Tolmie's Onion Allium tolmiei var. tolmiei (Synonyms: Allium cusickii, Allium pleianthum, Allium tolmiei var. platyphyllum)

[Onions: The Genus Allium East of the Cascade Mts. of Oregon and Washington]

Tolmie's Onion

Allium tolmiei var. tolmiei

Synonyms: Allium cusickii, Allium pleianthum, Allium tolmiei var. platyphyllum

The photo above shows Tolmie's onion as seen from basalt outcrops along OR highway 219 east of Clarno, OR..................April 19, 2007.

Scape and inflorescence of Tolmie's Onion Allium tolmiei var. tolmiei (Synonyms: Allium cusickii, Allium pleianthum, Allium tolmiei var. platyphyllum)

Photo at right of Allium tolmiei found northwest of Enterprise, OR............5/30/99. Note the flattened, winged scape and the numerous nerves on the bracts below the umbel.

Characteristics:

Tolmie's onion is an attractive wild onion from the Pacific Northwest. It arises from oval bulbs which are often clustered. It has two leaves which are usually wide, thickened, and flat in cross-section. In addition, the leaves are strongly sickle-shaped. The leaves also persist through the bloom period.. Individual leaves are 1 to 10 mm wide, and usually up to twice as long as the flower stem.

The scape or flower stem ranges from 5 to 25 cm tall. It is usually strongly flattened and often winged (in cross-section, the stem is rounded or wide in the middle, then flares to two thinned edges). The 2 or 3 bracts below the umbel are ovate to lanceolate, tapering to a point, and 5- to 19- rayed. The inflorescence is an umbel, with several to many flowers (See photo above right.). Individual flowers are 6 to 12 mm long, with 6 pink, narrow tepals which taper to points. The stamens range from 1/2 to nearly as long as the tepals.

Former Varieties:

var. tolmiei-- The stamens are 1/2 to occasionally 4/5 the length to the tepals. The tepals are 6 to 10 mm long. The scape is 5 to 12 cm tall (measured from ground level). The bracts are 5 to 11- nerved. Found from southeastern Washington south to northeastern California, and eastward to western Idaho.

var. platyphyllum-- The stamens are 1/2 to occasionally 4/5 the length to the tepals. The scape is 10 to 25 cm long. The tepals are 8 to 12 mm long. The bracts are 11 to 19- nerved. Found in northern Union and Wallowa Counties, OR and in western Idaho County, Ida..

var. persimile-- The stamens are nearly as long as the tepals. The scape is 10 to 25 cm tall. Found in Adams County, Ida in the southern Seven Devils Mts.

The photo above shows a close-up of several flowers of Tolmie's onion as seen on basalt outcrops along OR highway 219 east of Clarno, OR..............April 19, 2007.

Habitat:

Tolmie's onion is found on dry, open ground, usually in rocky, gravelly, or clay soils.

Range:

Tolmie's onion is found from southeastern Washington south to northeastern California, and east to western Idaho.

Tolmie's onion blooming on Baldy Mountain, Strawberry Mountain Wilderness..............July 2, 2010.

Tolmie's onion blooming atop rock outcrops along Trail #201 above Wildcat Basin, Strawberry Mountain Wilderness...............July 1, 2010.

Tolmie's onion blooming on talus slopes at the Lawrence Memorial Grasslands several miles southwest of Shaniko, OR..............May 15, 2010.

Tolmie's onion as seen at a viewpoint along US Highway 26 several miles east of Prairie City, Oregon.................June 3, 2011.

Tolmie's Onion Allium tolmiei var. tolmiei (Synonyms: Allium cusickii, Allium pleianthum, Allium tolmiei var. platyphyllum)

The photo above shows Allium tolmiei as seen from the Wallowa-Whitman N.F., northwest of Enterprise, OR...........5/30/99.

Paul Slichter