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Species Image Gallery (opens in a new window) |
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| THE LILY FAMILY | ||
| The lilies are well-known in Saskatchewan. The most easily recognizable lily is the western red lily, our provincial flower. These plants are perennial herbs that grow from an underground bulb. The leaves are either on the stem or in basal rosettes. If the leaves are on the stem, they are alternately arranged and sheathing at the base. The inflorescences are at the top of the plant and are in an unbranched or umbrella-like cluster. Occasionally the flowers may be solitary. The flowers are usually regular in shape and have coloured tepals. The tepals frequently have stripes or spots. Each flower has six stamens and a superior ovary. The fruit is a capsule. | ||
| GEYER ONION | ||
| LATIN NAME: Allium geyeri | ||
| WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? | ||
| Geyer onion grows to 50 cm tall from a cluster of two to ten bulbs. The bulbs have a fibrous, netted covering. The stems are solitary and rounded. Each stem has three to five leaves with sheathing leaf bases. The leaves are shorter than the stem and are solid throughout. There are 10 to 25 flowers in compact, umbrella-like clusters. In some plants, the flowers may be replaced with small bulbs. The flower stalks are about twice the length of the tepals or less. Each inflorescence has two or three bracts. The tepals have a small, hardened ridge and are usually pink. There are six stamens and the ovary has six small crests. The fruit is a capsule which releases many shiny seeds. | ||
| WHERE DOES IT GROW? | ||
| Geyer onion grows in meadows. | ||
| WHERE IS IT FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN? | ||
| This species is found in southern Saskatchewan in the Mixed Grassland, Moist Mixed Grassland, and Aspen Parkland ecoregions. | ||
| WHY IS IT RARE? | ||
| Geyer onion is endangered in Saskatchewan because it is rare and is somewhat regionally restricted to the southern part of the province. Possible threats have been identified for this species. | ||
| HOW TO IDENTIFY GEYER ONION | ||
| * Are the flowers pink? * Do the bulbs have a fibrous, netted covering? * Are the flowers in compact, umbrella-like clusters? * Did you find it in southern Saskatchewan? |
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| If you answered yes to all of these questions, you may have found Geyer onion! | ||
