Allium munzii

Munz's onion, Munz's onion, Munz's onion

Family: Alliaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.1 · Endangered

Munz's onion is a rare (CNPS 1B.1) California native perennial found in eastern Santa Catalina Island and northwestern Peninsular Ranges in western Riverside County grassy openings of coastal-sage scrub at elevations of 300 to 900 meters. Flowering from April to May, this plant produces white flowers with delicate six to eight millimeter perianth parts that turn reddish in fruit. Growing with slender stems 15 to 35 centimeters tall, it emerges from a small ovoid bulb with distinctive red-brown outer layers. Its single leaf is cylindrical and approximately one and a half times the length of the stem, emerging from a compact base. The flower clusters contain 10 to 35 blooms with six prominent jagged crests on the ovary, giving the plant a distinctive architectural quality.

Habitat: Grassy openings in coastal-sage scrub

Bloom period: Apr-May

Elevation: 300-900 m

Bioregions: e SCo, nw PR (w Riverside Co.).

California counties: Riverside

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