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divergent buckwheat, divergent wild buckwheat

single-stem wild buckwheat, singlestem buckwheat

Habit Herbs, spreading, 1–2(–3) dm, puberulent to short-pilose, greenish to reddish. Herbs, matted, not scapose, 0.15–0.3 × 1–2 dm, tomentose, greenish.
Stems

aerial flowering stems decumbent to spreading, 0.3–0.5 dm, puberulent to short-pilose.

matted, with persistent leaf bases, up to 1/8 height of plant;

caudex stems matted;

aerial flowering stems erect, slender, solid, not fistulose, 0.05–0.2 dm, tomentose.

Leaves

basal and cauline;

basal: petiole 1–4(–5) cm, puberulent to short-pilose, blade elliptic-oblong to orbiculate, 1–2(–2.5) × 1–2(–2.5) cm, puberulent to short-pilose and green on both surfaces;

cauline: petiole (0–)0.1–2 cm, puberulent to short-pilose, absent distally, blades opposite, oblanceolate to oblong or elliptic, 0.3–1(–1.5) × 0.2–0.8(–1.2) cm, similar to basal blade.

sheathing entire stem, 1 per node or fasciculate;

petiole 0.05–0.15 cm, glabrous;

blade linear to oblanceolate, 0.3–0.8 × 0.1–0.2 cm, densely white-tomentose on both surfaces, margins revolute.

Inflorescences

cymose, distally uniparous due to suppression of secondary branches, diffuse, 5–25 × 10–45 cm;

branches puberulent;

bracts 1–3(–5) × 1–2 mm.

cymose or racemose, condensed, 0.2–0.5(–0.8) × 0.3–0.8 cm;

branches dichotomous or secondaries suppressed, tomentose;

bracts absent.

Peduncles

absent.

absent.

Involucres

somewhat appressed to branches, campanulate, 1–2 × 1–2 mm, pilose;

teeth 5, lobelike, spreading to somewhat reflexed, 0.7–1.5 mm.

1 per node, campanulate, 1.5–3 × 1.5–3 mm, tomentose;

teeth 4–5, erect to slightly spreading, 1–2 mm.

Flowers

(1–)1.5–2 mm;

perianth yellow, rarely pale yellow, hispidulous and glandular with yellowish-white hairs;

tepals monomorphic, oblong-lanceolate to oblong-ovate;

stamens included, 0.7–1.5 mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

2–2.5 mm;

perianth yellow, white-tomentose abaxially;

tepals connate proximal 1/4, monomorphic, lanceolate;

stamens exserted, 2.5–3 mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

Achenes

light brown, 3-gonous, 1.5–2 mm.

light brown, 2–2.5 mm, sparsely pubescent.

Eriogonum divaricatum

Eriogonum acaule

Phenology Flowering May–Oct. Flowering May–Jul.
Habitat Heavy clay flats and slopes, saltbush, greasewood, and sagebrush communities, pinyon-juniper woodlands Gravelly or clayey flats and slopes, saltbush or sagebrush communities
Elevation 1100-2300(-2500) m (3600-7500(-8200) ft) 2000-2500 m (6600-8200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CO; NM; UT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CO; WY
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Eriogonum divaricatum basically is a species of the Colorado Plateau of southwestern Wyoming (Sublette, Sweetwater, and Uinta counties), eastern Utah (Carbon, Emery, Garfield, Grand, Kane, San Juan, Sevier, and Wayne counties), western Colorado (Mesa and Montezuma counties), northern Arizona (Apache, Coconino, and Navajo counties), and northwestern New Mexico (McKinley and San Juan counties), where it is infrequent to common but only rarely abundant. There are several disjunct populations well removed from that core area; the species occurs in Beaver and Millard counties of west-central Utah, and in Clayhole Valley, Mohave County, Arizona. In New Mexico, it was found around San Ysidro, Sandoval County, in 1926. The most extreme disjunctions were two populations found in Argentina during the growing season of 1899–1900. Those plants were named Eriogonum ameghinoi Spegazzini, which ultimately became the only species of the genus Sanmartinia M. Buchinger. Probably introduced there by migrating birds, the species did not persist in South America (J. L. Reveal 1981b).

The divergent wild buckwheat was used ceremonially by the Navajo (Diné) people in one of their snake dances, and portions of the plant were smoked in the treatment of snakebite (A. Clifford, pers. comm.; L. C. Wyman and S. K. Harris 1951).

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

Eriogonum acaule is the ultimate reduction in the E. brevicaule complex. The low, matted habit of this rather elegant species makes it attractive to rock garden enthusiasts. In Colorado, the Bureau of Land Management considers it a “sensitive” species; it is known only from Moffat County. It is encountered more frequently in Wyoming, where it is found in Albany, Carbon, Fremont, Lincoln, Natrona, Sublette, Sweetwater, Teton, and Uinta counties. The species is to be expected just south of the Daggett County line in northeastern Utah.

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

Source FNA vol. 5, p. 429. FNA vol. 5, p. 270.
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. davidsonii, E. deflexum, E. deserticola, E. desertorum, E. diatomaceum, E. diclinum, 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. 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. 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. caespitosum subsp. acaule, E. caespitosum var. acaule
Name authority Hooker: Hooker’s J. Bot. Kew Gard. Misc. 5: 265. (1853) Nuttall: Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 4: 13. (1848)
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