Crinkled Onion

Allium crispum is known only from the inner south Coast Ranges.

Bulbs 1–3, increase bulbs absent or ± equaling parent bulbs, never appearing as basal cluster, not clustered on stout primary rhizome, ovoid to globose, 0.9–1.5 × 0.9–1.5 cm; outer coats enclosing 1 or more bulbs, brown or gray, prominently cellular-reticulate, membranous, cells arranged in ± vertical rows, forming distinct herringbone pattern, transversely elongate, V-shaped, without fibers; inner coats white, cells obscure, forming distinct herringbone pattern or ± quadrate, transversely elongate, V-shaped. Leaves persistent, withering from tip by anthesis, 2–3, basally sheathing, sheaths not extending much above soil surface; blade solid, subterete or ± channeled, straight to arcuate, 13–30 cm × 1–3 mm, margins entire. Scape persistent, solitary, erect, solid, terete, 15–35 cm × 1–3 mm. Umbel persistent, erect, loose, 10–40-flowered, hemispheric, bulbils unknown; spathe bracts persistent, 2, 4–6-veined, lance-ovate to ovate, ± equal, apex acuminate. Flowers campanulate, 8–13 mm; tepals erect, rose-purple, lance-ovate to broadly ovate, unequal, outer longer and wider than inner, becoming rigid and keeled in fruit, margins of outer tepal entire, inner denticulate and distinctly crisped, apex acuminate, recurved-spreading at tips; stamens included; anthers yellow; pollen yellow; ovary crested; processes 3, central, 2-lobed, minute, margins entire; style linear, equaling stamens; stigma capitate, 3-lobed; pedicel 10–35 mm. Seed coat dull; cells minutely roughened. 2n = 14.

Calif.

Flowering late Mar--Jun.

Clay soils, including serpentine; 100--800m.

Allium peninsulare Lemmon ex Greene var. crispum (Greene) Jepson

Allium crispum is a species of wild onion known by the common name crinkled onion. It is endemic to California, where it grows along the Central Coast in the Coast Ranges and in the Santa Monica Mountains, often in clays and serpentine soils. It is a perennial herb that is typically found in the foothill woodlands and valley grasslands of California.