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Gordon's buckwheat, Gordon's eriogonum, Gordon's wild buckwheat

rock buckwheat, rock wild buckwheat, round-head buckwheat, round-head eriogonum

Habit Herbs, erect to spreading, annual, (0.5–)1–5(–7) dm, glabrous or sparsely hispid, grayish. Subshrubs, spreading to erect, infrequently polygamodioecious, 0.5–4 × 3–5(–6) dm, floccose or glabrous.
Stems

caudex absent;

aerial flowering stems erect, solid, not fistulose, 0.5–1.5(–3) dm, glabrous or sparsely hispid.

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, (0.3–)0.5–1 dm, thinly floccose or glabrous, with a whorl of 4–8 leaflike bracts ca. midlength or proximally, linear-oblanceolate to oblanceolate, 1–2 × 0.1–0.4 cm.

Leaves

basal;

petiole 1–5 cm, glabrous or sparsely hirsute;

blade obovate to round or reniform, 1–5 × 1–5 cm, sparsely villous to hirsute and green on both surfaces, becoming glabrous with age, margins plane.

in loose to congested basal rosettes;

petiole 0.05–0.3 cm, floccose or glabrous;

blade linear-oblanceolate, narrowly oblanceolate, or narrowly spatulate, 1–3(–4) × (0.1–)0.3–0.6(–1) cm, lanate or tomentose to floccose or glabrous, margins entire, plane or revolute.

Inflorescences

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

branches not fistulose, glabrous or sparsely hispid;

bracts 3, scalelike, 0.5–2(–3) × 0.5–2.5 mm.

capitate, compound-umbellate, or umbellate, 1–2 cm wide or 1–5 × 1–5 cm;

branches thinly floccose or glabrous;

bracts absent immediately below involucre.

Peduncles

erect, straight, slender, 0.5–2.5(–4) cm, glabrous.

Involucres

campanulate, 0.6–1.5 × 0.8–1.5 mm, glabrous;

teeth 5, erect, 0.2–0.4 mm.

1 per node, turbinate-campanulate to campanulate, 3–4 × 2.5–4.5 mm;

teeth 6–10, lobelike, slightly reflexed, 1.5–3(–5) mm.

Flowers

1–2.5 mm;

perianth white with greenish or reddish midribs, rarely yellowish, becoming pink to rose, glabrous;

tepals monomorphic, oblong to narrowly ovate;

stamens included to exserted, 1–1.8 mm;

filaments glabrous.

(5–)6–9 mm, including 1–2 mm stipelike base;

perianth pale to bright yellow or cream to ochroleucous, villous abaxially;

tepals monomorphic, obovate to oblong-ovate;

stamens exserted, 4–6 mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

Achenes

shiny light brown to brown, 3-gonous, 2–2.5 mm, glabrous.

light brown, 3–4 mm, glabrous except for sparsely pubescent beak.

Eriogonum gordonii

Eriogonum sphaerocephalum

Phenology Flowering May–Oct.
Habitat Sandy to clayey flats and slopes, saltbush, greasewood, and sagebrush communities, pinyon and/or juniper or montane conifer woodlands
Elevation 900-2200 m (3000-7200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CO; NE; NM; SD; UT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; ID; NV; OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Eriogonum gordonii is common to even locally abundant throughout a range that extends in an arc from the Colorado Plateau of extreme northern Coconino and Apache counties, Arizona, and San Juan County, New Mexico, northward through the desert regions of eastern Utah and western Colorado into southwestern Wyoming, then northeastward mainly in short-grass prairie through east-central Wyoming and extreme northwestern Nebraska to South Dakota. A series of disjunct populations occurs in Fremont and Las Animas counties in Colorado. The species can be weedy in appearance but usually is absent from areas of significant disturbance, unlike other annual wild buckwheats.

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

Varieties 4 (4 in the flora).

The Piute of Nevada have used a decoction of the root of Eriogonum sphaerocephalum (either var. sphaerocephalum or var. halimoides) to treat colds and diarrhea (P. Train et al. 1941).

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

Key
1. Perianths bright yellow; inflorescences umbellate or compound-umbellate; ne California, sw Idaho, n and wc Nevada, e Oregon, and e Washington
var. sphaerocephalum
1. Perianths pale yellow to cream or ochroleucous; inflorescences umbellate, compound-umbellate, or capitate; ne California, sw or wc Idaho, c Oregon, and c Washington
→ 2
2. Leaf blades usually thinly floccose or glabrous on both surfaces; inflorescences umbellate or compound-umbellate; sw Idaho
var. fasciculifolium
2. Leaf blades tomentose on both surfaces, or floccose adaxially; inflorescence capitate or umbellate; ne California to nw Nevada, c Oregon to wc Idaho, and c Washington. [3. Shifted to left margin.—Ed.]
→ 3
3. Leaf blades usually narrowly oblanceolate to narrowly spatulate, margins plane; ne California to nw Nevada, c Oregon to wc Idaho, and c Washington
var. halimioides
3. Leaf blades linear-oblanceolate, margins usually revolute; nc Oregon, sc Washington
var. sublineare
Source FNA vol. 5, p. 391. FNA vol. 5, p. 361.
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. esmeraldense, E. evanidum, E. exaltatum, E. exilifolium, E. fasciculatum, E. flavum, E. fusiforme, E. giganteum, E. gilmanii, E. glandulosum, 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. 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. sphaerocephalum var. fasciculifolium, E. sphaerocephalum var. halimioides, E. sphaerocephalum var. sphaerocephalum, E. sphaerocephalum var. sublineare
Name authority Bentham: in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 14: 20. (1856) Douglas ex Bentham: Trans. Linn. Soc. London 17: 407. (1836)
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