Day 280: Although Triteleia hyacinthina has other common names ("White Brodiaea," "White Hyacinth"), none describes it quite as aptly as "Fool's Onion." It has seldom been reported in Mount Rainier National Park, but Team Biota recently found it in abundance (i.e., over 100 plants) in a previously unrecorded location. It is substantially larger than the Alliums it resembles, often reaching heights of 18 inches or more. The inflorescence is an umbel up to 3 inches in diameter surmounting a sturdy stem which sometimes leans under the weight of the flowers, and individual petals are marked by a greenish central stripe. Its rarity caught me by surprise. Because it was so numerous at this site, I assumed it was common elsewhere until I checked the identification in several field guides. Another score for Team Biota!
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