Tolmie's onion facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Allium tolmiei |
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| Allium tolmiei seeds collected in England | |
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Allium
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tolmiei
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Allium tolmiei is a type of plant often called Tolmie's onion. It is a wild onion that grows naturally in parts of western North America. You can find it in Idaho, Oregon, southeastern Washington, northwestern Nevada, and northeastern California.
This plant was named after Dr. William Fraser Tolmie, who discovered it.
About Tolmie's Onion
What It Looks Like
Tolmie's onion grows from a special underground part called a bulb. These bulbs are shaped like an egg or are slightly slanted. They can be up to 2 centimeters (about 0.8 inches) long. Usually, the bulbs disappear when the plant flowers, but new ones grow later.
The flowers of Tolmie's onion are shaped like bells. Each flower can be up to 12 millimeters (about 0.5 inches) wide. Their petals, called tepals, can be white or pink. They often have reddish lines down the middle. The parts inside the flower that hold pollen, called anthers, can be purple or yellow. The pollen itself is yellow.
Where It Grows
Tolmie's onion likes to grow in mountains and areas with scrublands. These are places with small trees and bushes. You can find it at many different heights, from about 400 meters (1,300 feet) to 2,800 meters (9,200 feet) above sea level.
Different Kinds of Tolmie's Onion
Scientists have found two main types, or varieties, of Tolmie's onion. These varieties have slight differences in how they look:
- Allium tolmiei var. tolmiei
- This type has flower stalks (called scapes) that are usually 5 to 30 centimeters (2 to 12 inches) tall.
- Its stamens (the parts that produce pollen) are shorter than its tepals (petals).
- Allium tolmiei var. persimile
- This type has taller flower stalks, usually 10 to 40 centimeters (4 to 16 inches) tall.
- Its stamens are longer than its tepals.
- This variety is only found in the Seven Devils Mountains in Idaho.
