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alpine golden buckwheat, alpine golden wild buckwheat, yellow buckwheat

little desert buckwheat, little desert trumpet

Habit Herbs, matted, 0.2–4 × 1–10 dm, tomentose to floccose. Herbs, spreading to somewhat erect, annual, 1–4.5(–6) dm, glabrous and often glaucous, yellow-green.
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.

caudex absent;

aerial flowering stems erect, occasionally hollow and fistulose, 0.5–2(–3) dm, glabrous, minutely hirsute or short-hispid proximally.

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 1–6 cm, hirsute;

blade broadly oblong, (0.5–)1–2.5(–4) × (0.5–)1–2(–3) cm, short-hirsute on both surfaces and greenish, margins wavy.

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, open to dense, usually spreading, 5–30 × 5–50 cm;

branches usually not fistulose, glabrous;

bracts 3, scalelike, 1–4 × 1–2 mm.

Peduncles

mostly erect, straight, capillary, 0.5–1.5 cm, glabrous.

Involucres

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

teeth 5–8, erect, 0.2–1 mm.

turbinate, 0.7–1 × 0.6–0.9 mm, glabrous;

teeth 4(–5), erect, 0.3–0.4 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.

1–2 mm;

perianth yellow to greenish yellow with greenish to reddish midribs, densely hirsute with coarse curved hairs;

tepals monomorphic, narrowly ovate;

stamens exserted, 0.9–1.5 mm;

filaments sparsely pubescent proximally.

Achenes

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

light brown to brown, lenticular to 3-gonous, 1–1.5 mm, glabrous.

Eriogonum flavum

Eriogonum trichopes

Phenology Flowering year-round.
Habitat Clayey, sandy to gravelly flats, washes, and slopes, mixed grassland, saltbush, creosote bush, blackbrush, and mesquite communities, pinyon and/or juniper woodlands
Elevation -60-1500(-1900) m (-200-4900(-6200) ft)
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
AZ; CA; NM; NV; UT; Mexico (Baja California, Chihuahua, Sonora)
[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.)

Eriogonum trichopes is common on the Sonoran Desert and the southern portion of the Mojave Desert from southern California (Imperial, Inyo, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego counties), eastward across southern Nevada (Clark, Lincoln, and Nye counties), southwestern Utah (Washington County), and Arizona (Coconino, Cochise, Gila, Graham, La Paz, Maricopa, Mohave, Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz, Yavapai, and Yuma counties) to southern New Mexico (Cibola, Dona Ana, Grant, Hidalgo, Luna, Otero, and Valencia counties). It is also found to the south in northern Mexico (Baja California Norte, Sonora, and Chihuahua). Two related species occur in Baja California, the perennial E. scalare and the annual E. intricatum. Unlike E. trichopes, which occasionally has inflated stems, neither of those Mexican species exhibits that trait.

(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
Source FNA vol. 5, p. 371. FNA vol. 5, p. 387.
Parent taxa Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Ganysma
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. 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. 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. 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
Synonyms E. flavum var. polyphyllum, E. polyphyllum E. trichopes subsp. minus
Name authority Nuttall: Cat. Pl. Upper Louisiana, no. 34. (1813) Torrey: in W. H. Emory, Not. Milit. Reconn., 150. (1848)
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