Allium for IDing

[mark smyth]

Does anyone know this Allium? The colour is darker than the camera shows. The flower stems are flat.

[mark smyth]

one more

[Graham Catlow]

one more

Hi Mark it looks like the one I showed last year that McMark identified as A. sikkimense.

[mark smyth]

THanks Graham

[TheOnionMan]

Mark, the blue on is A. sikkimense, I agree with Graham.  Just look at all those buds, nicely grown

I'm totally intrigued by your first purply one, as I believe we are seeing a hybrid of Allium cyathophorum var. farreri.  I've grown this species so many times, mostly resulting from misidentified Allium species.  While the species is variable, your plant looks distinctive on account of the tightly rolled pendant flat stems.  Typically Allium cyathophorum and its variety farreri have the following characteristic as outlined in Flora of China: "scape lateral, 13--15 cm, terete, usually 2-angled".  

Your plant looks particularly stout, with those unusual broad and flat nodding arched stems, and wider than normal leaves too. What is the source of your plant?  To me it looks like a dead-ringer for A. cyathophorum var. farreri crossed with A. cernuum perhaps. In the third picture with its stem and bud disposition, I'm instantly reminded of budded A. cernuum forms in my garden at this very moment!

Mark, will you please save me some seed, I would very much like to try growing this form, I have a particular interest in Allium hybrids involving A. cernuum, where it seems this American species (A. cernuum), along with it's partner in horticultural promiscuity Allium stellatum, jump at the chance to mate with European and Asian allium species.

[mark smyth]

Thanks Mark. The flower stems have now elongated to about half the height of the leaves. The stem is still flat but the main vein is now more obvious

[TheOnionMan]

Thanks Mark. The flower stems have now elongated to about half the height of the leaves. The stem is still flat but the main vein is now more obvious

Mark, can you partly dissect a flower and show us what the central ovary looks like.  If indeed this is a hybrid with A. cernuum, it will probably inherit the "crests" that will be at the apex of the ovary.

[mark smyth]

The source was an open garden last year. The label Allium aflatuense. The home owner didnt know where she got it

I have seeds in an envelope somewhere. Would you want those or fresh?

[TheOnionMan]

The source was an open garden last year. The label Allium aflatuense <---bwahaha!

The home owner didnt know where she got it

I have seeds in an envelope somewhere. Would you want those or fresh?

Hmmm, if you could earmark some fresh seed from your flowering plant, that would be great
Thanks Mark!

[mark smyth]

I pulled a flower apart. Inside the petals there are little spikes - maybe 3. Is that what you expected?

[arisaema]

A picture would probably help, Mark, something like this:

[TheOnionMan]

I pulled a flower apart. Inside the petals there are little spikes - maybe 3. Is that what you expected?

Mark, here is a photo of seed capsules on Allium stellatum, both A. stellatum and A. cernuum (and its hybrids) will have these crests or protuberances on the ends of the ovary/capsule.  So, I'm not sure what you are referring to when saying  "inside the petals there are little spikes", whether referring to toothed stamens (common in Allium) or ovary crests.  Do you see anything like in my photo?

Arisaema. what species is shown in your cut-away close-up?  I see that it has an appendage or crest on the end of the ovary.

[arisaema]

Arisaema. what species is shown in your cut-away close-up?  I see that it has an appendage or crest on the end of the ovary.

Sorry, it's a tiny Polygonatum species from DaxueShan, not an Allium, but I figured that's the kind of picture you needed

[mark smyth]

I took some photos and see it's anthers I can see. I'll post a photo soon.

[mark smyth]

Are the crests in your lower photo the remains of the anthers/