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Pinnacles buckwheat, Pinnacles wild buckwheat

clay-loving buckwheat, clay-loving wild buckwheat

Habit Herbs, spreading, 0.5–2 dm, glabrous, usually reddish. Subshrubs, spreading, not scapose, 0.5–1(–1.2) × 0.8–3(–4) dm, floccose or glabrous, grayish.
Stems

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

spreading, without persistent leaf bases, up to 1/3 height of plant;

caudex stems absent or compact;

aerial flowering stems spreading to erect, slender, solid, not fistulose, 0.05–0.1 dm, thinly floccose or glabrous.

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.

cauline, 1 per node;

petiole 0.05–0.1 cm, floccose;

blade oblanceolate, 0.5–1.2(–1.5) × 0.08–0.2(–0.3) cm, densely white-tomentose abaxially, subglabrous or glabrous and green adaxially, margins tightly revolute.

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.

cymose, compact, 0.1–2 × 1–3 cm;

branches dichotomous, thinly floccose or glabrous;

bracts 3, scalelike, triangular, 0.5–1 mm.

Peduncles

absent.

absent or erect, 0.1–0.5 cm, floccose or glabrous.

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, narrowly turbinate, (2–)2.5–3.5 × 1–1.5 mm, floccose or glabrous;

teeth 5, erect, 0.3–0.4 mm.

Flowers

1–2 mm;

perianth white to rose, glabrous;

tepals monomorphic, obovate;

stamens included, 1–1.5 mm;

filaments glabrous.

(2.5–)3–3.5 mm;

perianth cream, glabrous;

tepals connate proximal 1/2, essentially monomorphic, oblong;

stamens slightly exserted, 2.5–4 mm;

filaments sparsely pilose proximally.

Achenes

light brown, 3-gonous, 1–1.3 mm.

light brown, 3–3.5 mm, glabrous.

2n

= 40.

Eriogonum nortonii

Eriogonum pelinophilum

Phenology Flowering May–Aug. Flowering May–Jul.
Habitat Sandy to gravelly slopes, mixed grassland and chaparral communities, oak and pine woodlands Heavy clay flats and slopes, saltbush communities
Elevation 300-1200 m (1000-3900 ft) 1600-1900 m (5200-6200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CO
[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.)

Of conservation concern.

Eriogonum pelinophilum is a federally listed endangered species with designated critical habitat. It is known only from Mancos Shale hills in Delta and Montrose counties. Much of the former habitat in the Montrose, Colorado, area has been destroyed since the species was listed in 1984. The type locality in Delta County was largely destroyed in 2001 by off-road vehicle activities in the designated critical habitat. A small population is preserved at the Fairview Natural Area east of Montrose.

Eriogonum pelinophilum is similar to E. clavellatum although the two are well-separated geographically. It is a smaller plant than E. clavellatum in habit. The flowers of E. clavellatum lack the pronounced, rounded, greenish-red to brownish-red base of the perianth seen in E. pelinophilum, and the tepals are distinctly dimorphic in E. clavellatum whereas they are essentially monomorphic in E. pelinophilum. Ants actively pollinate the flowers, being involved with both self- and cross-pollination. Some 50 additional visitors were found associated with the flowers, but none was confirmed as a pollinator (W. R. Bowlin et al. 1993).

The species is in the Center for Plant Conservation’s National Collection of Endangered Plants.

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

Source FNA vol. 5, p. 420. FNA vol. 5, p. 252.
Parent taxa Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Oregonium 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. 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. 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. 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. nortonii
Name authority Greene: Pittonia 2: 165. (1891) Reveal: Great Basin Naturalist 33: 120. (1973)
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