Flora of North America species comparison

The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links

Eriogonum nudum

Eriogonum bicolor

bare-stem buckwheat, barestem wild buckwheat, naked buckwheat, naked wild buckwheat, nude buckwheat

pretty buckwheat, pretty wild buckwheat
Habit Herbs, mostly erect, infrequently scapose, (0.5–)1–15(–20) × 0.5–3 dm, glabrous or floccose to tomentose, usually greenish, occasionally grayish. Subshrubs, compact, not scapose, 0.2–0.8 × 0.5–2(–3) dm, reddish- or tannish-tomentose, reddish.
Stems

spreading to erect, with or without persistent leaf bases, up to 1/4 height of plant;

caudex stems absent;

aerial flowering stems erect to spreading, slender to stout, solid or hollow, occasionally fistulose, 0.3–4(–10) dm, glabrous or lanate to tomentose or floccose.

erect to slightly spreading, often with persistent leaf bases, up to 1/4 height of plant;

caudex stems compact;

aerial flowering stems spreading to somewhat erect, slender, solid, not fistulose, 0.05–0.2 dm, tomentose.
Leaves

basal or sheathing up stem 0.5–4 dm;

petiole 1–10 cm, glabrous or tomentose;

blade oblanceolate to elliptic or ovate, 1–6 × (0.3–)1–4 cm, densely white-lanate or tomentose abaxially, tomentose to floccose or subglabrous to glabrous adaxially, margins plane or undulate-crisped.

cauline, 1 per node or fasciculate;

petiole 0.1–0.2 cm, tomentose to floccose;

blade linear-oblanceolate to narrowly elliptic, 0.5–1.7(–2) × 0.1–0.2(–0.3) cm, densely white-tomentose abaxially, slightly less so and often reddish or tannish adaxially, margins revolute.
Inflorescences

cymose, rarely umbellate or capitate, 2–100(–150) × 2–40(–80) cm;

branches usually dichotomous, glabrous or tomentose to floccose or sparsely pubescent;

bracts 3, scalelike, 0.5–3(–5) mm.

umbellate to cymose, compact, rarely reduced to single involucre, 0.5–1 × 0.5–1.5 cm;

branches dichotomous, tomentose;

bracts 3, scalelike, linear, 0.7–1.3 mm.
Peduncles

absent.

erect, 0.1–0.3(–0.4) cm, tomentose to floccose.
Involucres

1 per node or 2–10 per cluster, turbinate to turbinate-campanulate, (2.5–)3–5(–7) × (1.5–)2–4 mm, glabrous, tomentose, or sparsely pubescent;

teeth 5–8, 0.2–0.6 mm.

1 per node, turbinate-campanulate, 2–4 × 1.5–3 mm, tomentose to floccose or glabrous;

teeth 5, erect, 0.4–0.7 mm.
Flowers

(1.5–)2–4 mm;

perianth white or yellow, sometimes pink or rose, glabrous or pubescent;

tepals connate proximal 1/4, monomorphic, oblong to obovate;

stamens exserted, 2–5 mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

2.5–4(–4.5) mm;

perianth white, glabrous;

tepals connate proximal 1/4, dimorphic, those of outer whorl broadly obovate to nearly orbiculate, (2–)2.5–3 mm wide, those of inner whorl oblanceolate to narrowly elliptic, 1–1.5 mm wide;

stamens long-exserted, 3–5 mm;

filaments sparsely pilose proximally or glabrous.
Achenes

light brown to brown, 1.5–3.5 mm, glabrous.

light brown, 3–3.5 mm, glabrous.

Eriogonum nudum

Eriogonum bicolor
Phenology Flowering Apr–Jul.
Habitat Silty, sandy, or heavy clay washes, flats, and slopes, saltbush and blackbrush communities, juniper or pinyon-juniper woodlands
Elevation 1300-2000(-2300) m [4300-6600(-7500) ft]
Distribution
from FNA
CA; NV; OR; WA; nw Mexico
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CO; UT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 13 (13 in the flora).

Several local groups of Native Americans in California used members of this species in a variety of ways. S. A. Barrett and E. W. Gifford (1933) and S. M. Schenck and E. W. Gifford (1952) reported the consumption of raw young stems that are rather moist and tasty, although there is a sour aftertaste. The Kawaiisu used the hollow stems (probably var. westonii, rather than var. pauciflorum) as drinking tubes and as pipes (M. L. Zigmond 1981). Zigmond reported also that the roots of var. pauciflorum are used as an infusion for coughs.

Members of Eriogonum nudum are food plants for the Bauer’s dotted-blue butterfly (Euphilotes baueri), the Pacific dotted-blue (E. enoptes), the gorgon copper (Gaeides gorgon), and the Mormon metalmark (Apodemia mormo).

