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Coville wild buckwheat, Coville's buckwheat, Coville's wild buckwheat

round-leaf wild buckwheat, roundleaf buckwheat

Habit Herbs, erect, 1–4 dm, glabrous, green to reddish. Herbs, spreading, annual, 0.5–4 dm, glabrous and often glaucous, greenish to grayish.
Stems

aerial flowering stems erect, 0.3–1 dm, glabrous.

caudex absent;

aerial flowering stems erect, solid, not fistulose, 0.1–0.5(–0.7) dm, glabrous.

Leaves

basal;

petiole 1–4(–5) cm, tomentose;

blade suborbiculate to reniform, (0.3–)0.5–1.5 × 0.5–1.5(–1.8) cm, densely white-tomentose abaxially, glabrous and bright green adaxially.

basal;

petiole 1.5–4 cm, floccose;

blade cordate to orbiculate, 1–2(–3) × 1–2.5(–3) cm, densely white-tomentose abaxially, floccose or subglabrous and greenish adaxially, margins plane.

Inflorescences

cymose, infrequently distally uniparous due to suppression of secondary branches, open, 5–35 × 5–30 cm;

branches glabrous;

bracts 1–2 × 0.5–1 mm.

cymose, open to diffuse, usually flat-topped, 5–35 × 5–35 cm;

branches glabrous;

bracts 3, scalelike, 1–2.5 × 0.5–2 mm.

Peduncles

absent.

erect, straight, stoutish, 0.3–1.5 cm, glabrous.

Involucres

terminal at tips of slender branchlets proximally, not appressed to branches, turbinate, 2–2.5 × 1–1.5 mm, glabrous;

teeth 5, erect, 0.4–0.8 mm.

turbinate to campanulate, 1–2 × 1.5–2.5 mm, glabrous;

teeth 5, erect, 0.4–0.8 mm.

Flowers

2–2.5(–3) mm;

perianth pink at early anthesis, becoming white to rose or yellow, minutely puberulent;

tepals monomorphic, narrowly elliptic;

stamens included, 1.7–2 mm;

filaments glabrous.

1–2.5 mm;

perianth white to pink with greenish to reddish midribs, becoming rose to red, glabrous;

tepals dimorphic, those of outer whorl flabellate, those of inner whorl lanceolate;

stamens included, 1.2–1.7 mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

Achenes

light brown, 3-gonous, 1.8–2 mm.

dark brown, 3-gonous, 1.5–2 mm, glabrous.

2n

= 34.

= 40.

Eriogonum covilleanum

Eriogonum rotundifolium

Phenology Flowering Apr–Aug. Flowering May–Oct.
Habitat Shale or serpentine outcrops and slopes, chaparral communities, oak and pine woodlands Sandy to gravelly flats and slopes, mixed grassland, saltbush, creosote bush, and mesquite communities, juniper woodlands
Elevation 200-1400 m (700-4600 ft) 600-1800 m (2000-5900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; NM; TX; Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Eriogonum covilleanum is encountered infrequently in the Inner Coast Ranges of central and southwestern California (Fresno, Kern, Merced, Monterey, San Benito, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Stanislaus, and Ventura counties). On occasion it can be locally common but is never abundant or weedy. It is often found growing with other annual wild buckwheats, and care must be taken to sort the species.

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

Eriogonum rotundifolium is the southern counterpart to E. cernuum, being common to abundant and occasionally even weedy. Its overall range, however, is significantly smaller. It occurs in Arizona only in Cochise County, but is found more widely in New Mexico, and is common in the trans-Pecos region of western Texas, with scattered populations in Dimmit, Ector, Foard, and Knox counties outside that region.

A sterile Edwin James specimen gathered in 1820 (NY) supposedly was collected near the Rocky Mountains and may be Eriogonum rotundifolium. Also seen at NY is an unattributed, redistributed collection of this species labeled only “Colorado.” Until better documented material from that state is seen, the species is considered not to be a member of the Colorado flora.

F. A. Elmore (1943) reported that the round-leaf wild buckwheat was used by the Navajo (Diné) people as an emetic. My own consumption of a few seeds, as a self-experiment, produced no particular urge to vomit. Inasmuch as the treatment was taken after swallowing ants, it is difficult to know whether the ants or the seeds were the emetic. G. M. Hocking (1956) reported that the leaves were used for sore throats and the stems were eaten raw (the latter proving in the same self-experiment not to be particularly tasty, leaving a slightly sour aftertaste). Hocking also reported that the roots were used medicinally but mentioned no specific ailment.

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

Source FNA vol. 5, p. 419. FNA vol. 5, p. 402.
Parent taxa Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Oregonium Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Ganysma
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. 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. 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. 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. 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. vimineum var. covilleanum E. cernuum subsp. glaucescens, E. cernuum subsp. rotundifolium, E. rotundifolium var. angustius
Name authority Eastwood: Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci., ser. 4, 20: 138. (1931) Bentham: in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 14: 21. (1856)
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