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elegant buckwheat, elegant wild buckwheat

ocherflower wild buckwheat, white woolly buckwheat, whitewoolly wild buckwheat

Habit Herbs, erect, 1–4 dm; glabrous, grayish. Herbs, matted, scapose, 0.5–4.5(–5) × 0.5–3 dm, glabrous or glandular, grayish.
Stems

aerial flowering stems erect, 0.5–1 dm, glabrous.

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

caudex stems matted or absent;

aerial flowering stems scapelike, erect, slender, solid, not fistulose, (0.5–)1.5–4.5(–5) dm, glabrous, rarely slightly floccose, or glandular below inflorescence.

Leaves

basal;

petiole 0.3–3 cm, thinly tomentose;

blade oblong or rounded to subcordate, 0.3–1.5 × 0.3–1.5 cm, densely white-tomentose abaxially, mostly tomentose and grayish or greenish adaxially.

basal, fasciculate in terminal tufts, sometimes 1 per node and sheathing up stem 1–4 cm;

petiole 1–4(–5) cm, tomentose;

blade oblanceolate or lanceolate to elliptic, oblong, or ovate to obovate, (0.6–)1–3.5(–4) × (0.3–)0.5–1.5 cm, densely tomentose abaxially, only slightly less so adaxially, margins plane.

Inflorescences

cymose, occasionally distally uniparous due to suppression of secondary branches, open to somewhat diffuse, 5–3.5 × 5–30 cm;

branches glabrous;

bracts 0.5–2 × 1–2 mm.

capitate, 1.5–2.5 cm;

branches absent;

bracts 3, scalelike, narrowly triangular, 1–2.5 mm.

Peduncles

absent.

absent or erect, slender, 0.1–0.5(–0.6) cm, glabrous.

Involucres

somewhat appressed to branches, turbinate, 1–1.5 × 0.6–0.8 mm, glabrous;

teeth 5, erect, 0.2–0.3 mm.

5–8 per cluster, turbinate to campanulate, 3.5–5.5(–6) × (1.5–)2–4.5(–5) mm, rigid, floccose at least on teeth, occasionally glandular, rarely glabrous;

teeth 6–8, erect, 0.5–1 mm.

Flowers

1–1.5 mm;

perianth white to rose, glabrous;

tepals slightly dimorphic, those of outer whorl oblong-obovate, those of inner whorl oblong;

stamens included, 1 mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

1.5–3 mm;

perianth yellow, glabrous or weakly glandular abaxially;

tepals connate proximally, monomorphic, broadly oblong;

stamens exserted, 2.5–3.5(–4) mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

Achenes

brown, 3-gonous, 1–1.5 mm.

light brown, (1.5–)2–3 mm, glabrous.

Eriogonum elegans

Eriogonum ochrocephalum

Phenology Flowering May–Nov.
Habitat Sandy to gravelly flats and slopes, mixed grassland communities, oak and pine woodlands
Elevation 200-1200 m (700-3900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; ID; NV; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Eriogonum elegans is found primarily on the coastal mountains (Fresno, Monterey, San Benito, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, and Ventura counties). It is more slender and elegant than E. baileyi. It is rather infrequent especially near the coast, but it can be locally common to even abundant on the Inner Coast Ranges.

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

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

Variety ochrocephalum is occasionally seen in rock gardens, and var. calcareum is worthy of cultivation.

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

Key
1. Scapes glandular at least proximal to inflorescence; ne California, nw Nevada
var. ochrocephalum
1. Scapes glabrous or, rarely, slightly floccose; sw Idaho, se Oregon, wc Nevada
var. calcareum
Source FNA vol. 5, p. 426. FNA vol. 5, p. 283.
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. divaricatum, E. douglasii, E. eastwoodianum, E. effusum, E. elatum, 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. 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. ochrocephalum var. calcareum, E. ochrocephalum var. ochrocephalum
Synonyms E. baileyi subsp. elegans, E. vimineum var. elegans
Name authority Greene: Pittonia 2: 173. (1891) S. Watson: in W. H. Brewer et al., Bot. California 2: 480. (1880)
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