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Allium
acuminatum Synonym: Alliaceae (Onion Family). Liliaceae (Lily Family). Foothills. Woodlands, openings. Spring. Allium acuminatum is common in the Pinyon-Juniper forests of Mesa Verde; its bright magenta flowers are conspicuous at the end of thin, leafless stalks. The long, narrow basal leaves typical of the Onion Family can be seen dried in the lower part of the picture at left. Click to see more Allium acuminatum including a photograph that shows the extensive patches that Allium acuminatum can grow in. Many wild animals eat the bulbs and the thin onion-flavored leaves of this and other Alliaceae. "Acuminate" is Latin for pointed and refers to the tapering point of the flower. |
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Allium geyeri
(Wild Onion) Synonym: Alliaceae (Onion Family). Liliaceae (Lily Family). Montane, subalpine. Meadows. Spring. This very common onion occurs from the high foothills to timberline in moist (or just previously moist) meadows. Pictured at left, Allium geyeri is solitary on the 12,000 foot shoulder of Madden Peak in the La Plata Mountains just after snows melted and the ground began to dry. On lower, more continuously moist meadows (see second group of photos below), it often occurs in very attractive clusters, even carpeting hundreds of square feet. |
