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

drooping wild buckwheat, Dugway buckwheat, Dugway 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. Herbs, spreading to erect, annual, 0.5–3 dm, glandular or glabrous, occasionally glaucous, greenish, grayish, or 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.

caudex absent;

aerial flowering stems erect, solid, not fistulose, 0.3–1.5 dm, glandular or glabrous, occasionally glaucous.

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;

petiole 0.5–2.5 cm, tomentose;

blade broadly reniform to round, 0.5–2.5 × 0.5–2.5 cm, densely white-tomentose abaxially, floccose to glabrate and greenish adaxially, margins plane.

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, open to diffuse, 5–20 × 5–20 cm;

branches glandular or glabrous, occasionally glaucous;

bracts 3, scalelike, 0.5–2 × 1–2.5 mm.

Peduncles

absent.

recurved to cernuous, curved or sometimes straight, slender, 0.3–1 cm, glandular or 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.

campanulate, 2–3 × 2–3.5 mm, glandular or glabrous;

teeth 5, erect, 0.5–1 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 mm;

perianth white with greenish or reddish midribs, becoming rose or red, glabrous;

tepals dimorphic, those of outer whorl oblong to oval, those of inner whorl oblanceolate;

stamens included, 2–3 mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

Achenes

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

brown, 3-gonous, 1.7–2 mm, glabrous.

Eriogonum nudum

Eriogonum nutans

Distribution
from FNA
CA; NV; OR; WA; nw Mexico
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CA; NV; OR; 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.)

Varieties 2 (2 in the 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
1. Peduncles and involucres glandular; nw Arizona, ec California, n and c Nevada, se Oregon, w and ec Utah
var. nutans
1. Peduncles and involucres glabrous; Elko County, Nevada, apparently introduced but not persisting in Nevada County, California
var. glabratum
Source FNA vol. 5, p. 309. Treatment author: James L. Reveal. FNA vol. 5, p. 402. Treatment author: James L. Reveal.
Parent taxa Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Eucycla Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Ganysma
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. 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. 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
E. nutans var. glabratum, E. nutans var. nutans
Synonyms E. latifolium subsp. nudum E. cernuum var. purpurascens
Name authority Douglas ex Bentham: Trans. Linn. Soc. London 17: 413. (1836) Torrey & A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 8: 181. (1870)
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