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Antelope sage, James' buckwheat, James' wild buckwheat

Tiehm's buckwheat, Tiehm's wild buckwheat

Habit Herbs or subshrubs, compact or spreading, matted, 0.5–2.5 × 3–15 dm, tomentose to floccose. Herbs, matted, scapose, 1–1.5 × 0.5–3 dm, floccose, 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.

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

caudex stems matted;

aerial flowering stems scapelike, erect, slender, solid, not fistulose, (0.6–)1–1.3(–1.5) dm, floccose.

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 0.5–1.6(–2) cm, tomentose;

blade elliptic to oblong, (0.8–)1–2.5(–3) × 0.5–0.8(–1) cm, densely white- or grayish-tomentose on both surfaces, 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, 0.9–1.4 cm wide;

branches absent;

bracts 3, scalelike, triangular, 1–1.5 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.

4–8 per cluster, turbinate-campanulate, 4–5 × 3–4 mm, rigid, floccose;

teeth 5–6, erect to slightly spreading, 1.5–2 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.

2.5–3.5(–4) mm;

perianth yellowish white or whitish to cream, sparsely glandular abaxially;

tepals connate proximal 1/4, monomorphic, oblong;

stamens exserted, 3–4(–4.5) mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

Achenes

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

light brown, 3–4 mm, glabrous.

Eriogonum jamesii

Eriogonum tiehmii

Phenology Flowering May–Jun.
Habitat Rocky clay slopes and washes, saltbush communities
Elevation 1800-1900 m (5900-6200 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 tiehmii is known only from the Silver Peak Range of Esmeralda County. It is considered a “sensitive” species in Nevada.

(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. 275.
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. 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. 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: Great Basin Naturalist 45: 277. (1985)
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