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- Allium tricoccum
Allium tricoccum — ramps, wild leek
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Facts
Wild leek is found in rich, moist forests and high terrace floodplains throughout New England. There are two varieties in our area: the first (var. tricoccum) is common and found in all New England states, while the other (var. burdickii) is rather rare and found only in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. Wild leek is one of the most over-harvested wild foods, leading to declines in some areas as several studies have shown. A recent study concluded that a 10% harvest once every ten years is the maximum sustainable harvest. If bulbs are to be harvested, leave behind the base of the bulb (with the attached roots), collect only after the seeds have ripened, and use them to reseed the soil disturbed during harvesting.
Habitat
Floodplain (river or stream floodplains), forests, talus and rocky slopes
New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
Found this plant? Take a photo and post a sighting.
Characteristics
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Leaf arrangement
- basal: the leaves are growing only at the base of the plant
- Leaf blade shape
-
- the leaf blade is elliptic (widest near the middle and tapering at both ends)
- the leaf blade is lanceolate (lance-shaped; widest below the middle and tapering at both ends)
- Leaf blade length
- 150–400 mm
- Flower petal color
-
- white
- yellow
- Flower petal length
- 4–7 mm
- Petal fusion
- the perianth parts are separate
- Inflorescence type
- the inflorescence is an umbel (with an axis so short it appears the flowers all originate from the same point)
- Ovary position
- the ovary is above the point of petal and/or sepal attachment
- Fruit type (specific)
- the fruit is a capsule (splits along two or more seams, apical teeth or pores when dry, to release two or more seeds)
-
Clonal plantlets
- Axillary bulblets
- there are no bulblets being produced in axils
-
Flowers
- Anther attachment
- the anther is attached by its base to the filament
- Anther color
- the anthers show no hint of a pink, reddish or purplish tint
- Bulblets replace flowers
- there are bulblets where some or all of the flowers would normally be located
- Carpels fused
- the carpels are fused (the number of carpels equals the number of locules)
- Filament surface
- the filament surface has no hairs or scales on it
- Flower bract length
- 10–30 mm
- Flower bracts
- there are bracts associated with the flower
- Flower number
- 6–50
- Flower orientation
- the flowers point upward or spread or curve outward
- Flower petal color
-
- white
- yellow
- Flower petal length
- 4–7 mm
- Flower shape
- the flower is bell-shaped
- Flower symmetry
- there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the flower is radially symmetrical)
- Flowering stem width
- 2–4 mm
- Form of style
- the style is knob-like at the tip, and unbranched
- Fringed petal edges
- the petals are not fringed
- Hairs on flower stalk
- the flower stalk has no hairs on it
- Inflorescence hair glands
- the axis of the inflorescence has no hairs on it
- Inflorescence type
- the inflorescence is an umbel (with an axis so short it appears the flowers all originate from the same point)
- Length of flower stalk
- 10–25 mm
- Length of peduncle
- 120–350 mm
- Marks on petals
- there are no noticeable marks on the petals
- Nectar spur
- the flower has no nectar spurs
- Number of carpels
- 3
- Number of pistils
- 1
- Number of sepals and/or petals
- there are six petals, sepals or tepals in the flower
- Number of styles
- 1
- Ovary position
- the ovary is above the point of petal and/or sepal attachment
- Petal and sepal arrangement
- the flower includes two cycles of petal- or sepal-like structures
- Petal appearance
- the petals are thin and delicate, and pigmented (colored other than green or brown)
- Petal base
- the petal narrows gradually or does not narrow at the base
- Petal fusion
- the perianth parts are separate
- Petal hairs on inner/upper surface
- there are no hairs on the inner/upper petal surface
- Sepal appearance
- the sepals resemble petals in color and texture
- Sepal length
- 4–7 mm
- Sepal orientation
- the sepals are pressed against the plant, or jutting stiffly upward
- Sepals fused only to sepals
- the sepals are separate from one another
- Spathe
-
- the plant does not have a spathe
- the plant has a spathe surrounding the flower spike
- Spathe form
-
- NA
- the spathe just wraps around the base of the spike of flowers
- Stamen length
- 4–7 mm
- Stamen number
- 6
- Stamen position relative to petals
- NA
- Stamen types
- the stamens within a cycle are all similar
- Stamens fused
- the stamens are not fused to one another
- Stamens fused outwards
- the stamens are fused to the petals or tepals at or near their bases
- Style petal-like
- the style is not broad and flattened like a petal
- Tepals
- the petals and sepals are similar in size and color
-
Fruits or seeds
- Berry color
- NA
- Capsule ridges
- there are three ribs or wings on the capsule
- Fruit compartments
