''Allium shevockii'' is a rare species of

wild onion Wild onion can refer to * any uncultivated species in the genus '' Allium'', especially: **'' Allium bisceptrum'' ** '' Allium canadense'' ** ''Allium tricoccum ''Allium tricoccum'' (commonly known as ramp, ramps, ramson, wild leek, wood leek, o ...

known by the common name Spanish needle onion.Flora of North America, Vol. 26 Page 252 ''Allium shevockii'' McNeal
/ref> It is found only in a limited area in the southern Sierra Nevada of

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

Description

''Allium shevockii'' produces a bulb one to one and a half centimeters wide which may have one or two large daughter bulblets. Atop the stipe is an

umbel In botany, an umbel is an inflorescence that consists of a number of short flower stalks (called pedicels) that spread from a common point, somewhat like umbrella ribs. The word was coined in botanical usage in the 1590s, from Latin ''umbella'' "p ...

of up to 30 flowers, each just over a centimeter wide. The six shiny

tepal A tepal is one of the outer parts of a flower (collectively the perianth). The term is used when these parts cannot easily be classified as either sepals or petals. This may be because the parts of the perianth are undifferentiated (i.e. of very ...

s are maroon to rich pink in color and may be white near the bases. In a manner unique among the onions, the tepals are reflexed, curling outward from the flower center.

Distribution

The plant is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...

to southern

. Known locations occur in Spanish Needle Peak and Horse Canyon in the mountains of

Kern County Kern County is a county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 909,235. Its county seat is Bakersfield. Kern County comprises the Bakersfield, California, Metropolitan statistical area. The county sp ...

. The populations on Spanish Needle Peak are north of Owens Peak in the Sierra Nevada, near the boundaries with Tulare and Inyo Counties.Calfora taxon report 234, ''Allium shevockii'' D. McNeal, Spanish Needle onion
/ref>

References

External links

''Allium shevockii'' — U.C. Photo gallery
shevockii Endemic flora of California Flora of the Sierra Nevada (United States) Natural history of Kern County, California Onions {{Allium-stub