The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links

Douglas' buckwheat, Douglas' wild buckwheat

Kennedy's buckwheat, Kennedy's wild buckwheat

Habit Herbs, matted, occasionally polygamodioecious, 0.4–1.5 × 0.5–6 dm, thinly tomentose to glabrate. Herbs, scapose, matted, 0.4–1.5 × 1–4 dm, glabrous or sparsely floccose to tomentose, grayish or reddish.
Stems

caudex spreading;

aerial flowering stems erect or nearly so, slender, solid, not fistulose, arising at nodes of caudex branches and at distal nodes of short, nonflowering aerial branches, 0.4–1.2 dm, with a whorl of 4–8 leaflike bracts ca. midlength, similar to leaf blades, 0.3–1.5 × 0.1–0.3 cm.

matted, occasionally with persistent leaf bases, up to 1/5 height of plant;

caudex stems matted;

aerial flowering stems scapelike,erect or nearly so, slender, solid, not fistulose, (0.5–)1.5–4.5(–5) dm, glabrous or sparsely floccose to tomentose.

Leaves

in basal rosettes;

petiole 0.05–0.5(–1) cm, tomentose;

blade oblanceolate or elliptic to spatulate, 0.4–1.5(–1.9) × 0.1–0.5 cm, lanate on both surfaces, or tomentose abaxially and slightly less so and greenish adaxially, margins entire, plane.

basal, fasciculate in terminal tufts, sometimes 1 per node and sheathing up stem 1–2 cm;

petiole 0.05–1 cm, tomentose;

blade oblanceolate, elliptic, or oblong, 0.2–1(–1.2) × 0.05–0.4 cm, grayish-, brownish-, white-, or reddish-white-tomentose, usually on both surfaces, margins plane or revolute.

Inflorescences

capitate, 0.8–1.5 cm wide;

branches absent;

bracts absent immediately below involucre.

capitate, 0.4–1 cm;

branches absent;

bracts 4–7, scalelike, triangular, 0.5–2.5(–3) mm.

Peduncles

absent.

Involucres

1 per node, turbinate to turbinate-campanulate, 2.5–3.5 × 2–2.5 mm;

teeth 6–14, lobelike, strongly reflexed, 1.5–4(–6) mm.

3–7 per cluster, turbinate to turbinate-campanulate, 1.5–4 × 1–3.5 mm, rigid, glabrous or tomentose;

teeth 5, erect to spreading, 0.4–1.5 mm.

Flowers

4–9 mm, including 0.7–2 mm stipelike base;

perianth yellow, cream, or ochroleucous to rose-red, sparsely to densely villous abaxially;

tepals monomorphic, obovate;

stamens exserted, 4–6 mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

1.5–4 mm, glabrous;

perianth white to pink or rose;

tepals connate proximal 1/4, monomorphic, oblanceolate to elliptic or obovate to nearly oval;

stamens exserted, 1.5–4 mm;

filaments glabrous or sparsely pubescent proximally.

Achenes

light brown, 3–4.5 mm, glabrous except for pubescent beak.

light brown to brown, 1.8–4 mm, glabrous.

Eriogonum douglasii

Eriogonum kennedyi

Distribution
from FNA
CA; NV; OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; NV
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).

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

Varieties 5 (5 in the flora).

The capitate inflorescence and basal leaves of Eriogonum kennedyi distinguish it from the closely related E. wrightii. At higher elevations in the Transverse Ranges of California, the distinction between E. kennedyi var. kennedyi and E. wrightii var. subscaposum is not always clear, especially near the summit of Mt. Pinos. At lower elevations in the San Bernardino Mountains, in more arid habitats, the distinction between E. kennedyi var. austromontanum and E. wrightii var. subscaposum also is blurred. For the most part this intergradation seems to be associated with a reduction in the length of the inflorescence in depauperate expressions of var. subscaposum and not a result of hybridization. The extreme reduction seen in E. wrightii var. olanchense exemplifies the general trend in the California expressions of that species toward depauperate forms. It is felt that E. kennedyi itself is an established segregate that owes its origin to E. wrightii. Members of the species are food plants for Bauer’s dotted-blue butterfly (Euphilotes baueri) and the Ord Mountain metalmark butterfly (Apodemia mormo dialeuca).

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

Key
1. Leaf blades tomentose abaxially, less so adaxially, narrowly oblanceolate to spatulate; flowers 5-9 mm; e Washington, ne Oregon
var. douglasii
1. Leaf blades usually densely lanate on both surfaces, elliptic to spatulate; flowers 4-8 mm; s Oregon, ne California, n Nevada
→ 2
2. Flowers 4-5(-6) mm; s Oregon, ne California, nw Nevada
var. meridionale
2. Flowers 5-8 mm; ne Nevada
var. elkoense
1. Leaf tomentum white; plants forming dense mats; desert ranges, ec California, wc Nevada
var. purpusii
1. Leaf tomentum grayish or reddish- to brownish- white; plants usually forming loose, open mats; southern Sierra Nevada and Transverse Ranges of s California
→ 2
2. Leaf blades oblong, 0.3-0.5 × 0.1-0.4 cm
var. pinicola
2. Leaf blades oblanceolate to elliptic, 0.2-1.2 × 0.05-0.2 cm
→ 3
3. Scapes 0.5-2(-3) cm
var. alpigenum
3. Scapes 4-15 cm
→ 4
4. Leaf blades 0.2-0.4(-0.5) × 0.05-0.15(-0.2) cm; scapes glabrous; involucres 1.5-2.5 mm
var. kennedyi
4. Leaf blades (0.4-)0.6-1(-1.2) × 0.1-0.2 mm; scapes sparsely tomentose to floccose; involucres 2.5-4 mm
var. austromontanum
Source FNA vol. 5, p. 363. FNA vol. 5, p. 292.
Parent taxa Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Oligogonum 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. divaricatum, 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. 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
Subordinate taxa
E. douglasii var. douglasii, E. douglasii var. elkoense, E. douglasii var. meridionale
E. kennedyi var. alpigenum, E. kennedyi var. austromontanum, E. kennedyi var. kennedyi, E. kennedyi var. pinicola, E. kennedyi var. purpusii
Synonyms E. caespitosum subsp. douglasii
Name authority Bentham: in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 14: 9. (1856) Porter ex S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 12: 263. (1877)
Web links