Allium howellii

Allium howellii is a North American species of wild onion known by the common name Howell's onion. It is endemic to California.

Allium howellii
Conservation status
Vulnerable  (NatureServe)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Amaryllidaceae
Subfamily:	Allioideae
Genus:	Allium
Subgenus:	Allium subg. Melanocrommyum
Species:	A. howellii
Binomial name
Allium howellii Eastw.

Description

Allium howellii is a tall onion plant, producing a stem which may exceed half a meter in height from a reddish-brown bulb one to two centimeters long. There is a single cylindrical leaf about as long as the stem. The inflorescence holds up to 100 dark-veined lavender to white flowers, each under a centimeter long.^[2][3][4]

Varieties

Several varieties have been named:^[5][6]

• Allium howellii var. clokeyi Ownbey & Aase ex Traub^[7] - San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara counties
• Allium howellii var. howellii - Merced, Fresno, Kern, San Luis Obispo counties
• Allium howellii var. sanbenitense (Traub) Ownbey & Aase ^[8] - San Benito County

Distribution and habitat

Howell's onion grows in the granite and serpentine soils of several mountain ranges, hills, and valleys from San Joaquin County to San Bernardino County.^{[9][10][6][11]}