Flora of North America species comparison

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Eriogonum brevicaule

Eriogonum plumatella

shortstem buckwheat, shortstem wild buckwheat

flat top buckwheat, yucca buckwheat, yucca 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. Shrubs, erect, not scapose, 3–10(–12) × 3–6(–8) dm, tomentose or glabrous, grayish or greenish.
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.

erect, without persistent leaf bases, up to 1/2 or more height of plant;

caudex stems absent;

aerial flowering stems erect, slender, solid, not fistulose, 0.5–2 dm, tomentose 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.

basal and cauline, 1 per node;

petiole 0.1–0.5 cm, mostly tomentose;

blade oblanceolate, 0.6–1.5 × 0.2–0.3 cm, tomentose on both surfaces, occasionally slightly less so adaxially, margins plane.
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, flat-topped and in tiers, 15–40 × 15–40 cm;

branches dichotomous, divaricately arranged in a zig-zag pattern, tomentose or glabrous;

bracts 3, scalelike, 1–7 mm.
Peduncles

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

absent.
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, turbinate, 2–2.5 × 1.5–2 mm, glabrous;

teeth 5, erect, 0.4–0.6 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.

2–2.5 mm;

perianth white to pale yellow, glabrous;

tepals connate proximal 1/4 dimorphic, those of outer whorl obovate, those of inner whorl oblong;

stamens exserted, 2–4 mm;

filaments pilose proximally.
Achenes

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

light brown to brown, 2.5–3 mm, glabrous.

Eriogonum brevicaule

Eriogonum plumatella
Phenology Flowering Apr–Oct.
Habitat Sandy flats, washes, and slopes, mixed grassland, saltbush, blackbrush, and creosote bush communities, oak and pinyon-juniper woodlands
Elevation 400-1700 m (1300-5600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CO; ID; MT; NE; NV; SD; UT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CA; NV
[WildflowerSearch map]
[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.)

Eriogonum plumatella is encountered infrequently, primarily on the Mojave Desert, where it occurs in two forms, one with pubescent (var. plumatella) and one with glabrous (var. jaegeri) inflorescence branches. As both forms occur occasionally in the same population, the varieties are not considered to be taxonomically significant. Eriogonum plumatella occurs from Kern County, California, south through Los Angeles (including the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains), San Bernardino, and Riverside counties to eastern San Diego County. To the east the species is found in Clark County, Nevada, and Mohave and western Yavapai counties, Arizona. A single specimen (Palmer s.n., GH) reportedly was gathered in Utah. Repeated efforts to find the plant in Washington County, Utah, have been unsuccessful, and the record is discounted here.

This species is the food plant for the rare pallid dotted-blue butterfly (Euphilotes pallescens pallescens). According to M. L. Zigmond (1981), the Kawaiisu pounded the seeds into a powder and made a mush. Given the small size of the achenes, and the paucity of large populations, the task of gathering sufficient seed must have been daunting. In taste, these seeds differ little from other, more common members of wild buckwheat, so it is likely that achenes of several species were gathered and processed into a watery meal.

(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. 308.
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. pelinophilum, E. pendulum, E. pharnaceoides, 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 E. plumatella var. jaegeri
Name authority Nuttall: Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 4: 15. (1848) Durand & Hilgard: J. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, n. s. 3: 45. (1855)
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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