Allium bisceptrum

Twincrest onion
Flowers

Apparently Secure  (NatureServe)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Amaryllidaceae
Subfamily: Allioideae
Genus: Allium
Species:
A. bisceptrum
Binomial name
Allium bisceptrum
Synonyms[3]
  • Allium bisceptrum var. palmeri (S. Watson) Cronquist
  • Allium bisceptrum var. utahense M.E. Jones
  • Allium palmeri S. Watson

Allium bisceptrum, also known as the twincrest onion or aspen onion, is a high elevation plant native to western United States. It is a perennial that thrives under damp and shady conditions or open meadows in California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Utah.[4]

Allium bisceptrum buds, leaves

Allium bisceptrum is used sometimes as food flavoring as their leaves may be very strong and odorous. Natives pray before picking the leaves of this plant. Many animals in the region, including elk, black bears and prairie dogs, eat the bulbs of the wild onions.[5][6][7]

  1. ^ "NatureServe Explorer - Allium bisceptrum". NatureServe Explorer Allium bisceptrum. NatureServe. 2022-05-30. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  2. ^  A. bisceptrum was first described and published in Botany [Fortieth Parallel] 351 & 487, t. 37, f. 1-3. 1871 [Sep-Dec 1871] ; vol. 5, United States Geological Expolration (sic) of the Fortieth Parallel, under Clarence King. "Plant Name Details for Allium bisceptrum". IPNI. Retrieved May 22, 2011. Notes: Calif
  3. ^ Tropicos
  4. ^ Flora of North America v 26 p 246, Allium bisceptrum
  5. ^ "Allium bisceptrum var. bisceptrum - twin crest onion, twincrest onion". California Native Plant Link Exchange. Retrieved May 21, 2011.
  6. ^ "Allium bisceptrum S.Watson var. bisceptrum". Calflora. Retrieved May 21, 2011.
  7. ^ "Profile for Allium bisceptrum S.Watson var. bisceptrum (twincrest onion)". PLANTS Database. USDA, NRCS. Retrieved May 21, 2011.