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

Eriogonum bicolor is common from Castle Valley and the San Rafael Swells of Carbon and Emery counties, Utah, eastward to Grand Valley of Grand County, Utah, and Mesa County, Colorado. It occurs to the south in Garfield, San Juan, Sevier, and Wayne counties of Utah, especially in Canyonlands National Park and the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. The species is worthy of cultivation, although being a slow-growing perennial of rather specialized soils it is a challenge. Seed germination in garden plots is reasonably successful; transplanting is difficult.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Key
1. Involucres and inflorescence branches tomentose to floccose; leaves usually basal
→ 2
1. Involucres and inflorescence branches glabrous or, if pubescent, leaves sheathing up stems
→ 3
2. Perianths white; flowering stems lanate to tomentose; leaf blades 2-3.5 cm; s Sierra Nevada
var. regirivum
2. Perianths yellow or white to rose; flowering stems tomentose to floccose; leaf blades 2-4 cm; s Oregon, n California, wc Nevada
var. oblongifolium
3. Leaves sheathing up stems, margins often strongly undulate-crisped
→ 4
3. Leaves basal, margins plane or slightly undulate-crisped
→ 8
4. Flowering stems tomentose
→ 5
4. Flowering stems glabrous
→ 6
5. Perianths pubescent; flowers 1.5-2 mm; involucres 3-4 mm; Sierra Nevada, California
var. regirivum
5. Perianths glabrous; flowers 3-4 mm; involucres 4-6 mm; Coast Ranges, California
var. decurrens
6. Leaf blades densely lanate abaxially, tomentose adaxially; involucres 5-10 per cluster; Sierra Nevada, California
var. murinum
6. Leaf blades tomentose abaxially, less so to floccose, glabrous, or nearly so adaxially; involucres 1 per node or 2-5 per cluster; widespread, Coast Ranges, California
→ 7
7. Flowering stems occasionally fistulose; involucres (2-)3-5 per cluster; perianths white to pink, rarely yellowish
var. auriculatum
7. Flowering stems strongly fistulose; involucres 1 per node; perianths pale yellowish white to yellow or white
var. indictum
8. Involucres 1(-2) per cluster
var. westonii
8. Involucres 2-10 per cluster
→ 12
9. Flowering stems fistulose; perianths yellow, infrequently white; c California
var. westonii
9. Flowering stems not fistulose or, if so, plants of sw California; perianths white, rarely yellow
→ 10
10. Perianths pubescent or, infrequently, glabrous; s California
var. pauciflorum
10. Flowers glabrous; sw Oregon, n California, Nevada
→ 11
11. Leaf blades 1-5 cm; sw Oregon, n California (including w slope of Sierra Nevada), Washington
var. nudum
11. Leaf blades 1-2 cm; Sierra Nevada of California and adjacent desert ranges of wc Nevada
var. deductum
12. Perianths pubescent, often yellow
→ 13
12. Perianths usually glabrous abaxially, white, rarely yellow
→ 14
13. Flowering stems not fistulose; leaf blades floccose or glabrous adaxially, margins plane; plants of nonaridregions
var. pubiflorum
13. Flowering stems slightly to distinctly fistulose; leaf blades tomentose to floccose adaxially, margins undulate-crisped; plants of arid regions
var. westonii
14. Inflorescences capitate or nearly so; alpine, Sierra Nevada
E. nudumvar. scapigerum
14. Inflorescences cymose or, if capitate, not alpine.
→ 15
15. Involucres 1(-2) per cluster, 5- 7 mm; mountains of s California
var. pauciflorum
15. Involucres 2-10 per cluster, 3-5 mm; mountains and foothills of c and n California or coastal bluffs. [16. Shifted to left margin—Ed.]
→ 16
16. Inflorescences cymose and branched 2 or more times; involucres 2-5 per cluster; mountains and foothills of c and n California, Oregon, and Washington.
var. nudum
16. Inflorescences capitate or cymose and branched 1-2 times; involucres 5-10 per cluster; coastal bluffs, sw Oregon, ne California
var. paralinum
Source FNA vol. 5, p. 309. Treatment author: James L. Reveal. FNA vol. 5, p. 253. Treatment author: James L. Reveal.
Parent taxa Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Eucycla 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. nortonii, E. novonudum, 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. 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. 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. nudum var. auriculatum, E. nudum var. decurrens, E. nudum var. deductum, E. nudum var. indictum, E. nudum var. murinum, E. nudum var. nudum, E. nudum var. oblongifolium, E. nudum var. paralinum, E. nudum var. pauciflorum, E. nudum var. pubiflorum, E. nudum var. regirivum, E. nudum var. westonii, E. nudumvar. scapigerum
Synonyms E. latifolium subsp. nudum E. microthecum subsp. bicolor
Name authority Douglas ex Bentham: Trans. Linn. Soc. London 17: 413. (1836) M. E. Jones: Zoë 4: 281. (1893)
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).



Type/paste one or more Latin names into the boxes above; matching taxa will show up below the box as you type. You can use the up/down arrow keys to move through the list.

(If the plant you're looking for doesn't show up in the auto-complete list, that means it either isn't described in Flora of North America yet, or it's listed under a synonym. And please note that Flora of North America is still missing several plant families, including Boraginaceae and Polemoniaceae.)

The species comparison tool is brought to you by:
Northwest Wildflowers