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island buckwheat, Santa Cruz Island buckwheat, Santa Cruz Island wild buckwheat

Ephedra buckwheat, Ephedra wild buckwheat

Habit Shrubs, erect to spreading, 6–15(–20) × 5–30 dm, glabrous and cinereous, reddish. Herbs, erect, not scapose, 2–3.5 × 2–3(–4) dm, glabrous, grayish green.
Stems

spreading to erect, occasionally with persistent leaf bases, up to 3/4 or more height of plant;

caudex stems absent;

aerial flowering stems erect, stout, solid, not fistulose, 0.5–1(–1.5) dm, glabrous.

spreading, without persistent leaf bases, up to 1/8 height of plant;

caudex stems absent;

aerial flowering stems erect, slender, solid, not fistulose, 1–2 dm, glabrous, tomentose among leaves.

Leaves

cauline, 1 per node;

petiole 0.1–0.5 cm, tomentose;

blade linear to narrowly oblong, 2–4(–5) × 0.1–0.4(–0.6) cm, white-tomentose abaxially, cinereous to glabrate and greenish adaxially, margins often revolute.

basal, 1 per node;

petiole 0.5–1 cm, glabrous;

blade lanceolate, 1.5–2.5 × 0.2–0.3 cm, densely white-tomentose abaxially, mostly glabrous and green adaxially, margins plane.

Inflorescences

cymose, 5–10 × 5–15(–20) cm;

branches dichotomous, glabrous;

bracts 1–3, leaflike, lanceolate to oblong, 0.5–2 × 0.3–1.5 cm.

narrowly cymose, 15–25 × 5–15 cm;

branches dichotomous, upper secondaries suppressed, glabrous;

bracts 3, linear to triangular, scalelike, 1–4(–7) mm.

Peduncles

absent or erect, stout, 0.1–0.5 cm, cinereous.

erect, 0.5–1.5 cm at proximal nodes, 0.1–0.5 cm at distal nodes.

Involucres

1 per node, campanulate, 2–3 × 2.5–4 mm, cinereous;

teeth 5–7, erect, 0.5–1.5 mm.

1 per node, turbinate, 2–2.5 × 1–1.5 mm, glabrous;

teeth 5, erect, 0.4–0.5 mm.

Flowers

2–3.5(–4) mm;

perianth white to pinkish, villous abaxially;

tepals connate proximally, monomorphic, oblanceolate to narrowly obovate;

stamens exserted, 3–5 mm;

filaments glabrous.

2–2.5 mm;

perianth ochroleucous to pale yellow or, rarely, yellow, glabrous;

tepals connate proximal 1/4, monomorphic, lanceolate;

stamens exserted, 1.5–2 mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

Achenes

brown, 2.5–3.5 mm, glabrous.

brown, 2–2.5 mm, glabrous.

2n

= 40.

Eriogonum arborescens

Eriogonum ephedroides

Phenology Flowering Apr–Oct. Flowering Jun–Oct.
Habitat Rocky slopes and canyon walls, coastal scrub communities Shale and clay flats and slopes, saltbush and sagebrush communities, pinyon-juniper woodlands
Elevation 10-600 m (0-2000 ft) 1500-2100 m (4900-6900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CO; UT
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Of conservation concern.

