Species: Allium schoenoprasum var. sibiricum (L.) Hartman

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Allium schoenoprasum var. sibiricum (L.) Hartman

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TAXONOMY

Family:

Liliaceae

Genus:

Allium

Species Synonyms:

Allium schoenoprasum var. laurentianum Fern.
Allium schoenoprasum ssp. sibiricum (L.) Celak.
Allium sibiricum L.

Common Names:

wild chives

DISTRIBUTION

Canada:

Yukon –Mackenzie District – north western Saskatchewan – Hudson Bay Coast, eastern Quebec – southern Labrador – Newfoundland – Nova Scotia, south to eastern British Columbia – southern Alberta – central Saskatchewan – central Manitoba

Saskatchewan:

north and central Saskatchewan; Lake Athabasca – Prince Albert National Park

Ecoregion:

Mid-Boreal Upland, Mid-Boreal Lowland, Selwyn Lake Upland, Tazin Lake Upland

HABITAT

Saskatchewan:

exposed rocky shores

Canada:

rocks, gravels, and shores

RARITY STATUS

Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):

Threatened

Nature Conservancy Status:

G5 T5 S2

Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:

None

COSEWIC Status:

None

Wild chive is imperiled because of rarity in Saskatchewan. Its occurrence is regionally restricted to one general region of the province and most local populations are small. No threats are know or anticipated.

SPECIES DESCRIPTION

Height:

20 – 50 cm

Roots:

bulbs 1 or more, clustered; outer coats enclosing bulbs, greyish or brownish; inner coats whitish or pinkish

Stems:

2 – 12, erect, clustered

Leaves:

persistent, usually 2, blade hollow, round in cross section, lance-shaped to elliptic, 3 – 7-veined

Inflorescence:

umbrella-like, persistent, erect, compact, 30 – 50-flowered; bracts persistent, 2, 3 – 7-veined, lance-shaped to oval

Flowers:

tepals bell-shaped, erect, pale purple to lilac, drying pink, becoming papery in fruit; stamens included, anthers purple, pollen white; ovary without crests; style linear; stigma head-like

Fruits:

capsule; seeds shiny

ALLIUM KEY FOR SPECIES FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN

1 Flowers sterile, some or all replaced by small bulbs	A. geyeri
1 Flowers fertile, small bulbs usually absent	2

2 Leaves hollow and round in cross section; stalks shorter than flowers; ovary crestless	3
2 Leaves flat or channelled, not hollow; stalks equal to or longer than flowers; ovary crested with 6 flattened or knob-like processes	4

3 Leaves slender, equal to or longer than stem; bulbs crowded	A. schoenoprasum var. schoenoprasum
3 Leaves coarse, shorter than stem; bulbs few	A. schoenoprasum var. sibiricum

4 Outer bulb coats fibrous, netted; bulb usually solitary	5
4 Outer bulb coats membranous or only slight fibrous; bulbs one or more	6

5 Stems to 60 cm tall; leaves 3 or more per stem; tepals to 1 cm long, usually pink	A. geyeri
5 Stems to 30 cm tall; leaves usually 2 per stem; tepals < 7 mm long, usually white	A. textile

6 Flowers bell-shaped, tepals erect, flower stalks to 3 cm long; stem nodding	A. cernuum
6 Flowers star-shaped, tepals spreading, flower stalks to 1.5 cm long; stem erect	A. stellatum