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Pinnacles buckwheat, Pinnacles wild buckwheat

bractless parsnip-flower wild buckwheat, parsnip-flower buckwheat, parsnip-flower eriogonum, parsnip-flower wild buckwheat, whorled buckwheat, whorled wild buckwheat, Wyeth wild buckwheat, Wyeth's buckwheat

Habit Herbs, spreading, 0.5–2 dm, glabrous, usually reddish. Herbs, spreading mats, infrequently polygamodioecious, 1–6 × 2–10, tomentose to floccose.
Stems

aerial flowering stems prostrate to ascending or weakly erect, 0.1–0.3 dm, glabrous.

caudex spreading;

aerial flowering stems erect, slender, solid, not fistulose, arising at nodes of caudex branches and at distal nodes of short, nonflowering aerial branches, (0.5–)1–3(–4) dm, often with a whorl of (2–)5–10, linear to oblanceolate, leaflike bracts ca. midlength, 0.5–4(–5) × 0.2–1 (1.5) cm, mostly tomentose to floccose.

Leaves

basal and cauline;

basal: petiole 1–3 cm, tomentose, blade round to reniform, 0.5–1.5 × 0.5–1.5 cm, densely white-tomentose abaxially, subglabrous or glabrous and green adaxially;

cauline: petiole and blade similar to basal leaves.

in loose rosettes;

petiole 0.5–3 cm, usually floccose;

blade usually linear to oblanceolate, (1.5–)2–5 × 0.2–1(–1.5) cm, densely white-lanate to tomentose on both surfaces or only abaxially, thinly floccose or glabrous and green adaxially, margins entire, plane.

Inflorescences

cymose, not distally uniparous due to suppression of secondary branches, open, 4–18 × 10–30 cm;

branches glabrous;

bracts 1–2 × 1–2 mm.

simple or compound-umbellate, rarely reduced and compact, 1–10 × 1–10 cm;

branches tomentose to floccose;

bracts 3–10 or more, leaflike at proximal node, oblanceolate to linear, 0.3–1 × 0.2–0.4 cm, usually scalelike distally, 1–5 × 0.5–2.5 mm.

Peduncles

absent.

Involucres

terminal at tips of slender branchlets proximally, not appressed to branches, broadly turbinate, 3–4 × 2.5–3.5 mm, glabrous;

teeth 6–8, erect, 0.4–0.8 mm.

1 per node, turbinate to campanulate, 3–4.5 × 2.5–5(–6) mm, tomentose, rarely glabrous;

teeth 6–12 or more, lobelike, reflexed, 1.5–5 mm.

Flowers

1–2 mm;

perianth white to rose, glabrous;

tepals monomorphic, obovate;

stamens included, 1–1.5 mm;

filaments glabrous.

4–9 mm, including 1.5–3 mm stipelike base;

perianth white to cream or ochroleucous, glabrous;

tepals monomorphic, spatulate to oblong-ovate;

stamens exserted, 4–8 mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

Achenes

light brown, 3-gonous, 1–1.3 mm.

light to dark brown, (2–)3.5–5 mm, glabrous except for sparsely pubescent beak.

Eriogonum nortonii

Eriogonum heracleoides

Phenology Flowering May–Aug.
Habitat Sandy to gravelly slopes, mixed grassland and chaparral communities, oak and pine woodlands
Elevation 300-1200 m (1000-3900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; CO; ID; MT; NV; OR; UT; WA; WY; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Of conservation concern.

Eriogonum nortonii is a rare and localized species restricted to the Gabilan Range of Monterey and San Benito counties, from Fremont Peak south to The Pinnacles. It is confined largely to two protected areas, the Hastings Natural History State Reservation and the Pinnacles National Monument. A disjunct population is found southeast of Carmel Highlands in the Santa Lucia Mountains of Monterey County.

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

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

According to N. J. Turner et al. (1980), plants of the narrow-leaved phase (var. angustifolum) were used for colds, tuberculosis, and other lung ailments, and to treat infected cuts and sores (a decoction of roots and stems). V. F. Ray (1933) reported that a decoction of roots of such plants was taken for diarrhea. E. V. Steedman (1930) said that they were taken for stomachaches, used in steambaths to treat aching joints and muscles, and had a role in a purifying ceremony held in sweatlodges. Steedman also indicated that a strong decoction was taken by the Thompson Indians to treat syphilis.

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

Key
1. Flowering stems with a distinct whorl of leaflike bracts ca. midlength
var. heracleoides
1. Flowering stems bractless, or with 1 leaflike bract ca. midlength
var. leucophaeum
Source FNA vol. 5, p. 420. FNA vol. 5, p. 353.
Parent taxa Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Oregonium Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Oligogonum
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. nidularium, E. niveum, 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. 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. heracleoides var. heracleoides, E. heracleoides var. leucophaeum
Synonyms E. vimineum subsp. nortonii
Name authority Greene: Pittonia 2: 165. (1891) Nuttall: J. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 7: 49, plate 7. (1834)
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