Flora of North America species comparison

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Eriogonum inerme

Eriogonum brevicaule

unarmed buckwheat, unarmed wild buckwheat

shortstem buckwheat, shortstem wild buckwheat
Habit Herbs, spreading, annual, 0.5–3 dm, glandular, greenish or reddish. Herbs, matted, cespitose, pulvinate, erect or spreading, sometimes scapose, (0.3–)1–5 × 1–5(–8) dm, tomentose to floccose or glabrous, grayish or greenish to green.
Stems

caudex absent;

aerial flowering stems mostly erect, solid, not fistulose, 0.1–0.5 dm, glandular.

matted to spreading, occasionally with persistent leaf bases, up to 1/4 or more height of plant;

caudex stems matted or spreading;

aerial flowering stems spreading to erect or nearly so, slender, rarely stout, solid, not fistulose, (0.4–)0.5–2(–2.5) dm, glabrous, floccose, or sparsely to densely tomentose to lanate.
Leaves

basal and cauline;

basal: petiole 0.5–2 cm, glabrous, not or indistinctly winged, ciliate, blade spatulate, 1–4(–4.5) × 0.4–1.5(–1.8) cm, glabrous, margins ciliate;

cauline sessile, blade lanceolate, 0.3–1 × 0.1–0.3 cm, similar to basal blade.

basal or more commonly sheathing 1–7(–15) cm up stem, 1 per node;

petiole 0.2–2(–4) cm, tomentose to floccose;

blade linear, oblanceolate, or spatulate to elliptic, (0.2–)1–10(–12) × 0.1–0.9(–1.2) cm, densely tomentose abaxially, less so to floccoseadaxially, margins plane or revolute, sometimes crenulate.
Inflorescences

cymose, open or diffuse, 5–25 × 5–30 cm;

branches glandular;

bracts 3, scalelike, 0.5–1.5 × 1–2 mm, occasionally semileaflike, 4–10(–12) × 1–5 mm.

cymose, subumbellate, umbellate, or capitate, (1–)3–10(–25) × (0.7–)1–10(–15) cm;

branches dichotomous, sometimes absent, tomentose to floccose or glabrous;

bracts 3, triangular, scalelike, 1–3(–5) mm.
Peduncles

absent or erect, straight, slender, 0.1–1 cm, glandular.

absent or erect, 0.3–3 cm, tomentose to floccose or glabrous.
Involucres

turbinate, 1.5–1.9 × 1–1.2 mm, glabrous or hispidulous;

teeth 4, erect or nearly so, 0.8–1.2 mm.

1 per node or 3–7(–9) per cluster, turbinate to turbinate-campanulate, 1.5–4(–5) × (1–)1.5–3(–3.5) mm, tomentose to floccose or glabrous;

teeth 5, erect to spreading, 0.3–1 mm.
Flowers

4–6, 1.2–1.8 mm;

perianth pink to reddish, hirsutulous with stiff, white, hooked hairs;

tepals monomorphic, oblong;

stamens included, 1–1.5 mm;

filaments glabrous.

(1–)2–4 mm;

perianth various shades of white to cream or yellow, glabrous or pubescent;

tepals connate proximal 1/4–1/3, monomorphic, lanceolate, oblong to obovate or ovate to oval;

stamens exserted, 2–4 mm;

filaments pilose basally.
Achenes

brown, lenticular, 1.5–1.9 mm, glabrous;

beak not exserted beyond tepals.

light brown to brown, 2–3 mm, glabrous except for roughened to papillate beak.

Eriogonum inerme

Eriogonum brevicaule
Distribution
from FNA
CA; ID
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CO; ID; MT; NE; NV; SD; UT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

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

Varieties 8 (8 in the flora).

Eriogonum brevicaule is highly variable, and the variation has yet to be fully resolved taxonomically. The expressions recognized here will encompass the vast majority of populations. The extreme variation previously under the name var. laxifolium is now reduced with the recognition of var. bannockense (low-elevation or northern phase), var. nanum, and var. caelitum (high-elevation, southern phases).

