Allium tanguticum Regel

Bulb solitary, ovoid to ovoid-globose, 1--1.5 cm in diam.; tunic grayish brown to grayish yellow, papery, usually fibrous at apex. Leaves linear, shorter than scape, 1--3(--4) mm wide, flat, adaxially channeled, scabrous-denticulate along angles. Scape 15--40 cm or more, terete, covered with leaf sheaths only at base. Spathe 2-valved, persistent. Umbel hemispheric, densely many flowered. Pedicels subequal, 2--3 × as long as perianth, bracteolate. Perianth purple to purple-red; segments narrowly lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, (3--)4--5 × 1--1.8 mm, apex acuminate. Filaments equal, 1.5(--2) × as long as perianth segments, connate at base and adnate to perianth segments; inner ones narrowly triangular at base, distinctly wider than outer. Ovary subglobose, with concave nectaries at base. Style slightly exserted. Fl. and fr. Jul--Sep. 2 n = 32*, 48*.

Gansu, Qinghai, Xizang (Lholong Xian).

* Dry slopes, sandy places, plains; 2000--3500 m.

Allium tanguticum is a Chinese species of wild onion native to Gansu, Qinghai and Tibet. It grows at elevations of about 2000–3500 m.

Allium tanguticum produces one round to egg-shaped bulb up to 15 mm across. Scape is up to 50 cm tall, round in cross-section. Leaves are flat, shorter than the scape, up to 4 mm wide. Umbel is hemispheric, with many purple flowers crowded together.