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Antelope sage, James' buckwheat, James' wild buckwheat

Shockley's buckwheat, Shockley's wild buckwheat

Habit Herbs or subshrubs, compact or spreading, matted, 0.5–2.5 × 3–15 dm, tomentose to floccose. Herbs, matted, scapose, 0.3–0.5(–0.7) × (0.5–)1–4(–20) dm, floccose to tomentose, greenish or grayish.
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, sometimes only seemingly so, with persistent leaf bases, up to 1/5 height of plant;

caudex stems matted;

aerial flowering stems absent or scapelike, erect or nearly so, slender, solid, not fistulose, (0.05–)0.1–0.3 dm, floccose to tomentose.

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 0.2–0.5 cm, tomentose to floccose;

blade oblanceolate to elliptic or spatulate, (0.2–)0.3–0.8(–1.2) × 0.2–0.4(–0.6) cm, tomentose to floccose, margins plane or slightly thickened.

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, 0.8–2 cm;

branches absent;

bracts 3–5, scalelike, linear to linear-lanceolate, 1.5–4 × 0.6–1 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(–6) per cluster, campanulate, (2–)2.5–5(–6) × 3–6(–7) mm, rigid, tomentose;

teeth 5–10, erect to spreading, (0.5–)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.

2.5–4 mm;

perianth white to rose or yellow, densely pilose;

tepals connate proximally, monomorphic, oblong to obovate;

stamens exserted, 2.5–5 mm;

filaments subglabrous or sparsely pilose proximally.

Achenes

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

light brown to brown, 2.5–3 mm, tomentose.

Eriogonum jamesii

Eriogonum shockleyi

Phenology Flowering May–Aug.
Habitat Gravelly or clayey (rarely sandy) flats, washes, and slopes, saltbush, blackbrush, and sagebrush communities, pinyon-juniper woodlands
Elevation (800-)1200-2600 m ((2600-)3900-8500 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CO; KS; NM; OK; TX; including Mexico
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CA; CO; ID; NM; NV; UT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[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.)

Eriogonum shockleyi is widely distributed in northern Arizona, east-central California, western Colorado, southern Idaho, northwestern New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah. On the Colorado Plateau, it has oblanceolate to spatulate leaf blades usually 0.3–1.2 × 0.3–0.6 cm, scapes 1–3 cm, involucres with long (2–3.5 mm) often spreading teeth, and flowers 3–4 mm. These plants have been distinguished as var. longilobum. The typical Great Basin expression has elliptic leaf blades 0.3–0.6 × 0.3–0.5 cm, scapes 0.5–2 cm, involucres with short (0.5–2 mm) erect teeth, and flowers 2.5–4 mm. Low, compact, hummock-like plants in southwestern Idaho with elliptic leaf blades 0.1–0.3(–0.35) × 0.1–0.15 cm, flowering stems absent or up to 0.5 cm, and involucres 2.5–3 mm with teeth 0.8–1 mm have been termed var. packardiae. These morphologic differences have been shown to be genetically insignificant, however (J. F. Smith and T. A. Bateman 2002). Plants on moving sand dunes at the southeast end of Baking Power Flat in Lincoln County, Nevada, can be up to 2 m across. Further studies may indicate that the various geographic expressions deserve taxonomic recognition.

The Great Basin expression is the food plant of the Bernardino dotted-blue butterfly (Euphilotes bernardino). Members of the species are occasionally found 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. 286.
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. 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. 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
Synonyms E. pulvinatum, E. shockleyi subsp. candidum, E. shockleyi subsp. longilobum, E. shockleyi var. longilobum, E. shockleyi var. packardiae, E. villiflorum var. candidum
Name authority Bentham: in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 14: 7. (1856) S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 18: 194. (1883)
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