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slender buckwheat, slender woolly buckwheat, slender woolly wild buckwheat

Zion buckwheat

Habit Herbs, erect to spreading or somewhat decumbent, (0.7–)1.5–5(–7) dm, lanate to tomentose or floccose, rarely glabrous, greenish to whitish or grayish. Herbs, erect to spreading, 3–8(–10) × 0.5–1.5 dm, glabrous and glaucous, rarely tomentose, greenish.
Stems

aerial flowering stems erect, 0.5–2 dm, lanate to tomentose or floccose, rarely glabrous.

spreading to erect, without persistent leaf bases, up to 1/8 height of plant;

caudex stems absent;

aerial flowering stems erect to spreading, slender to stout, solid or hollow, often fistulose, 1–2.5(–3) dm, glabrous, rarely tomentose.

Leaves

basal and cauline;

basal: petiole 1–4 cm, floccose, not winged, blade oblanceolate to oblong, (0.8–)1–4(–6) × 0.5–2 cm, tomentose abaxially, less so to floccose and greenish to grayish adaxially;

cauline: petiole 0.3–2 cm, floccose, blade oblanceolate, 0.5–3 × 0.3–1.5 cm, similar to basal blade.

basal, 1 per node;

petiole 3–6(–10) cm, tomentose to floccose;

blade elliptic or oblong-ovate to ovate, 2–4.5(–6) × 1.5–2.5(–5) cm, lanate to densely tomentose abaxially, thinly floccose or glabrous and green adaxially, margins plane.

Inflorescences

cymose, occasionally distally uniparous due to suppression of secondary branches, open to somewhat diffuse, 0.5–4 × 0.5–3 cm;

branches lanate to tomentose or floccose, rarely glabrous, straight or nearly so, not inwardly curved distally;

bracts 0.5–3 × 1–3 mm.

narrowly virgate or racemose with involucres racemosely disposed throughout or at tips, 20–50(–60) × 5–25 cm, glabrous, rarely tomentose;

branches dichotomous, upper secondaries suppressed and bearing (8–)10–15(–20) racemosely arranged involucres;

bracts 3, scalelike, triangular, and 2–7 mm, or leaflike, elliptic, and 10–30 × 4–15 mm.

Peduncles

absent.

absent.

Involucres

somewhat appressed to branches, turbinate, (1.8–)2–3 × 1.5–2 mm, floccose or glabrous;

teeth 5, erect, 0.3–0.6 mm.

1 per node, turbinate to turbinate-campanulate, 1.5–3 × 1.5–2.5 mm, tomentose;

teeth 5, erect, 0.2–0.4 mm.

Flowers

1.5–3 mm;

perianth white to pink or yellow, glabrous;

tepals monomorphic, lanceolate to oblong;

stamens mostly included, 1–1.5 mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

2–6(–7) mm;

perianth white to yellow or bright red, glabrous;

tepals connate proximal 1/4 their length, monomorphic, oblong;

stamens exserted, 2–5 mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

Achenes

brown, 3-gonous, 1–2 mm.

light brown, (3–)4–5(–6) mm, glabrous.

2n

= 22.

Eriogonum gracile

Eriogonum zionis

Distribution
from FNA
CA; Mexico
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; UT
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

Eriogonum gracile is a highly variable species. The low, spreading plants from the mountains of coastal central California with 2–3 mm involucres and (usually) yellowish flowers differ from the more erect plants represented by the type collection, which have 1.8–2 mm involucres and white flowers. Such plants are found mainly farther south, in the Mt. Diablo and Mt. Hamilton areas of Alameda, Contra Costa, and Stanislaus counties. Some populations of E. gracile from the Inner Coast Ranges of eastern San Luis Obispo County are slightly different from the norm and the epithet leucocladon has been adopted in some local floristic treatments to account for them. However, the type of E. leucocladon does not seem to be this phase.

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

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

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

Key
1. Inflorescence branches lanate to tomentose or floccose; throughout California
var. gracile
1. Inflorescence branches glabrous; s California
var. incultum
1. Perianths white to yellow
var. zionis
1. Perianths bright red
var. coccineum
Source FNA vol. 5, p. 423. FNA vol. 5, p. 297.
Parent taxa Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Oregonium Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Eucycla
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. gordonii, E. gossypinum, 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. 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
Subordinate taxa
E. gracile var. gracile, E. gracile var. incultum
E. zionis var. coccineum, E. zionis var. zionis
Synonyms E. vimineum subsp. gracile E. racemosum var. zionis
Name authority Bentham: Bot. Voy. Sulphur, 46. (1844) J. T. Howell: Leafl. W. Bot. 2: 253. (1940)
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