About Allium lemmonii S.Watson
Allium lemmonii is a wild onion species commonly called Lemmon's onion. It is named for botanist John Gill Lemmon, who lived from 1831 to 1908. This species is native to the western United States, where it grows at elevations between 1200 and 1900 meters. It occurs in the Great Basin region, covering Utah, Nevada, northern and eastern California, eastern Oregon, and southwestern Idaho.
Lemmon's onion grows from a bulb that measures one and a half to two centimeters wide. It produces a short, flattened stem that can reach up to 20 centimeters tall, with thin edges. At the top of the stem sits an inflorescence holding 10 to 40 bell-shaped flowers. Flower colors range from white to pink. The stamens can be purple or yellow, and the pollen produced is yellow. The ovary has a distinctive ridged mound shape, where all ovary structures appear fused together. Allium lemmonii is common within its native range, and it prefers to grow in dry clay soils.
