Allium pallasii Murray

One of us (Kamelin) believes that plants with bracteolate pedicels represent another species, Allium semiretschenskianum Regel (Trudy Imp. S.-Peterburgsk. Bot. Sada 5: 630. 1878), and limits A. pallasii to plants with ebracteolate pedicels. Allium albertii Regel (loc. cit.: 632) was described from plants collected on sands in W Xinjiang between Huocheng Xian and Ili He, and is regarded by Kamelin as an uncertain species, similar to A. semiretschenskianum but only 20--30 cm high, with a membranous and finely reticulate-veined tunic, and ebracteolate pedicels. Xu believes that both A. albertii and A. semiretschenskianum are synonymous with A. pallasii and notes that other species exhibit both bracteolate and ebracteolate pedicels, e.g., A. eusperma and A. sairamense.

Bulb solitary, ovoid-globose to subglobose, 0.7--1.5(--2) cm in diam.; tunic grayish white to pinkish white, membranous, transparent, with parallel veins, entire. Leaves 3--5, shorter than scape, 0.5--1.5(--2.5) mm wide, semiterete, adaxially channeled. Scape 15--30 cm, terete, covered with leaf sheaths for 1/4--1/2 its length. Spathe 2-valved, persistent. Umbel hemispheric to globose, laxly or densely many flowered. Pedicels subequal, 2--4 × as long as perianth, ebracteolate or a few bracteolate. Perianth pale red to pale purple; segments lanceolate to oblong lanceolate, equal, 2--4 × 0.8--1.8 mm; inner ones usually narrower than outer. Filaments 1--1.5 × as long as perianth segments, connate at base and adnate to perianth segments; outer ones subulate; inner ones broadened at base, sometimes 1-toothed on each side. Ovary subglobose, minutely tuberculate, with concave nectaries at base. Style slightly exserted; stigma globose. Fl. and fr. Apr--Jul. 2 n = 16.

N Xinjiang (Altay Shan, Tarbagatay Shan) [Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia].

Deserts, dry slopes; 600--2300 m.

Allium albertii Regel; A. caricifolium Karelin & Kirilov; A. lepidum Ledebour; A. semiretschenskianum Regel; A. tenue G. Don.

Allium pallasii is a species of wild onion native to Central Asia, Mongolia, Altay Krai and Xinjiang. It occurs in deserts and dry steppes at elevations of 600–2300 m.

Allium pallasii had one round bulb up to 20 mm across. Scape is up to 30 cm tall. Leaves are tubular, shorter than the scape, up to 2.5 mm wide. Flowers are pale red or pale purple.