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alpine golden buckwheat, alpine golden wild buckwheat, yellow buckwheat

Bailey buckwheat, Bailey's buckwheat, Bailey's wild buckwheat

Habit Herbs, matted, 0.2–4 × 1–10 dm, tomentose to floccose. Herbs, erect to spreading, 1–4(–5) dm, glabrous or tomentose, grayish.
Stems

caudex absent or 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, (0.1–)0.5–2(–3) dm, tomentose to floccose.

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

Leaves

basal, occasionally in rosettes;

petiole 0.5–4 cm, tomentose to floccose;

blade linear-oblanceolate to oblong or elliptic, 1–7(–9) × (0.3–)0.5–1.5 cm, densely whitish- or grayish-tomentose abaxially, mostly tomentose to floccose or glabrous and green adaxially, margins entire, plane.

basal;

petiole 0.5–3 cm, tomentose;

blade suborbiculate, 0.5–2 × 0.5–2 cm, densely white-tomentose abaxially, mostly tomentose and grayish to greenish adaxially.

Inflorescences

subcapitate or umbellate, 0.5–3(–5) × 0.3–2.5(–3) dm;

branches tomentose to floccose;

bracts 4–6, leaflike to semileaflike at proximal node, 0.5–2 × 0.2–0.5 cm, sometimes absent immediately below involucre.

cymose, infrequently distally uniparous due to suppression of secondary branches, open to diffuse, 5–35(–45) × 5–35(–4) cm;

branches glabrous or tomentose;

bracts 0.5–3 × 1–3 mm.

Peduncles

absent.

Involucres

1 per node, turbinate to campanulate, 3–9 × 2–5 mm, tomentose to floccose;

teeth 5–8, erect, 0.2–1 mm.

somewhat appressed to branches, turbinate, 1–1.5 × 0.5–1 mm, glabrous or tomentose;

teeth 5, erect, 0.2–0.3 mm.

Flowers

3–7 mm, including 0.2–1.5 mm stipelike base;

perianth pale to bright yellow, densely pubescent abaxially;

tepals monomorphic, oblong;

stamens exserted, 3–6 mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

1.5–2 mm;

perianth white to rose, minutely glandular, rarely glabrous;

tepals monomorphic, oblong to oblong-obovate, somewhat constricted near middle and flaring adaxially;

stamens included, 1–1.5 mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

Achenes

light brown to brown, 3–5 mm, glabrous except for sparsely pubescent beak.

brown, 3-gonous, 1–1.5 mm.

Eriogonum flavum

Eriogonum baileyi

Distribution
from FNA
AK; CO; ID; MT; ND; NE; OR; SD; WA; WY; AB; BC; MB; SK; YT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; ID; NV; OR; UT; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).

Eriogonum flavum approaches E. arcuatum morphologically in southeastern Wyoming, and a clear distinction is not always possible when the plants are immature or the herbarium material is poor.

Variety polyphyllum, as traditionally circumscribed, is an alpine phase of both var. flavum and var. piperi; it is encountered infrequently in scattered range in the high mountains of southwestern Montana and northwestern Wyoming.

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

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

Eriogonum baileyi is closely related to and sometimes difficult to distinguish from E. elegans of the Inner Coast Ranges of California, and E. brachyanthum along the eastern edge of the Sierra Nevada, especially in Inyo and Mono counties. However, these species do not seem to intergrade. Eriogonum baileyi often grows with other annual wild buckwheats (especially E. ampullaceum and E. brachyanthum), so care must be taken not to make mixed collections.

The Kawaiisu people of southern California pounded the seeds into a meal, which they ate dry, and also mixed with water to serve as a beverage (M. L. Zigmond 1981).

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

Key
1. Stipelike bases of flowers 1-1.5 mm; usually w of Continental Divide; sw Alberta and British Columbia, n Idaho, w Montana, ne Oregon, e Washington, nw Wyoming
var. piperi
1. Stipelike bases of flowers 0.2-1 mm; usually e of Continental Divide; ec Alaska, s Alberta, sw Manitoba, s Saskatchewan, wc Yukon, Montana, w Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, e Wyoming, and Colorado
→ 2
2. Leaf blades (0.3-)1-1.5 cm wide; inflorescence branches 4-20 cm; s Alberta, sw Manitoba, s Saskatchewan, Montana, w Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, e Wyoming, and Colorado
var. flavum
2. Leaf blades 0.4-1 cm wide; inflorescence branches 0.5-2 cm; ec Alaska, wc Yukon
var. aquilinum
1. Flowering stems and inflorescence branches glabrous; e and s California, sc Idaho, Nevada, e Oregon, sw Utah, e Washington
var. baileyi
1. Flowering stems and inflorescence branches tomentose; ne California, w and nc Nevada, c Idaho
var. praebens
Source FNA vol. 5, p. 371. FNA vol. 5, p. 425.
Parent taxa Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum 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. esmeraldense, E. evanidum, E. exaltatum, E. exilifolium, E. fasciculatum, 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. 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. 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. flavum var. aquilinum, E. flavum var. flavum, E. flavum var. piperi
E. baileyi var. baileyi, E. baileyi var. praebens
Synonyms E. flavum var. polyphyllum, E. polyphyllum E. vimineum subsp. baileyi
Name authority Nuttall: Cat. Pl. Upper Louisiana, no. 34. (1813) S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 10: 348. (1875)
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