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short-flower buckwheat, short-flower wild buckwheat, yellow buckwheat

Crosby's buckwheat, Crosby's wild buckwheat

Habit Herbs, spreading, (0.5–)1–3 dm, glabrous, greenish. Herbs, matted, scapose, 0.05–1.5(–2) × (0.1–)1–3 dm, floccose to tomentose or glabrous, sometimes glandular, greenish or grayish.
Stems

aerial flowering stems erect, 0.3–0.8 dm, glabrous.

matted, with persistent leaf bases, up to 1/5 height of plant;

caudex stems matted;

aerial flowering stems scapelike, weakly erect to erect, slender, solid, not fistulose, 0.02–1.5(–1.8) dm, floccose to tomentose or glabrous, occasionally also or only sparsely to densely glandular.

Leaves

basal;

petiole 0.5–3 cm, tomentose;

blade ovate to rounded, 0.5–2 × 0.5–2 cm, densely white-tomentose on both surfaces, rarely glabrate and grayish or greenish adaxially.

basal, fasciculate in terminal tufts;

petiole 0.2–3(–3.5) cm, tomentose, infrequently glandular;

blade oblanceolate to spatulate or elliptic to obovate or ovate, (0.5–)1–2(–3) × 0.2–1(–1.5) cm, densely white- or grayish-tomentose on both surfaces, sometimes less and greenish white adaxially, margins plane.

Inflorescences

cymose, occasionally distally uniparous due to suppression of secondary branches, usually diffuse, 5–25 × 5–30 cm;

branches glabrous;

bracts 0.5–2 × 0.5–2 mm.

capitate, 0.7–1.5 cm;

branches absent;

bracts 3, narrowly triangular to triangular, scalelike, 1–3 mm.

Peduncles

absent.

absent.

Involucres

somewhat appressed to branches, turbinate, 1–1.2 × 0.4–0.6 mm, glabrous;

teeth 5, erect, 0.2–0.3 mm.

(3–)5–8 per cluster, turbinate to campanulate, (1.5–)2–5(–5.5) × 2–4(–4.5) mm, rigid or membranous, tomentose to floccose, occasionally glabrous except for floccose teeth, rarely sparsely pilose and glandular;

teeth 5–7, erect to spreading or reflexed, 0.5–1.5 mm.

Flowers

0.6–0.8(–1) mm;

perianth yellow or pale yellowish, rarely whitish, glabrous;

tepals slightly dimorphic, those of outer whorl oblong to oblong-obovate, those of inner whorl narrowly oblong;

stamens included, 0.5–0.8 mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

1.5–3.5(–4) mm, glabrous or occasionally minutely glandular, pustulose in some;

perianth yellow to pale yellow or, rarely, cream;

tepals connate proximal 1/4–1/3, monomorphic, oblong to oblong-obovate;

stamens exserted, 1.5–4 mm;

filaments glabrous or sparsely pilose proximally.

Achenes

dark brown, 3-gonous, 0.8–1 mm.

light brown, 2–4 mm, glabrous or sometimes with minute bristles on beak.

2n

= 40.

Eriogonum brachyanthum

Eriogonum crosbyae

Phenology Flowering Apr–Nov. Flowering May–Aug.
Habitat Sandy to gravelly flats, washes, and slopes, saltbush, greasewood, and sagebrush communities, pinyon-juniper and montane conifer woodlands White tuffaceous shale volcanic outcrops, metamorphic rock outcrops, or basaltic or granitic sandy flats, washes, slopes, and ridges, saltbush and sagebrush or high-elevation sagebrush to alpine tundra communities, juniper or montane conifer woodlands
Elevation 600-2300 m (2000-7500 ft) (1200-)1400-3100
Distribution
from FNA
CA; NV; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
ID; MT; NV; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Eriogonum brachyanthum basically is a species of the Mojave Desert, extending northward in eastern California (Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles, Mono, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties) and along the Lahontan Trough of Nevada (Churchill, Esmeralda, Eureka, Humboldt, Lander, Lyon, Mineral, Nye, Pershing, and Washoe counties) to just north of Denio in Harney County, Oregon. It is common to abundant and even locally weedy in the northern Mojave Desert. Elsewhere it is less common and much more widely scattered. It often is found with other annual wild buckwheats forming dense patches (especially along highways) composed of several (up to seven in places) species, and care must be taken to sort them properly when making herbarium specimens.

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

Eriogonum crosbyae, as now defined, is widely scattered in the valley bottoms and foothills, and atop several mountain ranges of central Idaho (Blaine, Butte, Camas, Custer, and Lemhi counties) and in western Montana (Deer Lodge and Ravalli counties). It is disjunct to southwestern Idaho (Owyhee Mountains, Owyhee County), southeastern Oregon (Guano and Coleman valleys, Harney County, and Fish Fin Rim, Lake County), and in northwestern Nevada (Washoe and Humboldt counties south through Douglas, Lyon, and Pershing counties to Mineral County). It also occus in the Marys River Peak area of Elko County, Nevada.

The species may be subdivided into four phases, for which names are available. The vast majority of populations have bright yellow flowers with pustulose bases and midveins. The pustulose condition may also be observed in Eriogonum chrysops (on pale greenish-yellow flowers) and in E. mancum (with cream-colored flowers). Populations with pale yellow flowers here assigned to E. crosbyae occur in the mountains near Mackay, Idaho, and cream-colored flowers are found near Challis and around Salmon, both well outside the known ranges of E. chrysops and E. mancum. Final resolution of the taxonomy of this group awaits further study.

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

Source FNA vol. 5, p. 426. FNA vol. 5, p. 277.
Parent taxa Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Oregonium 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. arborescens, E. arcuatum, E. aretioides, E. argillosum, E. argophyllum, E. arizonicum, E. artificis, E. atrorubens, E. baileyi, E. batemanii, E. bicolor, E. bifurcatum, 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. 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
Synonyms E. baileyi var. brachyanthum, E. vimineum var. brachyanthum E. capistratum, E. capistratum var. muhlickii, E. capistratum var. welshii, E. meledonum, E. ochrocephalum var. alexanderae, E. verrucosum
Name authority Coville: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 4: 185. (1893) Reveal: Brittonia 33: 442, fig. 1. (1981)
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