The
photo at right illustrates a scalloped onion from Saddle Mt. in the Coast Range
of Oregon...........May 23, 1992.
Scalloped onion is a low-growing perennial wildflower with one or two flattened, sickle-shaped basal leaves which may be toothed. The strongly flattened stem is shorter than the leaves and is 2-edged or 2-winged with crenulate (provided with scalloped or round-toothed margins) margins which gives the species its Latin and common names.
Two lanceolate bracts with acute tips subtend the umbel. Each bract is faintly 7-11-nerved. The umbel is several-to many-flowered. The pedicels of individual flowers are roughly equal in length to the tepals. The tepals are each 6-12 mm long, pink in color with deeper pink midveins, and lanceolate in shape with pointed tips. The stamens are roughly about 1/2-2/3 the length of the tepals and the anthers are usually yellow (rarely purple).
Scalloped onion may be found on thin, barren and gravelly soils at the crests of many peaks in the Cascade Mts.
Scalloped onion may be found from Vancouver Island south to the west of the Cascade crest to Curry County, OR. In the Cascades it may be found at Jefferson Park and in the Wenatchee Mts. of central Washington.
In the Columbia River Gorge it may be found between the elevations of 2500'-4200' from Big Huckleberry Mt. to the peaks to the west of the mouth of the White Salmon River.
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