Allium abramsii

Abrams' allium, Abrams' onion, Abrams' onion

Family: Alliaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

Abrams' allium is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native perennial found in central Sierra Nevada Mountains in granitic sand habitats at elevations of 1,400 to 2,000 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces rose-purple flowers with linear to narrowly lanceolate perianth parts that spread with delicately reflexed tips. Growing with slender stems 5 to 15 centimeters tall, it emerges from a small ovoid bulb 10 to 15 millimeters wide. Its single leaf is cylindric and shorter than the stem, providing a subtle architectural structure to the plant. The flower clusters contain 6 to 40 blooms, with each blossom featuring distinctive triangular crests at the ovary tip.

Habitat: Uncommon. Granitic sand

Bloom period: May-Jul

Elevation: 1400-2000 m

Bioregions: c&amps SNH.

California counties: Fresno, Tulare, Madera, Inyo

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.