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Esmeralda buckwheat, Esmeralda wild buckwheat

marum-leaf buckwheat, marum-leaf wild buckwheat, mountain buckwheat

Habit Herbs, erect to spreading, annual, (0.5–)1–5(–10) dm, glabrous or glandular proximally, mostly grayish. Herbs, matted, dioecious, (0.1–)0.5–5 × 2–8 dm, floccose or glabrous.
Stems

caudex absent;

aerial flowering stems erect, solid, not fistulose, 0.5–1(–3) dm, glabrous or sparsely glandular proximally.

caudex spreading;

aerial flowering stems erect, slender, solid, not fistulose, arising at nodes of caudex branches and at distal nodes of short, non-flowering aerial branches, (0.1–)0.5–4 dm, floccose or glabrous.

Leaves

basal;

petiole 0.5–4 cm, strigose to hispid;

blade obovate to round-ovate, 0.5–2.5 × 0.4–2 cm, sparsely strigose to pilose-hispid, often slightly glandular, grayish, greenish, or reddish on both surfaces, or reddish adaxially, margins plane.

in loose to compact basal rosettes;

petiole 0.3–2 cm, often tomentose;

blade ovate to oval, 0.3–3 × 0.3–1 cm, densely tannish- to brownish-lanate abaxially, glabrate and green to olive green adaxially, margins entire, plane.

Inflorescences

cymose, open to diffuse, 5–40(–70) × 5–50 cm;

branches not fistulose, glabrous or sparsely glandular near proximal nodes;

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

capitate, 0.5–2 cm wide, mature pistillate plants open and elongate-umbellate, 1–5 × 1–7 cm;

branches usually glabrous;

bracts 5–10, leaflike, 0.2–0.8 cm, often absent immediately below involucre.

Peduncles

spreading to reflexed, straight, slender to filiform, 0.2–1.5 cm, glabrous.

Involucres

narrowly turbinate, 0.8–1.8 × 0.5–1.2 mm, glabrous;

teeth 4–5, erect, 0.2–0.4 mm.

1 per node but occasionally appearing congested, turbinate and 2–3 × 1.5–2 mm or campanulate and 4–5 × 5–7 mm, sparsely tomentose or glabrous;

teeth 5–6, erect, 0.4–0.7 mm.

Flowers

1–3 mm;

perianth white to pinkish with greenish or reddish midribs, glabrous, minutely pustulose proximally;

tepals monomorphic, oblanceolate to oblong;

stamens included, 1–1.5(–1.8) mm;

filaments glabrous.

stipelike base 0.5–1 mm;

perianth yellow, glabrous; staminate flowers 1.5–3 mm, tepals ovate; pistillate flowers 4–7 mm, tepals oblanceolate, often becoming reddish in fruit;

stamens exserted, 2–3 mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

Achenes

light brown, 3-gonous, 1.4–2.5 mm, glabrous.

light brown to brown, 3.5–5 mm, glabrous except for sparsely pubescent beak.

2n

= 32.

Eriogonum esmeraldense

Eriogonum marifolium

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

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

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

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

Eriogonum marifolium is dioecious, with the two sexes having such markedly different morphology that collectors often consider each to represent a different species. In Oregon, male plants of E. marifolium and E. umbellatum var. haussknechtii can be difficult to distinguish. In El Dorado and Placer counties, California, herbarium specimens of E. marifolium and E. incanum can be difficult to separate, as their distribution ranges overlap there.

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

Key
1. Flowering stems and inflorescence branches glabrous
var. esmeraldense
1. Flowering stems and inflorescence branches glandular to sparsely glandular proximally
var. toiyabense
1. Involucres turbinate, 2-3 × 1.5-2 mm; ne California, wc Nevada, s Oregon, disjunct to Yakima County, Washington
var. marifolium
1. Involucres campanulate, 4-5 × 5-7 mm; nc California
var. cupulatum
Source FNA vol. 5, p. 392. FNA vol. 5, p. 365.
Parent taxa Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Ganysma Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Oligogonum
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. elegans, E. elongatum, E. ephedroides, E. eremicola, E. eremicum, E. ericifolium, 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. 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. esmeraldense var. esmeraldense, E. esmeraldense var. toiyabense
E. marifolium var. cupulatum, E. marifolium var. marifolium
Synonyms E. cupulatum, E. marifolium var. apertum
Name authority S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 24: 85. (1889) Torrey & A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 8: 161. (1870)
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