Liliaceae

A. microspathum Ekberg in Bot. Not. 122:20, t. 1 & 2 (1969). Figure 4. Map 15.
Bulb ovoid, c. 12 mm diam.; outer tunics black, membranous. Stem 15 cm, sheathed to 3/4 or more of its length. Leaves 4-5, semi-cylindrical, 1.5 mm broad, strongly ribbed, scabrid; lower ones withering but not falling off before anthesis, much contorted. Spathe 2.5 mm, brownish, 1-valved, persistent, much shorter than umbel. Umbel hemispherical, 1-1.5 cm diam., c. 25-flowered. Pedicels equal, c. 5 mm, bracteolate. Perianth subglobose; segments 2.5-2.7 mm, brownish or golden greenish-yellow, outside with central brownish striate fascia, inside somewhat shiny and pale green; outer segments elliptic, inner elliptic-oblong, emarginate-truncate at apex. Filaments exserted, outer simple, inner with small obtuse lateral tooth near middle on each side. Anthers yellow. Capsule globose-depressed, 2 mm. Fl. 8. Stony gullies in mountain steppe, coarse herbage, c. 2800 m.
Type: Turkey [B9] Van: 20 km N.N.W. of Başkale, Güzeldere Tepe and associated ridges and valleys between Halanduran Dağ and Kepir Dağ (general area of lspiriz Dag), 2800 m, 18 viii 1967, J. M.Watson (Watson et al. 3659), cult. Hort. Bot. Gothob., viii 1968 (nolo. GB! iso. K!).
Endemic. Ir.-Tur. element. Known only from the type collection. Allied to A. anacoleum and A. capitellatum. Differs in colour of periaath segments and in the emarginate-truncate inner segments.