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

spreading buckwheat, strawflower wild buckwheat

Habit Herbs, erect, 1–5 dm, glabrous, greenish to grayish. Shrubs, spreading, not scapose, 1.5–3(–4) × 3–8 dm, floccose and dark green.
Stems

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

spreading, often without persistent leaf bases, up to 1/3 height of plant;

caudex stems absent;

aerial flowering stems erect to slightly spreading, slender, solid, not fistulose, 0.02–0.04 dm, floccose.

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.

cauline, 1 per node;

petiole 0.2–0.7 cm, floccose;

blade linear to linear-oblanceolate, (2–)3–6 × 0.1–0.3 cm, densely tomentose abaxially, floccose and green adaxially, margins revolute.

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.

cymose, compact, 0.5–1.3(–1.6) dm;

branches dichotomous, floccose to nearly glabrous;

bracts 3, scalelike, triangular, 0.5–2 mm.

Peduncles

absent.

absent or erect, 0.5–2.5 cm, floccose.

Involucres

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

teeth 5, erect, 0.2–0.3 mm.

1 per node, turbinate, 2.5–3 × 1–2 mm, floccose or glabrous;

teeth 5, erect, 0.3–0.6 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.

2–2.5(–3) mm;

perianth white, becoming rose, glabrous;

tepals connate proximal 1/4, essentially monomorphic, elliptic to obovate;

stamens exserted, 2.5–4.5 mm;

filaments sparsely pilose.

Achenes

brown, 3-gonous, 2 mm.

brown, 2–2.5 mm, glabrous.

2n

= 40.

Eriogonum davidsonii

Eriogonum helichrysoides

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 Clay slopes or chalky limestone outcrops, mixed grassland communities
Elevation (400-)900-2600 m ((1300-)3000-8500 ft) 900-1100 m (3000-3600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; NV; UT; Mexico (Baja California)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
KS
[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.)

Eriogonum helichrysoides is limited to west-central Kansas (Ellis, Gove, Lane, Logan, Scott, and Trego counties). The plants’ dark green color and narrow leaf blades readily segregate the species from E. effusum.

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

Source FNA vol. 5, p. 422. FNA vol. 5, p. 248.
Parent taxa Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Oregonium 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. 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. 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. 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 E. microthecum subsp. helichrysoides, E. effusum subsp. helichrysoides, E. effusum var. rosmarnioides
Name authority Greene: Pittonia 2: 295. (1892) (Gandoger) Prain: in B. D. Jackson et al., Index Kew., suppl. 4: 82. (1913)
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