Flora of North America species comparison

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Eriogonum nidularium

Eriogonum greggii

bird nest wild buckwheat, birdnest buckwheat, whisk broom

Gregg's buckwheat, Gregg's wild buckwheat
Habit Herbs, erect to slightly spreading, 0.5–1.5(–2) dm, floccose to tomentose, greenish to tawny. Herbs, polycarpic, 1–4 dm, glandular-puberulent; taproot not chambered.
Stems

aerial flowering stems mostly erect, 0.05–0.3 dm, floccose to tomentose.

caudex absent or compact;

aerial flowering stems usually 1, erect or nearly so, not fistulose, 0.5–1.5 dm, glandular-puberulent.
Leaves

basal;

petiole 1–3(–5) cm, tomentose;

blade rounded to cordate, 1–2(–2.5) × 1–2(–2.5) cm, densely white-tomentose abaxially, tomentose to floccose and occasionally greenish adaxially.

basal and cauline;

basal petiolate, petiole often winged, 0.5–2 cm, hispid, blade elliptic to broadly spatulate, 2–6(–10) × 0.5–2(–2.5) cm, hispid and uniformly stipitate-glandular on both surfaces or glabrous except for ciliate midvein and margin;

cauline sessile, blades in whorls of 3–10 per node, oblanceolate, obovate, or spatulate, 0.5–4 × 0.2–1.5(–2) cm, similar to basal blade except more hispid and less glandular adaxially than abaxially, or glabrous except for ciliate midvein and margins.
Inflorescences

narrowly cymose, distally uniparous due to suppression of secondary branches, diffuse, 5–15(–20) × 5–20(–30) cm;

branches inwardly curved distally, floccose to tomentose;

bracts 0.5–3 × 1–3 mm.

1–3 × 1–3 dm;

branches glandular-puberulent;

bracts semileaflike to scalelike, 3–15 × 1–3(–5) mm.
Peduncles

absent.

ascending to erect, straight or slightly curving upward, 1–6(–7) cm, glandular and hispid.
Involucres

appressed to branches, cylindric-turbinate, 1–1.3 × 0.5–0.7 mm, floccose;

teeth 5, erect, 0.1–0.2 mm.

campanulate, 1.5–3 × 3–5 mm, slightly to densely strigose and glandular;

teeth 1–1.5 mm.
Flowers

1–3(–3.5) mm;

perianth pale yellow or yellow, rarely creamy white, becoming red, glabrous;

tepals dimorphic, those of outer whorl broadly fan-shaped, those of inner whorl oblanceolate;

stamens included, 1–1.5 mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

1.5–2.5 mm in anthesis, 2.5–3.5 mm in fruit;

perianth yellowish white with prominent reddish brown to brown midribs and bases, becoming more reddish in fruit, strigose abaxially;

tepals lanceolate to oblong;

stamens 1.5–2 mm;

filaments glabrous.
Achenes

light brown, 3-gonous, 1–1.3 mm.

reddish brown, 3–4 mm, 3-ridged distally, short-beaked, glabrous.
2n

= 32.

Eriogonum nidularium

Eriogonum greggii
Phenology Flowering Mar–Oct. Flowering Jul–May.
Habitat Sandy to gravelly washes, flats, and slopes, saltbush, greasewood, creosote bush, blackbrush, and sagebrush communities, pinyon and/or juniper woodlands Calcareous flats and slopes, mixed grassland, creosote bush, and saltbush communities
Elevation (300-)500-2300(-2700) m ((1000-)1600-7500(-8900) ft) 50 m (200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; ID; NV; OR; UT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
TX; Mexico (Coahuila, Nuevo León)
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Eriogonum nidularium is common and widespread, sometimes becoming weedy, especially along roadsides. It is basically a species of the Great Basin and the Mojave Desert, found mainly in eastern California and Nevada, extending into northwestern Arizona, southwestern Idaho, southeastern Oregon, and southwestern Utah. The numerous, often distinctive, incurved inflorescence branches resemble a bird nest, as reflected in the common name.

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

Of conservation concern.

Eriogonum greggii just enters the flora area in Hildago and Starr counties, where it is rare. In Mexico, the plants occur in Coahuila and Nuevo León, nearly always below 1850 m. There, Gregg’s wild buckwheat occasionally is found in montane conifer woodlands.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 5, p. 427. FNA vol. 5, p. 377.
Parent taxa Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Oregonium Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Pterogonum
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. marifolium, E. mensicola, E. microthecum, E. mitophyllum, E. mohavense, E. molestum, E. mortonianum, E. multiflorum, E. natum, E. nealleyi, E. nervulosum, 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. 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
Synonyms E. vimineum subsp. nidularium E. ciliatum var. foliosum
Name authority Coville: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 4: 186. (1893) Torrey & A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 8: 187. (1870)
Web links 
Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).



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