| Twinleaf Onion | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| clade: | Angiosperms |
| clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Amaryllidaceae |
| Subfamily: | Allioideae |
| Genus: | Allium |
| Species: | A. anceps |
| Binomial name | |
| Allium anceps Kellogg |
|
Allium anceps, known by the common names twinleaf onion and Kellogg's onion, is an onion that is native to the Great Basin of North America. It is widespread in Nevada and adjacent portions of California, Idaho and Oregon. It grows in relatively small and isolated areas, but growth is typically dense, often to the exclusion of all other vegetation.
It has two flat and narrow leaves which first appear in late winter, and grow up to 10 cm in length. It has a pink or purple flower head which grows on a separate stalk starting in mid-spring. By early summer the above-ground portions of the plant die, and there is little evidence of the plant's existence throughout much of the year. The bulb is white with a yellow or brown husk, and approximately 1 cm in diameter. It is edible, although it has a strong oniony taste.