Allium tolmiei

Allium tolmiei is a species of wild onion native to the northwestern United States, and found in Lassen, Trinity and Modoc counties in California. It has white or pink flowers, and thick curving green leaves. Allium is the onion genus, with 600-750 species, making it one of the largest plant genera in the world. Tolmie’s Onion is one of them. William Fraser Tolmie (aka “Dr. Tolmie”) (February 3, 1812 – December 8, 1886) was a Canadian surgeon, fur trader, scientist, and politician. He was born in Inverness, Scotland in 1812 and by 1833 moved to the Pacific Northwest in the service of the Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC). Plants bearing his name include Tolmie’s star-tulip (Calochortus tolmiei) and Tolmie’s onion (Allium tolmiei).