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goldencarpet buckwheat, goldencarpet wild buckwheat, wicker buckwheat

Grand Valley desert trumpet, native American pipeweed

Habit Herbs, erect or prostrate to spreading, 0.5–6 dm, glabrous or occasionally tomentose, greenish to reddish. Herbs, spreading, annual, (0.3–) 0.5–4 dm, essentially glabrous, green or occasionally yellow-green.
Stems

aerial flowering stems prostrate to erect, 0.2–2 dm, glabrous or occasionally tomen-tose.

caudex absent;

aerial flowering stems erect, usually hollow and fistulose, 0.5–1.5 dm, glabrous, villous proximally.

Leaves

basal or basal and cauline;

basal: petiole 1–8 cm, floccose, blade oblong-ovate, reniform, or rounded to cordate, 0.5–5 × 0.5–3.5 cm, densely white-tomentose abaxially, floccose or glabrous and reddish or greenish adaxially;

cauline: petiole 0.5–3 cm, floccose, blade cordate to reniform or orbiculate, 0.5–3 × 0.5–3 cm, similar to basal blade.

basal;

petiole 1–3 cm, hirsute;

blade round, 0.5–3 × 0.5–2.5 cm, short-hirsute and greenish on both surfaces, margins plane.

Inflorescences

cymose, occasionally distally uniparous due to suppression of secondary branches, open, 2–50 × 3–40 cm;

branches glabrous or occasionally tomentose;

bracts 1–3(–4) × 1–2 mm.

cymose, open, spreading, 5–30 × 5–30 cm;

branches fistulose, glabrous;

bracts 3, scalelike, 1–2 × 1–1.5 mm.

Peduncles

absent or erect, straight, slender, 0.1–0.5 cm, glabrous.

erect, straight, filiform to capillary, 1–2 cm, glabrous.

Involucres

terminal at tips of slender branchlets proximally or appressed to branches, cylindric or occasionally turbinate, 2–4 × 1.5–2.5 mm, glabrous or rarely floccose;

teeth 5, erect, 0.3–0.5 mm.

turbinate, 1–1.2 × 0.7–1 mm, glabrous;

teeth (4–)5, erect, 0.4–0.6 mm.

Flowers

1–2.5 mm;

perianth white to rose or yellow, glabrous;

tepals monomorphic, obovate;

stamens included, 1–1.5 mm;

filaments glabrous.

1.3–1.6 mm;

perianth yellow with greenish to reddish midribs, densely hirsute with coarse curved hairs;

tepals monomorphic, ovate;

stamens exserted, 1.3–1.8 mm;

filaments sparsely pubescent proximally.

Achenes

light brown, 3-gonous, 1–2 mm.

light brown, lenticular to 3-gonous, 1.3–1.8(–2) mm, glabrous.

Eriogonum luteolum

Eriogonum fusiforme

Phenology Flowering Apr–Jul.
Habitat Heavy clay, sometimes gravelly flats and slopes, saltbush and greasewood communities, pinyon and/or juniper woodlands
Elevation (900-)1100-2000 m ((3000-)3600-6600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CO; UT; WY
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 4 (4 in the flora).

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

Eriogonum fusiforme is widespread and common in southwestern Wyoming (Sweetwater County), eastern Utah (Carbon, Duchesne, Emery, Garfield, Grand, Kane, San Juan, Uintah, and Wayne counties), and adjacent western Colorado (Delta, Garfield, Mesa, Montrose, and Rio Blanco counties). In a “good” year, millions of individuals carpet the heavy clay flats and slopes (typically Mancos Shale), especially in Utah and Colorado. The plants can be so abundant and closely arranged that it can be difficult to walk through the tangle of stems and branches. This species is absolutely distinct from E. inflatum and no intermediates have ever been observed.

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

Key
1. Plants prostrate to spreading, 0.5-3 dm; involucres 3-4 mm, often terminal on elongated branchlets; leaves basal and cauline; serpentine soil; w Alameda and s Marin counties, California
var. caninum
1. Plants erect, 2-6 dm; involucres 2-3.5 mm, appressed to inflorescence branches; leaves basal, sometimes also cauline; serpentine or granitic soils; San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Mariposa counties, California, n to sw and sc Oregon
→ 2
2. Involucres 2-3 mm; flowers 2-2.5 mm; granitic soils; Sierra Nevada, Alpine and Tuolumne counties, California
var. saltuarium
2. Involucres 3-3.5 mm; flowers 1-2 mm; serpentine soils; Coast Ranges and lower foothills of Sierra Nevada, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Mariposa counties, California, n to sw and sc Oregon
→ 3
3. Flowers 1.8-2 mm; Coast Ranges, w California from San Mateo and Santa Clara counties n to sw and sc Oregon
var. luteolum
3. Flowers 1-1.5(-1.8) mm; e California from Mariposa County to Plumas County
var. pedunculatum
Source FNA vol. 5, p. 420. FNA vol. 5, p. 386.
Parent taxa Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Oregonium 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. latifolium, E. lemmonii, E. leptocladon, E. leptophyllum, E. libertini, E. lobbii, E. loganum, E. lonchophyllum, E. longifolium, 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. 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. luteolum var. caninum, E. luteolum var. luteolum, E. luteolum var. pedunculatum, E. luteolum var. saltuarium
Synonyms E. vimineum var. luteolum E. inflatum var. fusiforme
Name authority Greene: Pittonia 3: 200. (1897) Small: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 33: 56. (1906)
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