About Allium praecox Brandegee
Allium praecox Brandegee grows from a brownish or grayish bulb that measures between 1 and 2 centimeters long. Its scape is round in cross-section, and can reach up to 60 centimeters in length. A single individual plant usually produces two or three long, keeled leaves. These leaves are roughly the same length as the scape, and may sometimes be slightly longer. This species produces an umbel inflorescence that holds up to 40 flowers. Each flower sits on a long pedicel up to 4 centimeters long, and open flowers can measure up to 15 millimeters across. The flower tepals are pink, with darker purple veins running through them. Its anthers may be purple or yellow, and it produces yellow pollen. This species is native to hills and mountains of southern California (United States) and Baja California (Mexico), where it grows in shady areas on clay soils at elevations no higher than 800 meters. It has been recorded growing in Kern, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Riverside, Santa Barbara, Orange, and San Diego Counties in California, including some populations located on the Channel Islands.
