Tristagma is a mostly South American genus in the Alliaceae family that is related to Nothoscordum and Ipheion. The taxonomy of this genus is in question. It has mostly many-flowered umbels with leaves that are usually linear and flat, rarely canaliculate, terete of filiform. Most of the species are from Chile and Argentina and are alpine plants. In 1963 Hamilton P. Traub proposed moving Ipheion to Tristagma, but not everyone is in agreement. Ipheion uniflorum easily grown around the world is considered to be Tristagma uniflorum by some and you will see it listed on the web both ways. Until there is more study of all these plants, we are placing them on the wiki page with the names that our South American members Alberto Castillo and Germán Roitman suggest. Photos of Ipheion uniflorum and Ipheion 'Rolf Fiedler' can be found on our wiki Ipheion page. Many of the yellow flowered species that are still considered Ipheion species by some who do not agree with Traub can be found on our Nothoscordum wiki page.
Tristagma bivalve (Lindl.) Traub syns. Ipheion bivale (Lindl.) Traub grows in the mountains above Santiago, Chile. It can be grown like a Cape bulb or better as a Texan Cooperia. T. bivalve looks like a several flowered medium sized Ipheion uniflorum. This species is not to be confused with Nothoscordum bivalve which is an entirely different plant that has a tall scape with minute flowers. Photo by Osmani Baullosa.
Tristagma sp. is an alpine species from Chile different from T. bivalve. It has scentless flowers that are shaped like a narrow cup facing up. Photo by Osmani Baullosa.
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