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Colorado desert buckwheat, Colorado desert wild buckwheat, desert wild buckwheat
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cushion buckwheat, cushion wild buckwheat, oval-leaf buckwheat, oval-leaf eriogonum
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| Shrubs, erect or spreading, not scapose, 6–15(–18) × 10–20(–35) dm, white-tomentose to thinly floccose, greenish or grayish. |
Herbs, forming pulvinate to cespitose maps, usually scapose, 0.2–3 × 0.5–5 dm, floccose to tomentose or lanate. |
mostly spreading, without persistent leaf bases, up to 1/2 height or more of plant; caudex stems absent or spreading in moving sand; aerial flowering stems spreading, slender, solid, not fistulose, 1.5–4 dm, white-tomentose to thinly floccose, occasionally glabrate and light green. |
decumbent to spreading, with persistent leaf bases, up to 1/5 height of plant; caudex stems matted to spreading; aerial flowering stems scapelike, spreading to erect, infrequently decumbent to ascending, slender, solid, not fistulose, 0.03–4 dm, floccose to tomentose or lanate or nearly glabrous. |
cauline, 1 per node, rarely fasciculate, quickly deciduous; petiole (0.3–)0.5–2 cm, tomentose to floccose; blade oblong-ovate to round-oblong or orbiculate, (0.3–)0.5–1.5(–3.5) × (0.5–)0.7–1.7(–2) cm, white-tomentose on both surfaces, margins plane, sometimes crisped. |
basal, 1 per node; petiole not twisted or curled, 0.1–10 cm, mostly tomentose; blade oblanceolate to elliptic or spatulate to rounded, 0.2–6 × (0.1–)0.2–1.5 cm, lanate to tomentose or floccose, sometimes less so adaxially, margins plane, occasionally brownish. |
cymose, open, 15–90 × 20–100 cm; branches dichotomous, white-tomentose to thinly floccose, becoming floccose or glabrate and green; bracts 3, triangular, 0.5–1.5 mm. |
capitate or rarely umbellate, 0.7–5(–7) × 1.5–5 cm; bracts 3, scalelike, linear to triangular, 0.8–4 mm. |
absent or erect, slender, 0.1–0.5 cm, floccose to glabrate. |
absent. |
1 per node, turbinate-campanulate, 1.5–2.5(–3) × 1.3–1.6(–2) mm, thinly tomentose; teeth 4, erect, 0.3–0.5 mm. |
1 per node or (2–)3–15 per cluster, turbinate to turbinate-campanulate, (2–)3.5–5(–8) × 2–4 mm, tomentose to floccose; teeth 5, erect, 0.1–1 mm. |
(2.5–)3–4(–4.5) mm; perianth greenish yellow to yellow, silky-villous abaxially; tepals connate proximally, monomorphic, oblong to oblong-obovate; stamens exserted, 2.5–4 mm; filaments pilose proximally. |
(2.5–)3–6(–7) mm; perianth yellow or white to cream, rose, red, or purple, glabrous; tepals connate proximally, dimorphic, those of outer whorl usually oval to orbiculate, 2–4 × 2–4 mm, those of inner whorl oblanceolate to elliptic, 3–7 × 0.8–1.5 mm; stamens mostly included, 1–3 mm; filaments pilose proximally. |
brown, 3–4(–4.5) mm, glabrous except for scabrellous beak. |
light brown to brown, 2–3 mm, glabrous. |
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| Flowering Jul–Jan. |
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| Deep moving sand dunes and sandy flats, desert scrub communities |
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| -60-200 m (-200-700 ft) |
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AZ; CA; Mexico (Baja California, Sonora)
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AZ; CA; CO; ID; MT; NM; NV; OR; UT; WA; WY; AB; BC
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Eriogonum deserticola is found primarily in the moving sand dunes in the southern Salton Sea basin of extreme eastern San Diego and Imperial counties, California, with small populations in Yuma County, Arizona, and Baja California and Sonora, Mexico, where the species can be locally abundant. The larger plants are continually being buried and then uncovered by moving sand, revealing slender, grotesquely twisted trunks. R. S. Felger (2000) reported seeing some of the “exposed lateral roots” being up to six or more meters in length. It appears that the leaves are frequently stripped away by wind-blown sand. