Allium atrorubens is a species of wild onion known by the common name dark red onion. This plant is native to the southwestern United States where it grows in the sandy soils of the Mojave Desert, the Great Basin and higher-elevation deserts in Nevada, eastern California (San Bernardino, Kern, Mono, Inyo and Lassen Counties) southwestern Utah (Kane, Millard and Beaver Counties), northwestern Arizona (Mohave and Coconino Counties).
Allium atrorubens grows from a reddish-brown bulb across. The stem is short and is surrounded by few coiled tubular leaves. Atop the stem is an inflorescence of up to 50 flowers. Each flower has six shiny, iridescent, sharply triangular tepals with dark midveins. The tepals are usually magenta to maroon but are lighter pink or white occasionally. Each flower is about wide.
Taxonomy In 1871 the botanist Sereno Watson scientifically described a new species in the Allium genus which he named Allium atrorubens. Along with its genus it is classified in the Amaryllidaceae family and according to Plants of the World Online it has two varieties.
Allium atrorubens var. atrorubens – Native to California, Nevada, Arizona, and Utah Allium atrorubens var. cristatum – Also native to California, Nevada, Arizona, and Utah
Variety cristatum has seven synonyms.
Table of Synonyms Name Year Rank Notes Allium atrorubens subsp. inyonis 1972 subspecies = het. Allium atrorubens var. inyonis 1977 variety = het. Allium cristatum 1879 species ≡ hom. Allium decipiens 1902 species = het., nom. illeg. homonym. post. Allium inyonis 1902 species = het. Allium nevadense subsp. cristatum 1967 subspecies ≡ hom. Allium nevadense var. cristatum 1947 variety ≡ hom. Notes: ≡ homotypic synonym ; = heterotypic synonym
References
External links Jepson Manual Treatment USDA Plants Profile