- there are three locules in the fruit
- Fruit cross-section
- the fruit is round in cross-section
- Fruit stalk orientation
- the fruits point upward or spread or curve outward
- Fruit type (general)
- the fruit is dry and splits open when ripe
- Fruit type (specific)
- the fruit is a capsule (splits along two or more seams, apical teeth or pores when dry, to release two or more seeds)
- Other markings on berry
- NA
-
Glands or sap
- Sap
- the sap is clear and watery
-
Growth form
- Lifespan
- the plant lives more than two years
- Root septa
- the roots do not have transverse septa
- Underground organs
-
- the plant has a rhizome (a horizontal underground stem with roots growing from it)
- the plant has one or more swollen storage organs underground, such as bulbs, tubers or corms
-
Leaves
- Hairs on underside of leaf blade
- the underside of the leaf is not hairy, or has very few hairs
- Hairs on upper side of leaf blade
- the upper side of the leaf is not hairy, or has very few hairs
- Leaf arrangement
- basal: the leaves are growing only at the base of the plant
- Leaf blade basal lobes
- the leaf blades do not have basal lobes
- Leaf blade base
- the leaf has a distinct leaf stalk (petiole)
- Leaf blade base shape
- the base of the leaf blade is cuneate (wedge-shaped, tapers to the base with relatively straight, converging edges), or narrow
- Leaf blade bloom
- the underside of the leaf blade has no noticeable waxy or powdery bloom
- Leaf blade cross-section
- the leaf blade is more or less flat in cross-section
- Leaf blade faces
- both surfaces of the leaf blade are exposed
- Leaf blade form
- Fully-formed (i.e., expanded), +/- green leaf blades are found somewhere on the plant
- Leaf blade length
- 150–400 mm
- Leaf blade orientation
- the upper surface of the leaf blade faces the stem of the plant
- Leaf blade shape
-
- the leaf blade is elliptic (widest near the middle and tapering at both ends)
- the leaf blade is lanceolate (lance-shaped; widest below the middle and tapering at both ends)
- Leaf blade surface colors
- the upper side of the leaf blade is relatively uniform in color
- Leaf blade tip
- the tip of the leaf blade is acute (sharply pointed)
- Leaf blade veins
- the lateral veins are parallel or slightly arched in the direction of the tip
- Leaf blade width
- 15–90 mm
- Leaf type
- the leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets
- Leaflet number
- 0
- Stipule twining
- NA
- Stipules
- there are no stipules on this plant
-
Place
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Specific habitat
-
- forests
- river or stream floodplains
- talus or rocky slopes
-
Scent
- Plant odor
- the leaves smell of onion or garlic
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Flowering stem growth form
- the flowering stem is held upright
- Flowering stem leaves
- there are no true leaves on the flowering stem
- Stem hairs
- the stem is nearly or completely hairless
Wetland status
Usually occurs in non-wetlands, but occasionally in wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FACU)
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
- present
- Maine
- present
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- present
- Rhode Island
- present
- Vermont
- present
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Maine
- uncommon (S-rank: S3), special concern (code: SC)
- Massachusetts
- fairly widespread (S-rank: S4)
var. burdickii
- New Hampshire
- extremely rare (S-rank: S1), endangered (code: E)
- Vermont
- historical (S-rank: SH)
var. tricoccum
- New Hampshire
- uncommon (S-rank: S3), W (code: W)
- Rhode Island
- extremely rare (S-rank: S1), concern (code: C)
Subspecies and varieties
Allium tricoccum Ait. var. tricoccum is the more common form, known from CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT.A. tricoccum Ait. var. burdickii Hanes is known from ME, NH, VT.
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
6. Allium tricoccum Ait. N
wild leek. 6a. Allium burdickii (Hanes) A.G. Jones; 6b. Validallium tricoccum (Ait.) Small • CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT. Rich, mesic forests and high-terrace floodplain forests. Because bulb size changes throughout the spring, measurements should be performed on individuals that lack leaves.
1a. Bulbs 2–4 (–5) ×1–1.5 cm; leaves not or scarcely petiolate, white at the base, with blades (1.5–) 2–4 (–4.5) cm wide; spathiform bracts 1–2 cm long; umbel with (6–) 12–18 (–24) flowers … 6a. A. tricoccum var. burdickii Hanes
1b. Bulbs 4–6 ×1.5–3 cm; leaves petiolate, anthocyanic (or not) at the base, with blades (3–) 5–8 cm wide; spathiform bracts 2–3 cm long; umbel with (15–) 30–50 flowers … 6b. A. tricoccum var. tricoccum
Variety burdickii is known from ME, NH, VT. Variety tricoccum is known from CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT. The varieties of Allium tricoccum differ morphologically and phenologically (though var. burdickii emerges later than var. tricoccum, it flowers ca. 10–20 days earlier at sites where the two taxa are sympatric). Variety burdickii is far less common in New England. It may deserve species status.