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Antelope sage, James' buckwheat, James' wild buckwheat

Snake Range buckwheat, Snake Range wild buckwheat

Habit Herbs or subshrubs, compact or spreading, matted, 0.5–2.5 × 3–15 dm, tomentose to floccose. Herbs, matted, scapose, 0.1–0.5 × 0.5–3 dm, glandular-hairy, greenish.
Stems

caudex absent or spreading;

aerial flowering stems erect, slender, solid, not fistulose, usually arising directly from a taproot, 0.5–1.5 dm, tomentose to floccose.

matted, with persistent leaf bases, up to 1/5 height of plant;

caudex stems matted;

aerial flowering stems scapelike, erect, slender, solid, not fistulose, 0.03–0.3 dm, glandular-hairy.

Leaves

basal, typically not in rosettes;

petiole 0.5–6 cm, tomentose to floccose;

blade usually narrowly elliptic, 1–3(–3.5) × (0.3–)0.5–1(–1.2) cm, densely tomentose abaxially, thinly tomentose, floccose or glabrous and grayish to greenish adaxially, margins entire, plane or undulate and crisped.

basal, fasciculate in terminal tufts;

petiole (0.1–)0.2–0.6(–1) cm, floccose and glandular;

blade oblanceolate to spatulate, 0.2–0.5(–1) × (0.1–)0.2–0.4 cm, glandular and densely white-tomentose abaxially, less so to floccose and greenish adaxially, margins plane.

Inflorescences

umbellate or compound-umbellate, 10–30 × 10–25 cm;

branches tomentose to floccose;

bracts 3–9, semileaflike at proximal node, 0.5–2 × 0.2–1 cm, often scalelike distally.

capitate, 0.6–0.9(–1) cm;

branches absent;

bracts 4–6, scalelike, narrowly lanceolate, 0.8–1.4(–1.8) mm.

Peduncles

absent.

Involucres

1 per node, turbinate, 1.5–7 × 2–5 mm, tomentose to floccose;

teeth 5–8, erect, 0.1–0.5 mm.

2–4 per cluster, campanulate, (1.5–)2–3 × 2–3 mm, membranous, sparsely glandular-puberulent;

teeth 5, erect to spreading, 1–1.3 mm.

Flowers

3–8 mm, including 0.7–2 mm stipelike base;

perianth white to cream, densely pubescent abaxially;

tepals dimorphic, those of outer whorl lanceolate to elliptic, 2–5 × 1–3 mm, those of inner whorl lanceolate to fan-shaped, 1.5–6 × 2–4 mm;

stamens exserted, 2–4 mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

2.5–3(–3.5) mm;

perianth white to rose, sparsely glandular;

tepals connate proximal 1/4, monomorphic, spatulate to obovate;

stamens exserted, 2.5–3(–3.5) mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

Achenes

light brown to brown, 4–5 mm, glabrous except for sparsely pubescent beak.

light brown, 2.5–3 mm, glabrous except for slightly roughened beak.

Eriogonum jamesii

Eriogonum holmgrenii

Phenology Flowering Jul–Sep.
Habitat Quartzite or limestone outcrops, slopes, and ridge tops, high-elevation sagebrush communities, alpine conifer woodlands
Elevation 3200-3600 m (10500-11800 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CO; KS; NM; OK; TX; including Mexico
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
NV
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).

Eriogonum jamesii is a nectar source for the rare Spalding dotted-blue butterfly (Euphilotes spaldingi).

Eriogonum jamesii and E. arcuatum (see below) are considered “life medicines” and used ceremonially by Native Americans (C. Arnold, pers. comm.; A. B. Reagan 1929; P. A. Vestal 1952).

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

Of conservation concern.

Eriogonum holmgrenii is closely related to E. gracilipes, and like that species it occurs with Great Basin bristlecone pine (Pinus longaeva D. K. Bailey). It is restricted to the Snake Range in White Pine County, and is regarded as a “sensitive” species by the U.S. Forest Service and the state of Nevada. The species is occasionally seen in cultivation.

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

Key
1. Leaf margins undulate, frequently crisped; flowers 3-5(-6) mm; se Arizona, s New Mexico, sw Texas
var. undulatum
1. Leaf margins plane, not crisped; flowers 4-8 mm; e Arizona, c and s Colorado, wc Kansas, New Mexico, w Oklahoma, n and w Texas
→ 2
2. Inflorescences compound-umbellate; e Arizona, c and s Colorado, New Mexico, w Oklahoma, n and w Texas
var. jamesii
2. Inflorescences simple-umbellate; wc Kansas
var. simplex
Source FNA vol. 5, p. 367. FNA vol. 5, p. 282.
Parent taxa Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Oligogonum 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. inerme, E. inflatum, E. intrafractum, 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. 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. jamesii var. jamesii, E. jamesii var. simplex, E. jamesii var. undulatum
Name authority Bentham: in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 14: 7. (1856) Reveal: Leafl. W. Bot. 10: 184. (1965)
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