Eriogonum arborescens is local and occasionally rare on Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, and Anacapa islands in Santa Cruz and Ventura counties. The species is cultivated, and populations have become naturalized on the mainland from San Mateo County south to San Diego, in large part because of planting along highways. Every effort should be made to remove these naturalized populations from the mainland.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Eriogonum ephedroides is infrequently encountered in eastern Uintah County, Utah, and western Rio Blanco County, Colorado. The narrow, upright flowering stems and inflorescence branches and the strictly basal leaves quickly set the species apart from E. viridulum. This is a species of potential horticultural value, being an elegant addition to the garden because of its habit.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 5, p. 302. FNA vol. 5, p. 268.
Parent taxa Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Eucycla Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Eucycla
Sibling taxa
E. abertianum, E. acaule, E. alatum, E. aliquantum, E. allenii, E. alpinum, E. ammophilum, E. ampullaceum, E. androsaceum, E. anemophilum, E. angulosum, E. annuum, E. apiculatum, E. apricum, E. arcuatum, E. aretioides, E. argillosum, E. argophyllum, E. arizonicum, E. artificis, E. atrorubens, E. baileyi, E. batemanii, E. bicolor, E. bifurcatum, E. brachyanthum, E. brachypodum, E. brandegeei, E. breedlovei, E. brevicaule, E. butterworthianum, E. caespitosum, E. capillare, E. cernuum, E. chrysops, E. cinereum, E. cithariforme, E. clavatum, E. clavellatum, E. codium, E. collinum, E. coloradense, E. compositum, E. concinnum, E. congdonii, E. contiguum, E. contortum, E. correllii, E. corymbosum, E. covilleanum, E. crocatum, E. cronquistii, E. crosbyae, E. cusickii, E. darrovii, E. dasyanthemum, E. davidsonii, E. deflexum, E. deserticola, E. desertorum, E. diatomaceum, E. diclinum, E. divaricatum, E. douglasii, E. eastwoodianum, E. effusum, E. elatum, E. elegans, E. elongatum, E. ephedroides, E. eremicola, E. eremicum, E. ericifolium, E. esmeraldense, E. evanidum, E. exaltatum, E. exilifolium, E. fasciculatum, E. flavum, E. fusiforme, E. giganteum, E. gilmanii, E. glandulosum, E. gordonii, E. gossypinum, E. gracile, E. gracilipes, E. gracillimum, E. grande, E. greggii, E. gypsophilum, E. havardii, E. heermannii, E. helichrysoides, E. hemipterum, E. heracleoides, E. hieracifolium, E. hirtellum, E. hirtiflorum, E. hoffmannii, E. holmgrenii, E. hookeri, E. howellianum, E. hylophilum, E. incanum, E. inerme, E. inflatum, E. intrafractum, E. jamesii, E. jonesii, E. kelloggii, E. kennedyi, E. kingii, E. lachnogynum, E. lancifolium, E. latens, E. latifolium, E. lemmonii, E. leptocladon, E. leptophyllum, E. libertini, E. lobbii, E. loganum, E. lonchophyllum, E. longifolium, E. luteolum, E. maculatum, E. mancum, E. marifolium, E. mensicola, E. microthecum, E. mitophyllum, E. mohavense, E. molestum, E. mortonianum, E. multiflorum, E. natum, E. nealleyi, E. nervulosum, E. nidularium, E. niveum, E. nortonii, E. novonudum, E. nudum, E. nummulare, E. nutans, E. ochrocephalum, E. ordii, E. ostlundii, E. ovalifolium, E. palmerianum, E. panamintense, E. panguicense, E. parishii, E. parvifolium, E. pauciflorum, E. pelinophilum, E. pendulum, E. pharnaceoides, E. plumatella, E. polycladon, E. polypodum, E. prattenianum, E. prociduum, E. pulchrum, E. pusillum, E. pyrolifolium, E. racemosum, E. reniforme, E. ripleyi, E. rixfordii, E. robustum, E. rosense, E. roseum, E. rotundifolium, E. rubricaule, E. rupinum, E. salicornioides, E. saxatile, E. scabrellum, E. scopulorum, E. shockleyi, E. siskiyouense, E. smithii, E. soliceps, E. soredium, E. spathulatum, E. spectabile, E. spergulinum, E. sphaerocephalum, E. strictum, E. subreniforme, E. suffruticosum, E. temblorense, E. tenellum, E. ternatum, E. terrenatum, E. thomasii, E. thompsoniae, E. thornei, E. thurberi, E. thymoides, E. tiehmii, E. tomentosum, E. trichopes, E. tripodum, E. truncatum, E. tumulosum, E. twisselmannii, E. umbellatum, E. ursinum, E. vestitum, E. villiflorum, E. vimineum, E. viridescens, E. viridulum, E. viscidulum, E. visheri, E. watsonii, E. wetherillii, E. wootonii, E. wrightii, E. zionis
