The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links

Cithara buckwheat, Cithara wild buckwheat

longleaf buckwheat, longleaf eriogonum, longleaf wild buckwheat

Habit Herbs, spreading to erect, 2–3(–5) dm, glabrous or tomentose, greenish or reddish. Herbs, 3–20 × 1.5–8 dm, tomentose or nearly glabrous.
Stems

aerial flowering stems erect, 0.5–1 dm, glabrous or tomentose.

Aerial flowering stems

erect, 2–17 dm, occasionally finely striated or grooved.

Leaves

basal and sometimes cauline;

basal: petiole 1–5 cm, tomentose to floccose, often slightly winged, blade oblanceolate or elliptic to ovate or nearly rounded, 1–2 × 0.5–1.5(–2) cm, tomentose abaxially, floccose to glabrate and grayish to greenish adaxially;

cauline: petiole 0.5–2 cm, floccose, blade elliptic, 0.3–1 cm × 0.2–0.7 cm, similar to basal blade.

petiole 5–20 cm;

blade lanceolate or oblanceolate to oblong, 0.5–20 × 0.3–2.5(–3) cm, tomentose abaxially, less so to floccose or glabrous adaxially.

Inflorescences

cymose, distally uniparous due to suppression of secondary branches, open, 5–25 × 5–25 cm;

branches usually inwardly curved, glabrous or tomentose;

bracts 0.5–2.5 × 0.5–2 mm.

5–50(–80) × 5–50 cm;

bracts 3, scalelike, usually triangular, 1–5 mm.

Peduncles

absent.

0.3–3 cm, thinly tomentose or nearly glabrous.

Involucres

somewhat appressed to branches, turbinate, 2.5–3 × 1.5–2 mm, glabrous;

teeth 5, erect, 0.2–0.4 mm.

turbinate to campanulate, 3–7 × 1.5–6 mm;

teeth 0.2–0.8 mm.

Flowers

1.5–2 mm;

perianth white to rose, glabrous;

tepals monomorphic, oblong-obovate;

stamens included, 1–1.5 mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

5–15 mm, including (0.5–)1–4(–7) mm stipelike base;

perianth yellow, densely white- to silvery-tomentose abaxially;

tepals monomorphic, lanceolate to narrowly elliptic;

stamens 1.7–2.5 mm;

filaments glabrous.

Achenes

brown, 3-gonous, 1–1.5 mm.

brown, 4–6 mm, densely tomentose.

Eriogonum cithariforme

Eriogonum longifolium

Distribution
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AL; AR; FL; KS; KY; LA; MO; NM; OK; TN; TX
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

The graceful, upwardly curved branch segments of Eriogonum cithariforme generally are distinctive in older plants, although an occasional individual of E. davidsonii may have this feature. A distinction between E. cithariforme and E. roseum also is troublesome, as in young material the curved branch segments are not always obvious.

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

Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).

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

Key
1. Flowering stems and inflorescence branches tomentose
var. cithariforme
1. Flowering stems and inflorescence branches glabrous
var. agninum
1. Flowers 8-15 mm, including 2-4(-7) mm stipelike base; involucres 6-7 mm; c Florida
var. gnaphalifolium
1. Flowers 5-11 mm, including 0.5-2.5 mm stipelike base; involucres 3-6 mm; not of c Florida
→ 2
2. Involucres 4-6 mm; flowers 5-11 mm, including (0.5-)1-2.5 mm stipelike base; s Arkansas, s Kansas, wc Louisiana, sw Missouri, se New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas
var. longifolium
2. Involucres 3-3.5 mm; flowers 5-7 mm, including 0.5-1(-1.2) mm stipelike base; nw Alabama, c Kentucky, sc Tennessee
var. harperi
Source FNA vol. 5, p. 424. FNA vol. 5, p. 329.
Parent taxa Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Oregonium Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Eriogonum
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. brevicaule, E. butterworthianum, E. caespitosum, E. capillare, E. cernuum, E. chrysops, E. cinereum, 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. 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
Subordinate taxa
E. cithariforme var. agninum, E. cithariforme var. cithariforme
E. longifolium var. gnaphalifolium, E. longifolium var. harperi, E. longifolium var. longifolium
Synonyms E. gracile var. cithariforme, E. vimineum var. cithariforme
Name authority S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 23: 266. (1888) Nuttall: Trans. Amer. Philos. Soc., n. s. 5: 164. (1835)
Web links