Essentially all of the following species (28–63 below) belong to the Eriogonum brevicaule complex. Eriogonum desertorum, E. loganum, E. spathulatum, E. ostlundii, and E. artificis are allied to the complex associated with var. laxifolium, while E. natum is related to var. cottamii. Eriogonum viridulum and E. ephedroides are allied to E. brevicaule var. brevicaule as are E. contortum and E. acaule. Eriogonum brandegeei is also related, but exactly how is less certain. Allied to this complex of species are on the one hand those related to E. batemanii, and on the other all of the matted perennials belonging to the E. ochrocephalum complex. Essentially all of these species form relatively small populations on discrete edaphic sites and are well isolated one from the other. Unfortunately, a clear separation of E. brevicaule from E. desertorum, E. loganum, and E. spathulatum is not always possible.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Key
1. Involucres glabrous; Coast and Transverse ranges, California, disjunct in Boise County, Idaho
var. inerme
1. Involucres hispidulous; Transverse Ranges and s Sierra Nevada, disjunct in Tuolumne County, California
var. hispidulum
1. Flowering stems and inflorescence branches glabrous
→ 2
1. Flowering stems and inflorescence branches floccose to tomentose or lanate
→ 3
2. Plants not pulvinate or cespitose, (0.8-)1.5-5 dm; inflorescences cymose, open, divided 3 times or more; widespread
var. brevicaule
2. Plants pulvinate and cespitose, 0.3-1.5(-1.8) dm; inflorescences capitate or umbellate to cymose and divided 1-2 times; Utah
var. nanum
3. Perianths pubescent; se Montana, ne Wyoming
var. canum
3. Perianths glabrous; sc Idaho, ne Nevada, Utah, sw Wyoming, not se Montana or ne Wyoming
→ 4
4. Inflorescences divided (2-)3-5 times; perianths usually yellow, rarely ochroleucous
→ 5
4. Inflorescences capitate or umbellate to cymose and divided 1-2 times; perianths ochroleucous or yellow
→ 6
5. Flowers (1-)1.5-2.5 mm; sw Wyoming
var. micranthum
5. Flowers (2.5-)3-4 mm; Utah
var. cottamii
6. Leaf blades linear to narrowly oblanceolate; inflorescences capitate or divided
→ 7
6. Leaf blades linear, oblanceolate, or narrowly oblanceolate to elliptic; inflorescences capitate. [8. Shifted to left margin.—Ed.]
→ 8
7. Leaf blades (1.5-)3-9(-12) × 0.1-0.5(-0.7) cm, tomentose abaxially, less so and grayish or occasionally greenish adaxially, margins usually revolute, occasionally plane; perianths ochroleucous or yellow; n Utah, se Idaho, below 2800 m
var. laxifolium
7. Leaf blades 0.2-4.5(-5) × (0.2-)0.3-0.6(-0.7) cm, tomentose abaxially, thinly floccose and bright green adaxially, margins plane or slightly thickened; perianths yellow; c Utah, above 2700 m
var. caelitum
8. Leaf blades and flowering stems bright green under the thinly floccose pubescence; ne Nevada and nw Utah
var. laxifolium
8. Leaf blades and flowering stems usually grayish to dull greenish under tomentum, rarely thinly floccose; se Idaho and sw Wyoming s to n Utah and ne Nevada
→ 9
9. Leaf margins crenulate; leaf blades narrowly oblanceolate to narrowly elliptic, (0.3-)0.5-1.5(-2) × 0.2-0.5(-7) cm, densely white-tomentose abaxially, floccose and greenish adaxially
var. nanum
9. Leaf margins usually plane (rarely crenulate in Wyoming); leaf blades narrowly oblanceolate to oblanceolate, (0.8-)1-4(-4.5) × (0.3-)0.4-0.8 cm, densely tomentose abaxially, tomentose to floccose and grayish to greenish adaxially
var. bannockense
Source FNA vol. 5, p. 410. FNA vol. 5, p. 264.
Parent taxa Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Ganysma 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. 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. 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. 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. inerme var. hispidulum, E. inerme var. inerme
E. brevicaule var. bannockense, E. brevicaule var. brevicaule, E. brevicaule var. caelitum, E. brevicaule var. canum, E. brevicaule var. cottamii, E. brevicaule var. laxifolium, E. brevicaule var. micranthum, E. brevicaule var. nanum
Synonyms Oxytheca inermis E. campanulatum subsp. brevicaule
Name authority (S. Watson) Jepson: Fl. Calif. 1: 406. (1914) Nuttall: Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 4: 15. (1848)
Web links 
Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).



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