LILIACEAE

LILY FAMILY

Dale W. McNeal, except as specified

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.

ALLIUM

ONION, GARLIC

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, 1–5, linear, cylindric, channeled, or flat, generally withering from tip before flower
Inflorescence: umbel; bracts generally 2–4, 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)

Introduced

A. vineale L.

Bulb 1–2 cm, ovoid; daughter bulbs several, stalked, hard-shelled, carried inside bulb coats; outer coat ± yellow-brown, vertically lined, splitting into strips
Stem 30–100 cm
Leaves 2–4, << stem, sheathing lower stem
Inflorescence: flowers generally few, generally replaced by bulblets; pedicels 12–15 mm
Flower 3–4 mm; perianth parts ovate, entire, greenish-white to purple; inner filaments with 2 prominent, lateral appendages; ovary crest 0
Ecology: Uncommon. Disturbed places
Elevation: < 100 m.
Bioregional distribution: s Northwestern California, n Sierra Nevada Foothills, Sacramento Valley, n Central Western California
Distribution outside California: native to Europe
Weedy.