Allium atrorubens cristatum

Description

Allium atrorubens is a species of wild onion known by the common name dark red onion. This plant is native to the southwestern United States where it grows in the sandy soils of the Mojave Desert, the Great Basin and higher-elevation deserts in Nevada, eastern California (San Bernardino, Kern, Mono, Inyo and Lassen Counties) southwestern Utah (Kane, Millard and Beaver Counties), northwestern Arizona (Mohave and Coconino Counties). Allium atrorubens grows from a reddish-brown bulb 1-1.5 cm (3-8-5-8 in) across. The stem is short and is surrounded by few coiled tubular leaves. Atop the stem is an inflorescence of up to 50 flowers. Each flower has six shiny, iridescent, sharply triangular tepals with dark midveins. The tepals are usually magenta to maroon but are lighter pink or white occasionally. Each flower is about 1 cm (3-8 in) wide.