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coast buckwheat, coast wild buckwheat, seaside buckwheat, seaside wild buckwheat

yellow turban

Habit Subshrubs or herbs, often scapose, much-branched and matted, 2–7 × 5–20 dm, usually tomentose to floccose, rarely glabrous. Herbs, spreading, annual, 0.5–3 dm, glabrous, greenish, grayish, or reddish.
Stems

spreading to erect, with persistent leaf bases, up to 1/4 height of plant;

caudex stems matted;

aerial flowering stems often scapelike, erect to spreading or decumbent, usually stout, solid, not fistulose, 2–6 dm, usually tomentose to floccose, rarely glabrous.

caudex absent;

aerial flowering stems erect, solid, not fistulose, 0.2–0.8 dm, glabrous except for few glands proximally.

Leaves

cauline;

petiole 2–6(–10) cm, tomentose;

blade oblong to ovate, (1.5–)2.5–5 × 1.5–4 cm, white-lanate to tawny-tomentose on both surfaces, or tomentose to floccose or glabrous and green adaxially, margins plane, occasionally crisped.

basal;

petiole 1–3 cm;

blade oblong-ovate to round, 0.5–2.5(–3) × 0.4–2(–2.5) cm, densely white-tomentose abaxially, floccose to subglabrate and greenish adaxially, often with some glandular hairs, margins plane or rarely crenulate.

Inflorescences

capitate to umbellate or cymose, 3–40 × 2–20 cm;

branches usually tomentose to floccose, rarely glabrous;

bracts usually 3, leaflike, oblong to ovate, and 5–20 × 5–15 mm proximally, scalelike, triangular, and 2–5 mm distally.

cymose, mostly open, 5–25 × 05–25 cm;

branches glabrous;

bracts 3, scalelike, 1–3 × 1–2 mm.

Peduncles

absent.

erect, mostly straight, slender, 0.1–5(–7) cm, glabrous.

Involucres

(3–)5–20 per cluster, turbinate, 3.5–5(–6) × 2–4 mm, tomentose or glabrous;

teeth 5–6, erect, 0.3–0.6 mm.

campanulate, 1–1.5(–1.7) × 1.5–3 mm, glandular-puberulent;

teeth 5, erect, 0.4–0.7 mm.

Flowers

3–3.5 mm;

perianth white to pink or rose, glabrous;

tepals connate proximal 1/4, monomorphic, obovate;

stamens exserted, 3–6 mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

1–1.7 mm in early anthesis, becoming 1.5–3 mm; yellow in early anthesis, becoming reddish yellow to red, glandular;

tepals dimorphic, those of outer whorl oblong-elliptic to obovate, those of inner whorl oblong;

stamens included, 1–1.5 mm;

filaments mostly glabrous.

Achenes

brown, 3.5–4 mm, glabrous.

dark brown, usually lenticular, 0.6–0.8 mm, glabrous.

2n

= 40.

= 32.

Eriogonum latifolium

Eriogonum pusillum

Phenology Flowering year-round. Flowering Feb–Aug.
Habitat Sandy coastal flats, slopes, bluffs, and mesas, coastal scrub and grassland communities Sandy flats, washes, and slopes, saltbush, greasewood, creosote bush, and sagebrush communities, pinyon and/or juniper woodlands
Elevation 0-80(-200) m (0-300(-700) ft) 70-1300(-1600) m (200-4300(-5200) ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CA; NV; OR; UT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Eriogonum latifolium is found along the immediate coast of southwest Oregon (Curry County) and western California (Alameda, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Humboldt, Marin, Mendocino, Monterey, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, and Sonoma counties). The species is rather variable as to size and aspect, these depending to a considerable degree on exposure to on-shore winds. The flowering stems are rarely glabrous, but plants with this expression are always intermixed with plants having tomentose to floccose stems. The brilliantly white-lanate, spreading shrubs become rather globose in shape under cultivation, and as a result make an attractive addition to the garden, especially as the flowers wither through various shades of pink to rose. The species should be used much more than at present in places where cool summer temperatures, good moisture, and sandy soils are available.

A decoction consisting of the roots, leaves, and stems of Eriogonum latifolium was taken by various Native American people along the California coast for colds and coughs (B. R. Bocek 1984; D. E. Moerman 1986). V. K. Chestnut (1902) reported that the native people of Mendocino County, California, used a decoction of the roots for stomach pain, “female complaints,” and sore eyes. The species is the food plant for the bramble hairstreak butterfly (Callophrys viridis), Mormon metalmark (Apodemia mormo), western square-dotted blue (Euphilotes comstocki comstocki), and the federally endangered Smith’s dotted-blue (Euphilotes enoptes smithi).

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

Eriogonum pusillum is common to abundant but rarely weedy. It is found mainly in the northern Mojave Desert and in the Great Basin of the Intermountain West of California and Nevada, extending just into southeastern Oregon, western Utah, and northwestern Arizona. It supposedly was found near Wickenburg in Maricopa County, California (M. E. Jones s.n., 5 May 1903, POM), well out of the known range of the species today. The San Benito River canyon site in San Benito County, California (Mason 5543; UC), also is notably disjunct, and although the species has not been recollected there, that location record is more reliable. The Plumas County record is based on an 1880 Austin collection (NY), and the location should be regarded as questionable.

Eriogonum pusillum is used as a food plant by the rare Mojave dotted-blue butterfly (Euphilotes mojave). Also, along with E. reniforme, it is an important food plant for juvenile desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii). The Kawaiisu people of southern California gathered the achenes of E. pusillum, which were pounded into a powder and cooked into a mush or consumed dry (M. L. Zigmond 1981).

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

Source FNA vol. 5, p. 314. FNA vol. 5, p. 404.
Parent taxa Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Eucycla Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Ganysma
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. jamesii, E. jonesii, E. kelloggii, E. kennedyi, E. kingii, E. lachnogynum, E. lancifolium, E. latens, 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. 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
Synonyms E. reniforme var. playanum, E. reniforme subsp. pusillum
Name authority Smith: in A. Rees, Cycl. 13(2): Eriogonum no. 3. (1809) Torrey & A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 8: 184. (1870)
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