|
Tapertip
Onion
Common
Name(s):
Tapertip Onion
Wild Onion
Scientific
Name:
Allium
acuminatum Hook.
Scientific
Name Synonyms:
None known
Symbol:
ALAC4
Description:
Life
Span: Perennial
Origin:
Native
Season: Cool
Growth Characteristics:
A
6 to 8 inch tall forb, with a dark-colored outer coat on the bulb.
Reproduces both from seed and underground parts.
Flowers/Inflorescence:
The
flowers are dark rose to reddish purple, the segments taper tipped
and longer than the stamens. The three upper and inner petals minutely
toothed on the margins. The flowers are borne in a simple umbel
at the top of the stem.
Fruits/Seeds:Fruit
is a three-chambered capsule.
Leaves: Linear
and flattened, shorter than the stem.
Ecological
Adaptations:
Tapertip
onion occurs on sagebrush plains, rich meadows, rocky foothills,
and mountain slopes. It often grows in dense patches, especially
in moist meadows. Plant has a distinctive onion odor.
Soils: Adapted
to a variety of soils, most abundant on dry, gravelly soils.
Associated Species:
Big
sagebrush, deathcamas.
Uses and
Management:
Tapertip
onion is highly palatable to sheep and cattle. It is a popular potherb.
|
