at base, fused into a ring; ovary superior, sometimes with 3 or 6 crests, chambers 3, ovules generally 2 per chamber, style 1, stigma entire or 3-lobed
Fruit: capsule, loculicidal
Seed obovoid, black, sculpture net-like, smooth, or granular
Species in genus: 500 species: worldwide, especially CA
Etymology: (Latin: garlic)
Native |
Bulb 816 mm, ovoid to ± spheric; outer coat yellow-brown, sculpture prominent, thick-walled, square or polygonal
Stem 1035 cm
Leaves 23, ± = stem, ± cylindric
Inflorescence: flowers 1040; pedicels 625 mm
Flower 815 mm; perianth parts lanceolate to narrowly ovate, white to rose-purple, inner finely dentate; ovary crests 3, minute, 2-lobed, central
Chromosomes: n=7
Ecology: Hills and plains
Elevation: < 1900 m.
Bioregional distribution: Northwestern California, Cascade Range, ne San Francisco Bay Area (Mount Diablo), Modoc Plateau
Distribution outside California: to British Columbia, Rocky Mtns, Arizona
Horticultural information: DRN, DRY, SUN: 6, 7, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18; often DFCLT.