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bractless parsnip-flower wild buckwheat, parsnip-flower buckwheat, parsnip-flower eriogonum, parsnip-flower wild buckwheat, whorled buckwheat, whorled wild buckwheat, Wyeth wild buckwheat, Wyeth's buckwheat

slender buckwheat, slender woolly buckwheat, slender woolly wild buckwheat

Habit Herbs, spreading mats, infrequently polygamodioecious, 1–6 × 2–10, tomentose to floccose. 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.
Stems

caudex spreading;

aerial flowering stems erect, slender, solid, not fistulose, arising at nodes of caudex branches and at distal nodes of short, nonflowering aerial branches, (0.5–)1–3(–4) dm, often with a whorl of (2–)5–10, linear to oblanceolate, leaflike bracts ca. midlength, 0.5–4(–5) × 0.2–1 (1.5) cm, mostly tomentose to floccose.

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

Leaves

in loose rosettes;

petiole 0.5–3 cm, usually floccose;

blade usually linear to oblanceolate, (1.5–)2–5 × 0.2–1(–1.5) cm, densely white-lanate to tomentose on both surfaces or only abaxially, thinly floccose or glabrous and green adaxially, margins entire, plane.

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.

Inflorescences

simple or compound-umbellate, rarely reduced and compact, 1–10 × 1–10 cm;

branches tomentose to floccose;

bracts 3–10 or more, leaflike at proximal node, oblanceolate to linear, 0.3–1 × 0.2–0.4 cm, usually scalelike distally, 1–5 × 0.5–2.5 mm.

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.

Peduncles

absent.

Involucres

1 per node, turbinate to campanulate, 3–4.5 × 2.5–5(–6) mm, tomentose, rarely glabrous;

teeth 6–12 or more, lobelike, reflexed, 1.5–5 mm.

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

teeth 5, erect, 0.3–0.6 mm.

Flowers

4–9 mm, including 1.5–3 mm stipelike base;

perianth white to cream or ochroleucous, glabrous;

tepals monomorphic, spatulate to oblong-ovate;

stamens exserted, 4–8 mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

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.

Achenes

light to dark brown, (2–)3.5–5 mm, glabrous except for sparsely pubescent beak.

brown, 3-gonous, 1–2 mm.

2n

= 22.

Eriogonum heracleoides

Eriogonum gracile

Distribution
from FNA
CA; CO; ID; MT; NV; OR; UT; WA; WY; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; Mexico
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

According to N. J. Turner et al. (1980), plants of the narrow-leaved phase (var. angustifolum) were used for colds, tuberculosis, and other lung ailments, and to treat infected cuts and sores (a decoction of roots and stems). V. F. Ray (1933) reported that a decoction of roots of such plants was taken for diarrhea. E. V. Steedman (1930) said that they were taken for stomachaches, used in steambaths to treat aching joints and muscles, and had a role in a purifying ceremony held in sweatlodges. Steedman also indicated that a strong decoction was taken by the Thompson Indians to treat syphilis.

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

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.)

Key
1. Flowering stems with a distinct whorl of leaflike bracts ca. midlength
var. heracleoides
1. Flowering stems bractless, or with 1 leaflike bract ca. midlength
var. leucophaeum
1. Inflorescence branches lanate to tomentose or floccose; throughout California
var. gracile
1. Inflorescence branches glabrous; s California
var. incultum
Source FNA vol. 5, p. 353. FNA vol. 5, p. 423.
Parent taxa Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Oligogonum 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. 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. 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. 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. heracleoides var. heracleoides, E. heracleoides var. leucophaeum
E. gracile var. gracile, E. gracile var. incultum
Synonyms E. vimineum subsp. gracile
Name authority Nuttall: J. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 7: 49, plate 7. (1834) Bentham: Bot. Voy. Sulphur, 46. (1844)
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