Eriogonum fasciculatum |
Eriogonum pelinophilum |
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California buckwheat, California wild buckwheat, eastern Mojave buckwheat, eastern Mojave wild buckwheat |
clay-loving buckwheat, clay-loving wild buckwheat |
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Habit | Shrubs or subshrubs, compact to spreading or rounded and more or less erect, occasionally decumbent, infrequently scapose, (1–)2–15 × 2–25(–30) dm, tomentose to canescent, floccose, or glabrous. | Subshrubs, spreading, not scapose, 0.5–1(–1.2) × 0.8–3(–4) dm, floccose or glabrous, grayish. | ||||||||||||
Stems | sprawling or spreading to erect, often with persistent leaf bases, up to 1/2 or more height of plant; caudex stems absent or matted to spreading; aerial flowering stems erect to spreading, slender, solid, not fistulose, 0.3–2.5(–3) dm, tomentose, canescent, or glabrous. |
spreading, without persistent leaf bases, up to 1/3 height of plant; caudex stems absent or compact; aerial flowering stems spreading to erect, slender, solid, not fistulose, 0.05–0.1 dm, thinly floccose or glabrous. |
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Leaves | cauline, 1 per node or fasciculate; petiole 0.1–0.3 cm, canescent; blade linear to linear-oblanceolate or oblanceolate, 0.6–1.5(–1.8) × 0.05–0.4(–0.6) cm, white-tomentose or canescent to subglabrous abaxially, tomentose or canescent and grayish, subglabrous, or glabrous and green adaxially, margins often revolute. |
cauline, 1 per node; petiole 0.05–0.1 cm, floccose; blade oblanceolate, 0.5–1.2(–1.5) × 0.08–0.2(–0.3) cm, densely white-tomentose abaxially, subglabrous or glabrous and green adaxially, margins tightly revolute. |
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Inflorescences | cymose, infrequently cymose-umbellate or capitate, compact to open, occasionally flat-topped, 0.2–20 × 0.2–15 cm; branches dichotomous, infrequently absent, tomentose to canescent or glabrous; bracts usually 3, scalelike, triangular, and 1–3 mm, or leaflike, linear to oblanceolate, and 3–10 × 1–3 mm. |
cymose, compact, 0.1–2 × 1–3 cm; branches dichotomous, thinly floccose or glabrous; bracts 3, scalelike, triangular, 0.5–1 mm. |
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Peduncles | absent. |
absent or erect, 0.1–0.5 cm, floccose or glabrous. |
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Involucres | (1–)3–8 per cluster, turbinate to campanulate, 2–4 × 1.5–3 mm, canescent, pubescent, glabrous, or subglabrous; teeth 5, erect, 0.3–1.2 mm. |
1 per node, narrowly turbinate, (2–)2.5–3.5 × 1–1.5 mm, floccose or glabrous; teeth 5, erect, 0.3–0.4 mm. |
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Flowers | 2.5–3 mm; perianth white to pinkish, glabrous or pubescent; tepals connate proximal 1/4, monomorphic, usually elliptic to obovate; stamens exserted, 2.5–5 mm; filaments subglabrous or pubescent proximally. |
(2.5–)3–3.5 mm; perianth cream, glabrous; tepals connate proximal 1/2, essentially monomorphic, oblong; stamens slightly exserted, 2.5–4 mm; filaments sparsely pilose proximally. |
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Achenes | light brown to brown, 1.8–2.5 mm, glabrous. |
light brown, 3–3.5 mm, glabrous. |
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2n | = 40. |
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Eriogonum fasciculatum |
Eriogonum pelinophilum |
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Phenology | Flowering May–Jul. | |||||||||||||
Habitat | Heavy clay flats and slopes, saltbush communities | |||||||||||||
Elevation | 1600-1900 m (5200-6200 ft) | |||||||||||||
Distribution |
AZ; CA; NV; UT; including nw Mexico
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CO |
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Discussion | Varieties 5 (4 in the flora). Eriogonum fasciculatum is a complex, polyploid series of variants that are generally distinct but often difficult to distinguish morphologically. Variety emphereium Reveal is confined to central Baja California, Mexico. The introduction of Eriogonum fasciculatum as a decorative roadside plant by the California Department of Transportation is resulting in hybrid populations involving E. cinereum. The aggressively weedy and (for Arizona) exotic variety foliosum is rapidly invading the native habitat of var. polifolium. Members of E. fasciculatum are food plants for several butterflies, notably the Bernardino dotted-blue (Euphilotes bernardino), lupine blue (Plebeius lupini), Mormon metalmark (Apodemia mormo), and Behr’s metalmark (A. virgulti). Probably the butterfly most commonly seen with the species is the nut-brown hairstreak (Satyrium saepium), which frequents plants in full flower. Eriogonum fasciculatum is also the most important native source of honey in California. This widespread species was used extensively by Native Americans for a variety of ailments. Its application for pain and headaches (D. P. Barrows 1900; K. Hedges 1986; E. W. Voegelin 1938) was rather common, as was its general use for diarrhea (Hedges; Voegelin). M. L. Zigmond (1981) reported that the Kawaiisu lined their acorn granaries with leaves of var. proliferum to keep out rain—a daunting challenge given the size of the leaves! L. Hinton (1975) reported the use of a decoction of dried flowers and roots to maintain a healthy heart, and M. C. Stevenson (1915) indicated that a powder derived from the roots was used by the Zuñi to treat wounds, whereas a root decoction was taken for colds and hoarseness. B. R. Bocek (1984) reported that the Costanoan Indians of California used a decoction of the plant to treat unspecified urinary problems. F. H. Elmore (1943) reported the use of a decoction of var. proliferum by the Navajo (Diné) people as an anti-witchcraft medicine. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Of conservation concern. Eriogonum pelinophilum is a federally listed endangered species with designated critical habitat. It is known only from Mancos Shale hills in Delta and Montrose counties. Much of the former habitat in the Montrose, Colorado, area has been destroyed since the species was listed in 1984. The type locality in Delta County was largely destroyed in 2001 by off-road vehicle activities in the designated critical habitat. A small population is preserved at the Fairview Natural Area east of Montrose. Eriogonum pelinophilum is similar to E. clavellatum although the two are well-separated geographically. It is a smaller plant than E. clavellatum in habit. The flowers of E. clavellatum lack the pronounced, rounded, greenish-red to brownish-red base of the perianth seen in E. pelinophilum, and the tepals are distinctly dimorphic in E. clavellatum whereas they are essentially monomorphic in E. pelinophilum. Ants actively pollinate the flowers, being involved with both self- and cross-pollination. Some 50 additional visitors were found associated with the flowers, but none was confirmed as a pollinator (W. R. Bowlin et al. 1993). The species is in the Center for Plant Conservation’s National Collection of Endangered Plants. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
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Key |
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Source | FNA vol. 5, p. 297. | FNA vol. 5, p. 252. | ||||||||||||
Parent taxa | Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Eucycla | Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Eucycla | ||||||||||||
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Name authority | Bentham: Trans. Linn. Soc. London 17: 411. (1836) | Reveal: Great Basin Naturalist 33: 120. (1973) | ||||||||||||
Web links |