ILLINOIS PLANT INFORMATION NETWORK
 
 ILPIN INFORMATION ON    Allium cernuum
 
 
 CLASS:    MONOCOTYLEDENAE
 ORDER:    LILIALES
 FAMILY:   LILIACEAE
 SCIENTIFIC NAME:  Allium cernuum
 AUTHORITY:  Roth
 
 COMMON NAMES:
    NODDING WILD ONION
    WILD ONION
 
 SYNONOMY:   None
 
 PLANTS CODE: ALCE2
 
 NATURAL COMMUNITIES:
     PRAIRIE
     WETLAND
       PANNE
     PRIMARY
       BLUFF
 
 
 SAF FOREST COVER TYPE:
     CENTRAL
        Upland oak
           White/Black/Northern Red-  Oak
     NORTHERN
       Northern Hardwoods
 
 NATURAL DIVISION:  UNAVAILABLE
 
 COUNTIES:
   BOONE           COOK            DEKALB          DUPAGE          GRUNDY
   KANE            KANKAKEE        KENDALL         LAKE            LASALLE
   MCHENRY         WILL            WINNEBAGO
 
 GROWTH FORM:  Monocot
 
 TAXONOMY COMMENTS:
     According to historians, the Indiana name of the plant gave
     the name to the city of Chicago.
 
 TAXONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS:
    ROOTS:  Adventitious   (bulbs)
    LEAF ARRANGEMENT:    Basal
    LEAF TYPE:   Simple
    LEAF MARGIN:   Entire
    LEAF VENATION:  Parallel
    LEAF SHAPE:     Linear   Oblong   Lanceolate
    INFLORESCENCE:   Umbel
    FLOWER MEROUS:  3
    FLOWER STRUCTURE:   Complete   Regular
    FLOWER COLOR:   White   Others
    FLOWER PLACEMENT:  Hypogynous
    FRUIT:   Capsule
 
 GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION:
     ORIGIN:   Native
 
 GEOGRAPHIC COMMENTS:
     Species is found only in NE. Illinois.
 
 POPULATION DYNAMICS:
     STATE STATUS: Not listed
     FEDERAL STATUS: Not listed
     COMMONNESS:  Uncommon
     ENDEMIC:   NOT-ENDEMIC
 
 BIOLOGIC:
     HABIT:   Forb
     LIFE CYCLE:   Perennial
     REPRODUCTION:   Sexual   Vegetative
     FLOWERING PERIOD:
         MONTH BEGINNING-      7         MONTH END-      9
     TROPHIC STATUS:  Autotrophic
     C02 FIXATION:  C3
     SEX:      Perfect
 
 ECODISTRIBUTION COMMENTS:
     Species is distributed in rocky wooded ledges of bluffs;
     moister situations; sandier areas near Lake Michigan, especially
     calcareous.
 
 ENVIRONMENTAL RELATIONSHIPS:   No data entered
 
 FUNCTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS:    No data entered
 HUMAN RELATIONSHIP DATA:
     EDIBLE:  Yes
 
 
 HUMAN FACTOR COMMENTS:
     Species has very strong flavor, but if parboiled, is very good to eat;
     bulbs sometimes pickled (Medsger).
 
 WILDLIFE AND LIVESTOCK INFORMATION:
     FOOD VALUE:  No data entered
     COVER VALUE:  No data entered
 
 LIVESTOCK PALATABILITY DATA:
     CATTLE FORAGE: No data    SHEEP FORAGE:  No data    HORSE FORAGE:  No data
     GOAT FORAGE:   No data    ENERGY VALUE:  Low        PROTEIN VALUE: Low
     POISONOUS (LIVESTOCK):  No data entered
 LIVESTOCK COMMENTS:
     Ingestion or inhalation of volatiles may flavor milk (Muenscher).
 
 REVEGETATION PLANTINGS:
     WEEDINESS:   Economic
 
 
 
 REFERENCES:
Mohlenbrock, R. H., ed.  1975.  Guide to the vascular flora of Illinois.
     Southern Illinois University Press, Carbondale.  494 pp.
Steyermark, J. A.  1963.  Flora of Missouri.  Iowa State University Press, Ames.
     1725 pp.
Swink, F., and G. S. Wilhelm.  1979.  Plants of the Chicago region.  Third ed.
     The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, Illinois.  922 pp.
Gleason, H. A.  1952.  The new Britton and Brown illustrated flora of the
     northeastern United States and adjacent Canada.  3 vols.  The New York
     Botanical Garden, New York.
 
 OTHER REFERENCES:
     Muenscher, W.C.L. 1939. Poisonous Plants of the United States.
          The Macmillan Co. N.Y., N.Y. 266 pp.
 
 END OF DATA FOR SPECIES  Allium cernuum
 
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 ILPIN was developed by Louis Iverson*, with data compiled by David Ketzner and Jeanne Karnes
 Illinois Natural History Survey, 607 E. Peabody Dr., Champaign, IL 61820
     *currently employed by USDA Forest Service, 359 Main Rd., Delaware, OH 43015