Flora of North America species comparison

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Eriogonum nudum

Eriogonum lonchophyllum

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

spearleaf buckwheat, spearleaf wild buckwheat, spreading 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. Shrubs, subshrubs, or herbs, spreading to erect, not scapose, (1–)1.5–5 × 2–5(–8) dm, glabrous or rarely floccose to tomentose, grayish.
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.

spreading or erect, usually without persistent leaf bases, up to 1/2 or more height of plant;

caudex stems absent or matted to spreading;

aerial flowering stems spreading to erect, slender, solid, not fistulose, 0.3–3 dm, glabrous or, rarely, floccose to tomentose, tomentose among leaves.
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.

basal or cauline on proximal 1/2 of stem, 1 per node;

petiole 0.5–2 cm, tomentose to floccose or glabrous;

blade narrowly lanceolate or oblanceolate to elliptic, 1.5–7(–9) × 0.2–2 cm, velvety- to densely white-tomentose abaxially, sparsely tomentose to thinly floccose or glabrous and green adaxially, margins plane or occasionally crenulate.
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.

cymose, dense to more commonly open, 2–25 × 2–20 cm;

branches dichotomous, glabrous or, rarely, floccose;

bracts 3, scalelike, usually triangular, and 1–3 mm, or occasionally leaflike, 8–30 mm, and otherwise similar to leaf blades.
Peduncles

absent.

absent or erect, 0.1–0.8 cm, glabrous.
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 or 2–5 per cluster, turbinate to turbinate-campanulate, 2.5–4 × (1.3–)1.5–3.5(–4) mm, glabrous;

teeth 5, erect, 0.4–0.9 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.

2–3.5(–4) mm;

perianth white, glabrous;

tepals connate proximal 1/4–1/3, monomorphic, oblanceolate, elliptic to oblong or obovate;

stamens exserted, 2–4 mm;

filaments pilose proximally.
Achenes

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

light brown to brown, 2–3 mm, glabrous except (typically) for slightly papillate beak.

Eriogonum nudum

Eriogonum lonchophyllum
Phenology Flowering Jun–Oct.
Habitat Heavy gumbo clay soil or (at higher elevations) sandy-loam to gravelly or rocky soil and outcrops, mixed grassland, saltbush, blackbrush, and sagebrush communities, pinyon-juniper and montane conifer woodlands
Elevation 1400-2900 m (4600-9500 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; NV; OR; WA; nw Mexico
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CO; NM; 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 lonchophyllum is widespread and occasionally rather common in sagebrush-dominated communities in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, northern New Mexico and eastern Utah. The distribution is fragmented, many of the populations are markedly distinct, and several have been provided with names. The continued recognition of E. coloradense is probably dubious given what is already reduced here to synonymy under E. lonchophyllum. Eriogonum lonchophyllum typically has glabrous flowering stems and inflorescence branches, yet floccose to tomentose individuals are known from Eagle (Reveal & Davidse 861, UTC) and Garfield (Goodrich & D. Nelson 24582, BRY) counties in Colorado. Plants representing the typical expression of the species differ from the majority of populations assigned here in having broad leaves and a sprawling habit. Such plants grow in deep shade under tall conifers and are known currently only from the type locality. Variation in the size, shape, and distribution of leaves has been used to distinguish varieties of E. lonchophyllum. At their extremes, the differences are remarkable. For example, plants with linear, basal leaves have been named var. nudicaule. Such plants are found in the New Mexico counties of Rio Arriba, Sandoval, and Santa Fe. Another herbaceous phase also with basal, but broader leaves and known from the Book Cliffs and Tavaputs Plateau regions of northeastern Emery, southern Uintah, and northern Grand counties, Utah, and in Rio Blanco County, Colorado, has been named var. intermontanum. The low, spreading subshrubby phase found along the foothills of the Front Ranges in south-central Colorado (El Paso, Fremont, Jefferson, Las Animas, Otero, and Pueblo counties) and adjacent north-central New Mexico (Colfax and Taos counties) is known as var. fendlerianum. These plants have velvety, tomentose leaf blades. Another shrubby phase is found in and around the Dinosaur National Park in Daggett and Uintah counties, Utah, and in northwestern Rio Blanco County, Colorado. This is var. saurinum, characterized by having sheathing leaf blades along the flowering stems that vary from narrowly oblanceolate to narrowly elliptic; it is occasionally confused with E. corymbosum in that area. At the north end of Mesa Verde National Park and on Sleeping Ute Mountain of Montezuma County, Colorado, is a large shrub that outwardly resembles E. corymbosum in size and shape. It is similar to, but larger than, the more eastern var. fendlerianum. The most common phase of the species (as represented by var. humivagans, including E. salicinum, E. scoparium, and E. tristichum) is found mainly on fine, clayey to gravelly, alluvial soils in the Rocky Mountains and western desert ranges of Colorado (Archuleta, Delta, Dolores, Eagle, Garfield, Gunnison, La Plata, Mesa, Moffat, Montezuma, Montrose, Ouray, Rio Blanco, Saguache, and San Miguel counties), northern New Mexico (Rio Arriba, Sandoval, and San Juan counties), and San Juan County, Utah. The majority of the plants have long, narrow leaf blades (2–5 mm wide), but populations with broader leaves are common in southwestern Colorado. It is this latter expression of E. lonchophyllum that can be difficult to distinguish from E. corymbosum in portions of eastern Utah and western Colorado. A single collection (Rammel s.n., 1872, MIN, US) was supposedly gathered in Texas. Until this is confirmed, the species is not considered to be part of the Texas flora.

(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. FNA vol. 5, p. 262.
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. 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. 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. ainsliei, E. corymbosum var. humivagans, E. effusum subsp. ainsliei, E. effusum subsp. fendlerianum, E. effusum var. nudicaule, E. effusum subsp. salicinum, E. fendlerianum, E. humivagans, E. intermontanum, E. lonchophyllum var. fendlerianum, E. lonchophyllum var. humivagans, E. lonchophyllum var. intermontanum, E. lonchophyllum var. nudicaule, E. lonchophyllum var. saurinum, E. nudicaule, E. nudicaule subsp. scoparium, E. nudicaule subsp. tristichum, E. salicinum, E. saurinum, E. scoparium, E. tristichum
Name authority Douglas ex Bentham: Trans. Linn. Soc. London 17: 413. (1836) Torrey & A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 8: 173. (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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