Flora of North America species comparison

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Eriogonum brevicaule

Eriogonum pelinophilum

shortstem buckwheat, shortstem wild buckwheat

clay-loving buckwheat, clay-loving wild buckwheat
Habit Herbs, matted, cespitose, pulvinate, erect or spreading, sometimes scapose, (0.3–)1–5 × 1–5(–8) dm, tomentose to floccose or glabrous, grayish or greenish to green. Subshrubs, spreading, not scapose, 0.5–1(–1.2) × 0.8–3(–4) dm, floccose or glabrous, grayish.
Stems

matted to spreading, occasionally with persistent leaf bases, up to 1/4 or more height of plant;

caudex stems matted or spreading;

aerial flowering stems spreading to erect or nearly so, slender, rarely stout, solid, not fistulose, (0.4–)0.5–2(–2.5) dm, glabrous, floccose, or sparsely to densely tomentose to lanate.

spreading, without persistent leaf bases, up to 1/3 height of plant;

caudex stems absent or compact;

aerial flowering stems spreading to erect, slender, solid, not fistulose, 0.05–0.1 dm, thinly floccose or glabrous.
Leaves

basal or more commonly sheathing 1–7(–15) cm up stem, 1 per node;

petiole 0.2–2(–4) cm, tomentose to floccose;

blade linear, oblanceolate, or spatulate to elliptic, (0.2–)1–10(–12) × 0.1–0.9(–1.2) cm, densely tomentose abaxially, less so to floccoseadaxially, margins plane or revolute, sometimes crenulate.

cauline, 1 per node;

petiole 0.05–0.1 cm, floccose;

blade oblanceolate, 0.5–1.2(–1.5) × 0.08–0.2(–0.3) cm, densely white-tomentose abaxially, subglabrous or glabrous and green adaxially, margins tightly revolute.
Inflorescences

cymose, subumbellate, umbellate, or capitate, (1–)3–10(–25) × (0.7–)1–10(–15) cm;

branches dichotomous, sometimes absent, tomentose to floccose or glabrous;

bracts 3, triangular, scalelike, 1–3(–5) mm.

cymose, compact, 0.1–2 × 1–3 cm;

branches dichotomous, thinly floccose or glabrous;

bracts 3, scalelike, triangular, 0.5–1 mm.
Peduncles

absent or erect, 0.3–3 cm, tomentose to floccose or glabrous.

absent or erect, 0.1–0.5 cm, floccose or glabrous.
Involucres

1 per node or 3–7(–9) per cluster, turbinate to turbinate-campanulate, 1.5–4(–5) × (1–)1.5–3(–3.5) mm, tomentose to floccose or glabrous;

teeth 5, erect to spreading, 0.3–1 mm.

1 per node, narrowly turbinate, (2–)2.5–3.5 × 1–1.5 mm, floccose or glabrous;

teeth 5, erect, 0.3–0.4 mm.
Flowers

(1–)2–4 mm;

perianth various shades of white to cream or yellow, glabrous or pubescent;

tepals connate proximal 1/4–1/3, monomorphic, lanceolate, oblong to obovate or ovate to oval;

stamens exserted, 2–4 mm;

filaments pilose basally.

(2.5–)3–3.5 mm;

perianth cream, glabrous;

tepals connate proximal 1/2, essentially monomorphic, oblong;

stamens slightly exserted, 2.5–4 mm;

filaments sparsely pilose proximally.
Achenes

light brown to brown, 2–3 mm, glabrous except for roughened to papillate beak.

light brown, 3–3.5 mm, glabrous.
2n

= 40.

Eriogonum brevicaule

Eriogonum pelinophilum
Phenology Flowering May–Jul.
Habitat Heavy clay flats and slopes, saltbush communities
Elevation 1600-1900 m (5200-6200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CO; ID; MT; NE; NV; SD; UT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CO
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 8 (8 in the flora).

Eriogonum brevicaule is highly variable, and the variation has yet to be fully resolved taxonomically. The expressions recognized here will encompass the vast majority of populations. The extreme variation previously under the name var. laxifolium is now reduced with the recognition of var. bannockense (low-elevation or northern phase), var. nanum, and var. caelitum (high-elevation, southern phases).

Essentially all of the following species (28–63 below) belong to the Eriogonum brevicaule complex. Eriogonum desertorum, E. loganum, E. spathulatum, E. ostlundii, and E. artificis are allied to the complex associated with var. laxifolium, while E. natum is related to var. cottamii. Eriogonum viridulum and E. ephedroides are allied to E. brevicaule var. brevicaule as are E. contortum and E. acaule. Eriogonum brandegeei is also related, but exactly how is less certain. Allied to this complex of species are on the one hand those related to E. batemanii, and on the other all of the matted perennials belonging to the E. ochrocephalum complex. Essentially all of these species form relatively small populations on discrete edaphic sites and are well isolated one from the other. Unfortunately, a clear separation of E. brevicaule from E. desertorum, E. loganum, and E. spathulatum is not always possible.

