Allium anceps

Twin leaved onion

Family: Alliaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Twin leaved onion is a California native perennial found in the northern Sierra Nevada Mountains, Modoc Plateau, and Sierra Nevada eastern regions, particularly in the Masonic Hills, growing on barren clay and rocky slopes at elevations of 1,200 to 1,550 meters. Flowering from April to May, this plant produces pink flowers in clusters of 15 to 35 blooms, with delicate lance-linear perianth parts. Growing with slender stems 10 to 15 centimeters tall, it develops an ovoid bulb 15 to 20 millimeters wide with a distinctive brown to yellow-brown outer coating. Its most distinctive feature is two flat, sickle-shaped leaves that grow twice the length of the stem, creating an elegant and sparse architectural form. The plant's ovary features six minute central crests, adding to its subtle botanical complexity.

Habitat: Barren clay, rocky slopes

Bloom period: Apr-May

Elevation: 1200-1550 m

Bioregions: CaRH, n&ampc SNH, MP, SNE (Masonic Hills)

California counties: Mono, Modoc, Lassen, Plumas, Sierra, Siskiyou, Shasta, Nevada, San Bernardino

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