A N F Keys
1 Leaves 1, shriveled or absent before flowering; pedicels purplish; flowers 8−10 mm across with erect perianth; tepals deep rose to strong reddish purple (white); outer bulb scale brownish with herringbone pattern .. Allium peninsulare var. peninsulare [pics]
1' Leaves 2 or more, present and still green at flowering; pedicels greenish to whitish; flowers mostly 11+ mm across with spreading perianth; tepals white to pinkish
2 Leaves ± horizontal to ground, lanceolate-linear, to 100 mm long, often minutely toothed on margins; capsule 4.5−5 mm long; outer bulb scale with parallel veins, netlike cell pattern between principal veins and vertically elongate with thick sinusoidal walls .. Allium neapolitanum [pics]
2' Leaves ascending to erect, narrowly linear, 100−300 mm long, entire; capsule 2.5−3 mm long
3 Leaves 3−5 per bulb; tepals mostly white or blushed pink with greenish to rose-red or brownish on lower surface, 4−4.4 mm wide; free portion of filaments 4.5−5.5 mm long; pistil ± 6 mm long, 2 crests on each ridge of ovary; outer bulb scale vertically veined and fine-striped, stripes straight to slightly wavy .. Allium haematochiton [pics]
3' Leaves 2−3 per bulb; tepals light pink to light purplish pink with green to purplish pink (brownish) midstripe, 3−4.1 mm wide; free portion of filaments 2.5−3 mm long; pistil ± 3.3 mm long, crests absent on ovary; outer bulb scale with netlike pattern .. Allium praecox [pics]
NB: In range there are several reports of other species, including Allium campanulatum S. Watson, A. fimbriatum S. Watson, and A. lacunosum S. Watson, which we have not been able to confirm.
The text of the above keys used with permission from
A Naturalist's Flora of the Santa Monica Mountains and Simi Hills, California
© Copyright
Barry A. Prigge and Arthur C. Gibson
2013