Allium listera Stearn

Bulb solitary or clustered, subcylindric; tunic grayish brown to blackish brown, reticulate. Leaves 2; petiole 2--10 cm; leaf blade elliptic to ovate-orbicular, 8--12 × 3--9.5 cm, base cordate to rounded, apex acute or acuminate. Scape 25--80 cm, terete, covered with leaf sheaths for 1/4--1/2 its length. Spathe 2-valved, persistent. Umbel globose. Pedicels 2--4 × as long as perianth, ebracteolate. Perianth white or slightly tinged with green, very rarely tinged with red; outer segments boat-shaped, 4--5 × 1.5--2 mm, apex obtuse; inner ones elliptic-ovate, (4.5--)5--6 × 2--3 mm, apex obtuse, usually denticulate. Filaments 1.3--2 × as long as perianth segments, connate at base and adnate to perianth segments; outer ones subulate; inner ones narrowly triangular, 1--1.5 mm wide at base, wider than outer ones. Ovary constricted at base into a stipe ca. 1 mm; ovules 1 per locule. Fl. and fr. Jun--Aug. 2 n = 16*.

Anhui, Hebei, Henan, Jilin, Shaanxi, Shanxi.

* Forests, shady and moist slopes, pastures; 600--2000 m.

Allium victorialis Linnaeus var. listera (Stearn) J. M. Xu.

Allium listera is a species of wild onion endemic to China. It is known from the provinces Anhui, Hebei, Henan, Jilin, Shaanxi, and Shanxi. It grows in forests and pastures at elevations of 600–2000 m.

Allium listera has rather unusual leaves for the genus, the blade elliptic to ovate, up to 12 cm long and 10 cm across. Scape is 80 cm long, round in cross-section. Umbel is spherical with many flowers crowded together. Flowers are white, very pale green or very pale red.