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Esmeralda buckwheat, Esmeralda wild buckwheat

Palmer's buckwheat, Palmer's wild buckwheat

Habit Herbs, erect to spreading, annual, (0.5–)1–5(–10) dm, glabrous or glandular proximally, mostly grayish. Herbs, spreading to erect, (0.5–)1–3 dm, mostly floccose to tomentose, grayish to tawy.
Stems

caudex absent;

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

aerial flowering stems mostly erect, 0.3–0.8 dm, floccose to tomentose.

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.

basal;

petiole 1–4 cm, floccose;

blade suborbiculate to cordate, 0.5–1.5(–1.8) × 0.5–2 cm, densely white- to grayish-tomentose abaxially, less so to glabrate and often greenish adaxially.

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.

cymose, distally uniparous due to suppression of secondary branches, open, 5–2.5 × 10–30 cm;

branches not inwardly curved distally, floccose to tomentose;

bracts 0.5–3 × 1–3 mm.

Peduncles

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

absent.

Involucres

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

teeth 4–5, erect, 0.2–0.4 mm.

appressed to branches, campanulate, 1.5–2 × 1.5–2 mm, floccose to tomentose;

teeth 5, erect, 0.2–0.3 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.

1.5–2 mm;

perianth white to pink or pale yellowish, becoming pink to red, glabrous;

tepals dimorphic, those of outer whorl narrowly fan-shaped, those of inner whorl oblanceolate;

stamens included, 1–1.5 mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

Achenes

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

brown, 3-gonous, 1.5–1.8 mm.

2n

= 40.

Eriogonum esmeraldense

Eriogonum palmerianum

Phenology Flowering Mar–Oct.
Habitat Sandy to gravelly washes, flats, and slopes, saltbush, greasewood, creosote bush, blackbrush, and sagebrush communities, pinyon and/or juniper woodlands
Elevation (300-)600-2300(-2700) m ((1000-)2000-7500(-8900) ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; NV; UT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CA; CO; ID; NM; NV; UT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

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

Eriogonum palmerianum is common and widespread, sometimes becoming locally abundant and even weedy. It is found in the southern Great Basin and Mojave deserts of eastern California eastward through Nevada, southwestern Idaho, and Utah, on to the Colorado Plateau of western Colorado. In Arizona and New Mexico, it occurs mainly in the Sonoran Desert. Occasional collections are difficult to distinguish from E. nidularium, but such confusion usually is not encountered in the field.

(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
Source FNA vol. 5, p. 392. FNA vol. 5, p. 428.
Parent taxa Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Ganysma Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Oregonium
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. 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. 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
Synonyms E. plumatella var. palmeri
Name authority S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 24: 85. (1889) Reveal: in P. A. Munz, Suppl. Calif. Fl., 58. (1968)
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