Illinois Natural History Survey - University of Illinois

Allium tricoccum
Wild leek
Taxonomy

Synonyms:

Subspecific taxa:

Classification:

Other taxonomic & nomenclature sources: USDA Plants;  ITIS;  The Plant List;  IPNI

Images

   
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Species Distribution
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More about map & occurrence records

County Map Legend
Absent:
Not known from county
Medium confidence:
Medium or unknown confidence;
often old records or unverifiable observations
Medium-high confidence:
Often observations by expert botanists
High confidence:
Often vouchered herbarium records
Planted / introduced:
Native species introduced outside historic range,
or only in planted locations within county (e.g., restorations)
Historic / extirpated:
Only historic records for the species; likely extirpated
(Note that this category is not yet functional)

North American distribution maps for this species: FLNA;  USDA Plants;  BONAP;  BISON

Collections, Observations & Flowering by Month [?]

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M
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J
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N
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Collections & Observations by Decade [?]

Species Status

Status/Listing: No Information

Notes:

Origin: Native

Species Description

General: Monocot, perennial

Roots: adventitious, rhizomes

Shoots: alternate, basal leaf arrangment; simple leaf type; entire leaf margin; Parallel leaf venation; awl-shaped, linear, oblong leaf shape

Inflorescence: umbel

Flowers: perfect; 3 merous; complete, regular; violet, white, others; hypogynous ovary position

Fruit: capsule

Physiology: autotrophic

Reproduction: sexual, vegetative

Ecology & Natural History

Habitat: Species is distributed in association with Acer saccharum, and Fagus grandifolia.

ILPIN Notes: This and var. burdickii have been observed as separate since 1877, but actual formal recognition did not occur unitl 1953. Menomini Indiana name "shikako" or "skunk place" refers to Chicago, where abundant wild leeks grew. Young leaves may be used as seasoning in soups or cooked into an onion soup; cut up in salads. Leaves appear in earliest srping and resemble tulip leaves in size and shape; leaves disappear by flowering time. This typical variety with petioles and leaf sheaths reddish, blades mostly 2.6-6.0 cm. broad, elliptic. Species is occasional in northern 1/2 of state, rare elsewhere. Muenscher, W.C.L. 1939. Poisonous Plants of the United States. The Macmillan Co. N.Y., N.Y. 266 pp.

Functional Relationships:

  • Pollinators:
  • Dispersal:
  • Mycorrhizae:
  • N2 fixation:

Human Relationships:

  • Edibility [?] :
  • Showy Flowers:

Wildlife and Livestock Information:

  • Food Value:
  • Cover Value:

Coefficient of Conservatism (C-value) [?] :

  • Entire State: 7
  • Chicago Area: 7

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