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marum-leaf buckwheat, marum-leaf wild buckwheat, mountain buckwheat

Ephedra buckwheat, Ephedra wild buckwheat

Habit Herbs, matted, dioecious, (0.1–)0.5–5 × 2–8 dm, floccose or glabrous. Herbs, erect, not scapose, 2–3.5 × 2–3(–4) dm, glabrous, grayish green.
Stems

caudex spreading;

aerial flowering stems erect, slender, solid, not fistulose, arising at nodes of caudex branches and at distal nodes of short, non-flowering aerial branches, (0.1–)0.5–4 dm, floccose or glabrous.

spreading, without persistent leaf bases, up to 1/8 height of plant;

caudex stems absent;

aerial flowering stems erect, slender, solid, not fistulose, 1–2 dm, glabrous, tomentose among leaves.

Leaves

in loose to compact basal rosettes;

petiole 0.3–2 cm, often tomentose;

blade ovate to oval, 0.3–3 × 0.3–1 cm, densely tannish- to brownish-lanate abaxially, glabrate and green to olive green adaxially, margins entire, plane.

basal, 1 per node;

petiole 0.5–1 cm, glabrous;

blade lanceolate, 1.5–2.5 × 0.2–0.3 cm, densely white-tomentose abaxially, mostly glabrous and green adaxially, margins plane.

Inflorescences

capitate, 0.5–2 cm wide, mature pistillate plants open and elongate-umbellate, 1–5 × 1–7 cm;

branches usually glabrous;

bracts 5–10, leaflike, 0.2–0.8 cm, often absent immediately below involucre.

narrowly cymose, 15–25 × 5–15 cm;

branches dichotomous, upper secondaries suppressed, glabrous;

bracts 3, linear to triangular, scalelike, 1–4(–7) mm.

Peduncles

erect, 0.5–1.5 cm at proximal nodes, 0.1–0.5 cm at distal nodes.

Involucres

1 per node but occasionally appearing congested, turbinate and 2–3 × 1.5–2 mm or campanulate and 4–5 × 5–7 mm, sparsely tomentose or glabrous;

teeth 5–6, erect, 0.4–0.7 mm.

1 per node, turbinate, 2–2.5 × 1–1.5 mm, glabrous;

teeth 5, erect, 0.4–0.5 mm.

Flowers

stipelike base 0.5–1 mm;

perianth yellow, glabrous; staminate flowers 1.5–3 mm, tepals ovate; pistillate flowers 4–7 mm, tepals oblanceolate, often becoming reddish in fruit;

stamens exserted, 2–3 mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

2–2.5 mm;

perianth ochroleucous to pale yellow or, rarely, yellow, glabrous;

tepals connate proximal 1/4, monomorphic, lanceolate;

stamens exserted, 1.5–2 mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

Achenes

light brown to brown, 3.5–5 mm, glabrous except for sparsely pubescent beak.

brown, 2–2.5 mm, glabrous.

2n

= 32.

Eriogonum marifolium

Eriogonum ephedroides

Phenology Flowering Jun–Oct.
Habitat Shale and clay flats and slopes, saltbush and sagebrush communities, pinyon-juniper woodlands
Elevation 1500-2100 m (4900-6900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; NV; OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CO; UT
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

Eriogonum marifolium is dioecious, with the two sexes having such markedly different morphology that collectors often consider each to represent a different species. In Oregon, male plants of E. marifolium and E. umbellatum var. haussknechtii can be difficult to distinguish. In El Dorado and Placer counties, California, herbarium specimens of E. marifolium and E. incanum can be difficult to separate, as their distribution ranges overlap there.

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

Eriogonum ephedroides is infrequently encountered in eastern Uintah County, Utah, and western Rio Blanco County, Colorado. The narrow, upright flowering stems and inflorescence branches and the strictly basal leaves quickly set the species apart from E. viridulum. This is a species of potential horticultural value, being an elegant addition to the garden because of its habit.

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

Key
1. Involucres turbinate, 2-3 × 1.5-2 mm; ne California, wc Nevada, s Oregon, disjunct to Yakima County, Washington
var. marifolium
1. Involucres campanulate, 4-5 × 5-7 mm; nc California
var. cupulatum
Source FNA vol. 5, p. 365. FNA vol. 5, p. 268.
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. 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. 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. 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. 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. marifolium var. cupulatum, E. marifolium var. marifolium
Synonyms E. cupulatum, E. marifolium var. apertum E. brevicaule var. ephedroides
Name authority Torrey & A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 8: 161. (1870) Reveal: Madroño 19: 295, fig. 4. (1969)
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