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Varieties 11 (11 in the flora). Eriogonum ovalifolium is a highly diverse and widespread complex of generally distinct but sometimes intergrading varieties. Several varieties are in cultivation and make worthy additions, especially to the rock garden. The dimorphic nature of the tepals is obvious only in fully mature flowers. In some populations of the more depauperate varieties, such as var. nivale and var. depressum, the tepals may not be as distinctly dimorphic. Nonetheless, the overall aspect of the species is unmistakable. There are several reports of traditional use of Eriogonum ovalifolium by Native Americans. P. Train et al. (1941) indicated that a decoction of the roots is used in Nevada for colds. R. V. Chamberlin (1911) reported that the Gosiute Indians in southwestern Utah used it in a poultice or wash to treat venereal diseases. Members of the species are food plants for Bauer’s dotted-blue butterfly (Euphilotes baueri). (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
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1. Leaf blades 0.2-1.2(-2) cm; scapes usually 0.3-5(-9) cm, rarely longer; involucres usually 2-4.5 (rarely 5-8) mm | → 2 |
1. Leaf blades usually 1-6 cm, occasionally shorter; scapes (1-)5-30(-40) cm; involucres (3.5-)4-6.5(-8) mm | → 8 |
2. Perianths yellow; c Nevada and ec California | var. caelestinum |
2. Perianths white, sometimes rose, purple, or red; widespread | → 3 |
| → 4 |
3. Leaf margins not brownish or, if so, plants of high elevation, central Sierra Nevada | → 5 |
4. Leaf blades densely lanate, margins brownish | var. eximium |
4. Leaf blades tomentose, margins not brownish | var. williamsiae |
| → 6 |
| → 7 |
6. Leaf blades white-lanate; San Bernardino Mountains, s California | var. vineum |
6. Leaf blades tomentose to floccose; s Sierra Nevada, California | var. monarchense |
7. Leaf blades greenish and thinly tomentose at least adaxially, usually elliptic, infrequently oblong to spatulate; scapes often suberect to decumbent, usually thinly floccose; Rocky Mountains of Alberta, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming, desert ranges of ne Nevada and e Oregon | var. depressum |
7. Leaves densely lanate to white-tomentose on both surfaces or only slightly less so adaxially, not at all greenish, usually round; scapes usually erect, lanate or tomentose; Sierra-Cascade cordillera, desert ranges of Great Basin | var. nivale |
8. Scapes usually 1-5(-7.5) cm; leaf margins brownish; rare, wc Nevada, ec California | → 9 |
8. Scapes usually (4-)7-30(-40) cm, rarely shorter; leaf margins only rarely brownish; widespread | → 10 |
9. Leaf blades densely lanate, brownish margins | var. eximium |
9. Leaf blades white-tomentose, margins not brownish | var. williamsiae |
10. Inflorescences umbellate, branches 1-3 cm; c Idaho and Montana | var. pansum |
10. Inflorescences capitate, branches absent; widespread | → 11 |
11. Flowers 5-7 mm; involucres 5-7 mm; s California | var. vineum |
11. Flowers 4-5 mm; involucres 4-6.5 mm; widespread | → 12 |
| var. ovalifolium |
12. Perianths white to rose or purple. | → 13 |
13. Leaf blades spatulate, oblong, or obovate to oval; scapes (4-)5-20 cm; widespread | var. purpureum |
13. Leaf blades oblanceolate to narrowly elliptic; scapes (15-)20-30(-40) cm; Montana and Wyoming | var. ochroleucum |
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| FNA vol. 5, p. 302. |
FNA vol. 5, p. 319. |
| Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Eucycla |
Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Eucycla |
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. 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. 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 |
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E. ovalifolium var. caelestinum, E. ovalifolium var. depressum, E. ovalifolium var. eximium, E. ovalifolium var. monarchense, E. ovalifolium var. nivale, E. ovalifolium var. ochroleucum, E. ovalifolium var. ovalifolium, E. ovalifolium var. pansum, E. ovalifolium var. purpureum, E. ovalifolium var. vineum, E. ovalifolium var. williamsiae |
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Eucycla ovalifolia |
| S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 26: 125. (1891) |
Nuttall: J. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 7: 50, plate 8, fig. 1. (1834) |
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BC, 
CA, 
OR, 
WA
Flora NW, 
PNW Herbaria, 
SW CO Wildflowers
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist (observations)
USDA Plants Database
