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Davidson buckwheat, Davidson's buckwheat, Davidson's wild buckwheat

Trinity buckwheat, Trinity wild buckwheat

Habit Herbs, erect, 1–5 dm, glabrous, greenish to grayish. Herbs, spreading, compact, 0.2–0.6 × (0.3–)0.4–1 dm, tomentose.
Stems

aerial flowering stems erect, 0.5–1.5(–2) dm, glabrous.

caudex absent;

aerial flowering stems erect or nearly so, slender, solid, not fistulose, arising directly from a taproot, (0.3–)0.4–0.6 dm, floccose, with a whorl of 3–5 leaflike bracts ca. or slightly below midlength, 0.4–0.8(–1) × 0.15–0.4(–0.7) cm.

Leaves

basal;

petiole 1–5 cm, floccose;

blade round to reniform, (0.3–)1–2(–4) × (0.3–)1–2(–4) cm, densely white-tomentose abaxially, floccose to glabrate and mostly greenish adaxially.

basal, in well-defined rosettes;

petiole 1–2(–3) cm, tomentose;

blade oval to round-oval, 1–2(–3) × 1–2(–3) cm, densely whitish- or grayish-tomentose on both surfaces, margins entire, plane.

Inflorescences

cymose, occasionally distally uniparous due to suppression of secondary branches, open, 5–40 × 5–35 cm;

branches straight or nearly so, infrequently inwardly curved distally, glabrous;

bracts 1–3 × 1–2 mm.

capitate, 1–2(–2.5) cm wide;

branches absent;

bracts absent immediately below involucre.

Peduncles

absent.

Involucres

appressed to branches, cylindric-turbinate, 3–4 × 2–2.5 mm, glabrous;

teeth 5, erect, 0.2–0.3 mm.

1 per node, broadly campanulate, 3–5(–6) × 4–7(–10) mm, tomentose;

teeth 6–12, erect, 0.5–0.9 mm.

Flowers

1.5–2 mm;

perianth white to pink or red, rarely yellow, glabrous;

tepals monomorphic, oblong-obovate;

stamens included, 1–1.5 mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

(3–)4–8 mm, including 0.5–0.8 mm stipelike base;

perianth bright yellow, glabrous;

tepals monomorphic, oblong-obovate;

stamens included to exserted, 3–6 mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

Achenes

brown, 3-gonous, 2 mm.

light brown, 4–5 mm, glabrous.

2n

= 40.

Eriogonum davidsonii

Eriogonum alpinum

Phenology Flowering May–Sep. Flowering Jul–Sep.
Habitat Sandy to gravelly flats and slopes, mixed grassland, saltbush, chaparral, and sagebrush communities, oak and montane conifer woodlands Serpentine slopes and ridges, montane conifer woodlands
Elevation (400-)900-2600 m ((1300-)3000-8500 ft) 2000-2800 m (6600-9200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; NV; UT; Mexico (Baja California)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Eriogonum davidsonii is widespread and mostly common to occasionally abundant or weedy in Arizona, California, southern Nevada, and southern Utah. It is exceedingly variable. In the northern part of California, its range approaches that of E. luteolum var. luteolum, and the two can be difficult to differentiate. To the south, in Tulare County, the distinction between E. davidsonii and E. luteolum var. pedunculatum also is difficult. Specimens of Eriogonum davidsonii with curved inflorescence branches resemble E. cithariforme in the mountains of southern California, and care must be taken to separate E. davidsonii from its more robust relative, E. molestum in the San Jacinto Mountains of Riverside County. The disjunct populations in Utah and Arizona are somewhat different in appearance but presently do not seem worthy of taxonomic separation. The epithet juncinellum is available should recognition be desired.

Seeds of Davidson’s wild buckwheat were pounded into a meal and eaten dry by the Kawaiisu people of southern California (M. L. Zigmond 1981).

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

Of conservation concern.

Eriogonum alpinum is a rare and localized species found only on the slopes of Scott Mountain (where it is known only from the type collection), Cory Peak, and Mt. Eddy on the border of Siskiyou and Trinity counties. It is considered to be a “sensitive” species by the U.S. Forest Service, but is listed as endangered by the state of California.

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

Source FNA vol. 5, p. 422. FNA vol. 5, p. 375.
Parent taxa Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Oregonium Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Oligogonum
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. covilleanum, E. crocatum, E. cronquistii, E. crosbyae, E. cusickii, E. darrovii, E. dasyanthemum, 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. 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. 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
Synonyms E. molestum var. davidsonii, E. vimineum var. davidsonii, E. vimineum var. glabrum, E. vimineum subsp. juncinellum
Name authority Greene: Pittonia 2: 295. (1892) Engelmann: Bot. Gaz. 7: 6. (1882)
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