Burlew's Onion

Bulbs usually solitary, not clustered on stout, primary rhizome, ovoid, 1.5–2.5 × 1–1.5 cm; outer coats enclosing single bulb, brown or grayish, membranous, lacking cellular reticulation or cells arranged in only 2–3 rows distal to roots, ± quadrate, without fibers; inner coats white, cells not visible. Leaves usually deciduous with scape, withering from tip at anthesis, 1, basally sheathing, sheath not extending much above soil surface; blade solid, flat or broadly channeled, ± falcate, 8–33 cm × 1–10 mm, margins entire. Scape usually forming abcission layer and deciduous with leaves after seeds mature, frequently breaking at this level after pressing, solitary, erect, solid, terete, 2–20 cm × 1–3 mm. Umbel persistent, erect, compact, 8–20(–30)-flowered, globose to conic, bulbils unknown; spathe bracts persistent, 3, 9–13-veined, broadly ovate, ± equal, apex abruptly acuminate. Flowers conical to campanulate, 7–10 mm; tepals strictly erect, dull purplish with darker midveins, ovate, ± equal, becoming membranous, withering in fruit, margins entire, apex obtuse; stamens equaling tepals or ± exserted; filaments smooth proximally; anthers purple; pollen yellow or gray; ovary crestless or crested; processes 6, central, rounded, minute, margins entire; style linear, slightly longer than stamens; stigma capitate, scarcely thickened, unlobed; pedicel 6–10 mm. Seed coat shining; cells smooth. 2n = 14.

Calif.

Flowering late Apr--Jul.

Granite sands, on dry slopes and ridges; 1800--2800m.

Allium burlewii is a species of wild onion known by the common name Burlew's onion. It is endemic to California, where grows in the granitic soils of several of the central and southern mountain ranges from Riverside and San Bernardino to Fresno and Monterey Counties, usually between 6,000 and 10,000 feet above sea level.

Allium burlewii is a short-stemmed onion, from an oval-shaped bulb, with a scape rarely taller than 20 cm. It pointed a single long, pointed leaf up to 35 cm long. The inflorescence contains up to 20 dark-veined purple flowers each up to a centimeter long with dark purple anthers.