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

Of conservation concern.

Eriogonum pelinophilum is a federally listed endangered species with designated critical habitat. It is known only from Mancos Shale hills in Delta and Montrose counties. Much of the former habitat in the Montrose, Colorado, area has been destroyed since the species was listed in 1984. The type locality in Delta County was largely destroyed in 2001 by off-road vehicle activities in the designated critical habitat. A small population is preserved at the Fairview Natural Area east of Montrose.

Eriogonum pelinophilum is similar to E. clavellatum although the two are well-separated geographically. It is a smaller plant than E. clavellatum in habit. The flowers of E. clavellatum lack the pronounced, rounded, greenish-red to brownish-red base of the perianth seen in E. pelinophilum, and the tepals are distinctly dimorphic in E. clavellatum whereas they are essentially monomorphic in E. pelinophilum. Ants actively pollinate the flowers, being involved with both self- and cross-pollination. Some 50 additional visitors were found associated with the flowers, but none was confirmed as a pollinator (W. R. Bowlin et al. 1993).

The species is in the Center for Plant Conservation’s National Collection of Endangered Plants.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Key
1. Flowering stems and inflorescence branches glabrous
→ 2
1. Flowering stems and inflorescence branches floccose to tomentose or lanate
→ 3
2. Plants not pulvinate or cespitose, (0.8-)1.5-5 dm; inflorescences cymose, open, divided 3 times or more; widespread
var. brevicaule
2. Plants pulvinate and cespitose, 0.3-1.5(-1.8) dm; inflorescences capitate or umbellate to cymose and divided 1-2 times; Utah
var. nanum
3. Perianths pubescent; se Montana, ne Wyoming
var. canum
3. Perianths glabrous; sc Idaho, ne Nevada, Utah, sw Wyoming, not se Montana or ne Wyoming
→ 4
4. Inflorescences divided (2-)3-5 times; perianths usually yellow, rarely ochroleucous
→ 5
4. Inflorescences capitate or umbellate to cymose and divided 1-2 times; perianths ochroleucous or yellow
→ 6
5. Flowers (1-)1.5-2.5 mm; sw Wyoming
var. micranthum
5. Flowers (2.5-)3-4 mm; Utah
var. cottamii
6. Leaf blades linear to narrowly oblanceolate; inflorescences capitate or divided
→ 7
6. Leaf blades linear, oblanceolate, or narrowly oblanceolate to elliptic; inflorescences capitate. [8. Shifted to left margin.—Ed.]
→ 8
7. Leaf blades (1.5-)3-9(-12) × 0.1-0.5(-0.7) cm, tomentose abaxially, less so and grayish or occasionally greenish adaxially, margins usually revolute, occasionally plane; perianths ochroleucous or yellow; n Utah, se Idaho, below 2800 m
var. laxifolium
7. Leaf blades 0.2-4.5(-5) × (0.2-)0.3-0.6(-0.7) cm, tomentose abaxially, thinly floccose and bright green adaxially, margins plane or slightly thickened; perianths yellow; c Utah, above 2700 m
var. caelitum
8. Leaf blades and flowering stems bright green under the thinly floccose pubescence; ne Nevada and nw Utah
var. laxifolium
8. Leaf blades and flowering stems usually grayish to dull greenish under tomentum, rarely thinly floccose; se Idaho and sw Wyoming s to n Utah and ne Nevada
→ 9
9. Leaf margins crenulate; leaf blades narrowly oblanceolate to narrowly elliptic, (0.3-)0.5-1.5(-2) × 0.2-0.5(-7) cm, densely white-tomentose abaxially, floccose and greenish adaxially
var. nanum
9. Leaf margins usually plane (rarely crenulate in Wyoming); leaf blades narrowly oblanceolate to oblanceolate, (0.8-)1-4(-4.5) × (0.3-)0.4-0.8 cm, densely tomentose abaxially, tomentose to floccose and grayish to greenish adaxially
var. bannockense
Source FNA vol. 5, p. 264. FNA vol. 5, p. 252.
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. 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. 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. 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. 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
Subordinate taxa
E. brevicaule var. bannockense, E. brevicaule var. brevicaule, E. brevicaule var. caelitum, E. brevicaule var. canum, E. brevicaule var. cottamii, E. brevicaule var. laxifolium, E. brevicaule var. micranthum, E. brevicaule var. nanum
Synonyms E. campanulatum subsp. brevicaule
Name authority Nuttall: Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 4: 15. (1848) Reveal: Great Basin Naturalist 33: 120. (1973)
Web links 
Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).



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