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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. | ||
| WILD CHIVES | ||
| LATIN NAME: Allium schoenoprasum var. sibiricum | ||
| WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? | ||
| Wild chives grow to about 50 cm tall from clustered, underground bulbs. The outer coat on the bulbs is greyish or brownish, and the inner coats are whitish or pinkish. The stems are usually in clusters of two to 12. Each stem has two hollow, round leaves. Like its cultivated relative, the leaves of wild chives are scented and edible. The flowers are in erect, umbrella-like clusters. The tepals are purple to lilac and become papery in fruit. The stamens have purple anthers which produce white pollen. The ovary does not have crests. The fruit is a capsule. | ||
| WHERE DOES IT GROW? | ||
| Wild chive grows on exposed rocky shores. | ||
| WHERE IS IT FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN? | ||
| This species is found in north and central Saskatchewan in Mid-Boreal Upland, Mid-Boreal Lowland, Selwyn Lake Upland, and Tazin Lake Upland ecoregions. | ||
| WHY IS IT RARE? | ||
| 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. | ||
| HOW TO IDENTIFY WILD CHIVES | ||
| * Are the flowers lilac to purple? * Do the stamens have purple anthers? * Are the flowers in compact, umbrella-like clusters? * Did you find it in northern or central Saskatchewan? |
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| If you answered yes to all of these questions, you may have found wild chives! | ||