E. abertianum, E. acaule, E. alatum, E. aliquantum, E. allenii, E. alpinum, E. ammophilum, E. ampullaceum, E. androsaceum, E. anemophilum, E. angulosum, E. annuum, E. apiculatum, E. apricum, E. arborescens, E. arcuatum, E. aretioides, E. argillosum, E. argophyllum, E. arizonicum, E. artificis, E. atrorubens, E. baileyi, E. batemanii, E. bicolor, E. bifurcatum, E. brachyanthum, E. brachypodum, E. brandegeei, E. breedlovei, E. brevicaule, E. butterworthianum, E. caespitosum, E. capillare, E. cernuum, E. chrysops, E. cinereum, E. cithariforme, E. clavatum, E. clavellatum, E. codium, E. collinum, E. coloradense, E. compositum, E. concinnum, E. congdonii, E. contiguum, E. contortum, E. correllii, E. corymbosum, E. covilleanum, E. crocatum, E. cronquistii, E. crosbyae, E. cusickii, E. darrovii, E. dasyanthemum, E. davidsonii, E. deflexum, E. deserticola, E. desertorum, E. diatomaceum, E. diclinum, E. divaricatum, E. douglasii, E. eastwoodianum, E. effusum, E. elatum, E. elegans, E. elongatum, E. eremicola, E. eremicum, E. ericifolium, E. esmeraldense, E. evanidum, E. exaltatum, E. exilifolium, E. fasciculatum, E. flavum, E. fusiforme, E. giganteum, E. gilmanii, E. glandulosum, E. gordonii, E. gossypinum, E. gracile, E. gracilipes, E. gracillimum, E. grande, E. greggii, E. gypsophilum, E. havardii, E. heermannii, E. helichrysoides, E. hemipterum, E. heracleoides, E. hieracifolium, E. hirtellum, E. hirtiflorum, E. hoffmannii, E. holmgrenii, E. hookeri, E. howellianum, E. hylophilum, E. incanum, E. inerme, E. inflatum, E. intrafractum, E. jamesii, E. jonesii, E. kelloggii, E. kennedyi, E. kingii, E. lachnogynum, E. lancifolium, E. latens, E. latifolium, E. lemmonii, E. leptocladon, E. leptophyllum, E. libertini, E. lobbii, E. loganum, E. lonchophyllum, E. longifolium, E. luteolum, E. maculatum, E. mancum, E. marifolium, E. mensicola, E. microthecum, E. mitophyllum, E. mohavense, E. molestum, E. mortonianum, E. multiflorum, E. natum, E. nealleyi, E. nervulosum, E. nidularium, E. niveum, E. nortonii, E. novonudum, E. nudum, E. nummulare, E. nutans, E. ochrocephalum, E. ordii, E. ostlundii, E. ovalifolium, E. palmerianum, E. panamintense, E. panguicense, E. parishii, E. parvifolium, E. pauciflorum, E. pelinophilum, E. pendulum, E. pharnaceoides, E. plumatella, E. polycladon, E. polypodum, E. prattenianum, E. prociduum, E. pulchrum, E. pusillum, E. pyrolifolium, E. racemosum, E. reniforme, E. ripleyi, E. rixfordii, E. robustum, E. rosense, E. roseum, E. rotundifolium, E. rubricaule, E. rupinum, E. salicornioides, E. saxatile, E. scabrellum, E. scopulorum, E. shockleyi, E. siskiyouense, E. smithii, E. soliceps, E. soredium, E. spathulatum, E. spectabile, E. spergulinum, E. sphaerocephalum, E. strictum, E. subreniforme, E. suffruticosum, E. temblorense, E. tenellum, E. ternatum, E. terrenatum, E. thomasii, E. thompsoniae, E. thornei, E. thurberi, E. thymoides, E. tiehmii, E. tomentosum, E. trichopes, E. tripodum, E. truncatum, E. tumulosum, E. twisselmannii, E. umbellatum, E. ursinum, E. vestitum, E. villiflorum, E. vimineum, E. viridescens, E. viridulum, E. viscidulum, E. visheri, E. watsonii, E. wetherillii, E. wootonii, E. wrightii, E. zionis
Synonyms E. brevicaule var. ephedroides
Name authority Greene: Bull. Calif. Acad. Sci. 1: 11. (1884) Reveal: Madroño 19: 295, fig. 4. (1969)
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