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Allium marvinii

A. Davids.

G2Imperiled Found in 6 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G2ImperiledGlobal Rank
HighThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.639723
Element CodePMLIL02330
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single state or province
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassMonocotyledoneae
OrderAsparagales
FamilyAmaryllidaceae
GenusAllium
Concept Reference
Davidson, A. 1921. New species from southern California. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences 20(2):49.
Taxonomic Comments
McNeal and Jacobsen in Flora North America (FNA 2002) do not recognize Allium marvinii as distinct from A. haematochiton. However, McNeal and Kierstead treated this entity as distinct from A. haematochiton in the Jepson Flora Project (2023).
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-03-04
Change Date2025-03-04
Edition Date2025-09-08
Edition AuthorsBittman and Treher (2016), rev. Bittman and Ventrella (2025)
Threat ImpactHigh
Range Extent5000-20,000 square km (about 2000-8000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences21 - 80
Rank Reasons
Allium marvinii is a perennial forb occurring in chaparral on dry ridges and slopes of the western United States, where it is found in the southern South Coast, Peninsular Range, and San Bernardino mountains of California in Riverside, San Diego, San Bernardino, and Orange counties. There are 46 estimated occurrences of this species rangewide, which are threatened by residential development, rights-of-way construction and maintenance, cattle grazing, and invasive species, and wildfire.
Range Extent Comments
Allium marvinii is endemic to the western United States, where it is found in the southern South Coast, Peninsular Range, and San Bernardino mountains of California in Riverside, San Diego, San Bernardino, and Orange counties (CNPS 2025). It is primarily known from San Diego and Riverside counties. The range extent was estimated to be 7882 square kilometers (CNDDB 2025).
Occurrences Comments
There are 47 mapped occurrences of this taxon, one of which is confirmed to be extirpated, fourteen of which are considered historical but presumed to be extant (CNDDB 2025, CNPS 2025). There are several possible new sites documented from field forms which are not yet added to the CNDDB database, though some of these are updates to existing occurrences.
Threat Impact Comments
Threats to Allium marvinii include residential development, rights-of-way construction and maintenance (including herbicide application and drift), cattle grazing, and invasive species (including non-native grasses and Brassica geniculata) (CNDDB 2025, CNPS 2025). Alteration of fire regimes are also a threat to this species, and several occurrences have burned (CNPS 2025).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Allium marvinii is found on ridges and dry slopes in chaparral communities at elevations ranging from 300 to 1250 meters (Jepson Flora Project 2022, CNPS 2025).
Terrestrial Habitats
Shrubland/chaparral
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN2
ProvinceRankNative
CaliforniaS2Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
1 - Residential & commercial developmentSmall (1-10%)Serious or 31-70% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
2 - Agriculture & aquacultureSmall (1-10%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
2.3 - Livestock farming & ranchingSmall (1-10%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
2.3.4 - Scale unknown/unrecordedSmall (1-10%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
4 - Transportation & service corridorsSmall (1-10%)Serious or 31-70% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
4.2 - Utility & service linesSmall (1-10%)Serious or 31-70% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
7 - Natural system modificationsPervasive (71-100%)Serious or 31-70% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
7.1 - Fire & fire suppressionPervasive (71-100%)Serious or 31-70% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
7.1.1 - Increase in fire frequency/intensityPervasive (71-100%)Serious or 31-70% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseasesSmall (1-10%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseasesSmall (1-10%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
8.1.1 - Unspecified speciesSmall (1-10%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)

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Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)Yes
Roadless Areas (6)
California (6)
AreaForestAcres
CalienteCleveland National Forest5,953
Eagle PeakCleveland National Forest6,481
Horse Creek RidgeSan Bernardino National Forest8,969
Pine CreekCleveland National Forest503
Rouse HillSan Bernardino National Forest13,745
WildhorseCleveland National Forest1,483
References (9)
  1. California Native Plant Society (CNPS), Rare Plant Program. 2025. Inventory of Rare and Endangered Plants of California, online edition, v9.5. Online. Available: https://www.rareplants.cnps.org (accessed 2025).
  2. California Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB). 2025b. Element Subnational Ranking Form: <i>Allium marvinii</i> in Biotics 5 database. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia (accessed 8 Sept 2025).
  3. California Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB). 2025. RareFind Version 5.3.0. California Department of Fish and Game, Sacramento.
  4. Davidson, A. 1921. New species from southern California. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences 20(2):49.
  5. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2002a. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 26. Magnoliophyta: Liliidae: Liliales and Orchidales. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxvi + 723 pp.
  6. Jepson Flora Project (eds.) 2022. Jepson eFlora. Online. Available: https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/ (accessed 2022).
  7. Jepson Flora Project (eds.) 2025. Jepson eFlora. Online. Available: https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/ (accessed 2025).
  8. Kartesz, J.T. 1999. A synonymized checklist and atlas with biological attributes for the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. First edition. In: Kartesz, J.T., and C.A. Meacham. Synthesis of the North American Flora, Version 1.0. North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill, N.C.
  9. McNeal, W. Dale and Julie A. Kierstead. 2023. <i>Allium marvinii</i>, in Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora, Revision 12. Online. Available: https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=80193 (accessed 2025).