Eriogonum corymbosum |
Eriogonum crosbyae |
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corymbed wild buckwheat, crispleaf buckwheat, crispleaf wild buckwheat, white wild buckwheat |
Crosby's buckwheat, Crosby's wild buckwheat |
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Habit | Shrubs or subshrubs, spreading, rounded, occasionally erect, rarely somewhat matted, not scapose, (0.5–)1.5–8(–15) × (2–)3–15(–23) dm, grayish- to reddish-brown-tomentose to floccose or glabrous, grayish or 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 | spreading or erect, often with persistent leaf bases, up to 3/4 or more height of plant; caudex stems absent or somewhat matted; aerial flowering stems erect or nearly so, slender or occasionally stout, solid, not fistulose, (0.1–)1–2 dm, tomentose to floccose, occasionally 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. |
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Leaves | cauline, 1 per node; petiole 0.1–1.5 cm, tomentose to floccose; blade lanceolate to oblanceolate or elliptic to nearly orbiculate, rarely cordate, (0.5–)1–3(–4.5) × (0.3–)0.5–3(–3.5) cm, densely white-, tannish- or brownish-tomentose on both surfaces or less so to nearly glabrous and green adaxially, margins occasionally crenulate. |
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. |
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Inflorescences | cymose, rarely capitate or umbellate, diffuse to rather open, (1–)3–20 × 2–25(–30) cm; branches dichotomous, tomentose, floccose, or rarely glabrous; bracts 3, scalelike, usually triangular, and 1–3(–6) mm, or leaflike, 10–25 mm, and similar to leaf blades. |
capitate, 0.7–1.5 cm; branches absent; bracts 3, narrowly triangular to triangular, scalelike, 1–3 mm. |
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Peduncles | absent. |
absent. |
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Involucres | 1 per node, turbinate, (1–)1.5–3.5 × 1–2(–2.5) mm; teeth 5, erect, 0.3–1 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. |
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Flowers | (1.5–)2–3.5 mm; perianth white to cream, pink, or pale yellow to yellow, glabrous or rarely sparsely pilose; tepals connate proximal 1/4–1/3, essentially monomorphic, oblanceolate to spatulate; stamens included to slightly exserted, 1–4(–5) mm; filaments typically 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. |
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Achenes | brown, 2–2.5(–3) mm, glabrous except for occasional papillate beak. |
light brown, 2–4 mm, glabrous or sometimes with minute bristles on beak. |
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2n | = 40. |
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Eriogonum corymbosum |
Eriogonum crosbyae |
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Phenology | Flowering May–Aug. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Habitat | 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 | (1200-)1400-3100 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Distribution |
AZ; CO; NM; NV; TX; UT; WY
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ID; MT; NV; OR
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Discussion | Varieties 8 (8 in the flora). Eriogonum corymbosum is a difficult complex of overlapping expressions, some of which are maintained here as taxonomically significant. Although perianth color is used to group the varieties, this feature is not consistent even in single populations. Therefore, population trends in perianth color must be noted in the field. Most of the varieties are then distinguished on the basis of leaf characters, and again, considerable variation can be seen in some populations. Still, the combination of flower color, leaf features, and geographic distribution should prove useful in distinguishing the varieties. S. L. Welsh et al. (2003) alluded to hybrid combinations involving Eriogonum corymbosum and other species. Aside from the instances involving E. brevicaule, discussed below, none has been confirmed. Most of the putative hybrids are misidentified specimens of E. lonchophyllum or collections of var. corymbosum in which the leaf-margins are not decidedly crisped, a feature usually seen only in fully mature plants. Eriogonum corymbosum was widely used by Native Americans. P. A. Vestal (1940) reported that the Hopi pressed boiled stalks into cakes that, when dried, were eaten with salt. J. W. Fewkes (1896) indicated that boiled leaves were mixed with cornmeal and water, and then baked into a kind of bread. S. A. Weber and P. D. Seaman (1985) indicated that A. F. Whiting was aware of a decoction of leaves (probably from var. glutinosum) being used for headaches. Variety glutinosum also was used primarily to treat tuberculosis, or at least as a cough medicine (D. E. Moerman 1986). Some of the expressions of Eriogonum corymbosum are attracting the interest of gardeners, a few are coming into cultivation, and several selections are now being developed. The plants are slow growing but can be transplanted with some degree of success. Members of the varieties are food plants for Ellis’s dotted-blue butterfly (Euphilotes ellisi). (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.) |
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Key |
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Source | FNA vol. 5, p. 255. | FNA vol. 5, p. 277. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Parent taxa | Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Eucycla | Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Eucycla | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Synonyms | E. effusum subsp. corymbosum | E. capistratum, E. capistratum var. muhlickii, E. capistratum var. welshii, E. meledonum, E. ochrocephalum var. alexanderae, E. verrucosum | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Name authority | Bentham: in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 14: 17. (1856) | Reveal: Brittonia 33: 442, fig. 1. (1981) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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