Flora of North America species comparison

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Eriogonum nutans

Eriogonum saxatile

drooping wild buckwheat, Dugway buckwheat, Dugway wild buckwheat

hoary buckwheat, hoary wild buckwheat, rock buckwheat
Habit Herbs, spreading to erect, annual, 0.5–3 dm, glandular or glabrous, occasionally glaucous, greenish, grayish, or reddish. Herbs, loosely to densely matted, not scapose, (1–)2–4 × 0.5–2 dm, densely white- or grayish-lanate to tomentose or floccose.
Stems

caudex absent;

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

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

caudex stems matted, decumbent to spreading;

aerial flowering stems spreading to erect, slender, solid, not fistulose, 0.5–1.5 dm, lanate to tomentose or floccose.
Leaves

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.

basal or sheathing up stems 4 cm, 1 per node or fasciculate at tips of caudex branches;

proximal leaves: petiole 1–3(–4) cm, tomentose, blade obovate to rounded, 1–2(–2.5) × 1–2 cm, lanate to tomentose;

distal leaves sessile, blade elliptic to rounded, 0.3–1 × 0.3–1 cm, lanate to tomentose.
Inflorescences

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.

cymose, 10–25 × 5–12 cm;

branches dichotomous, lanate to tomentose or floccose;

bracts 3–4, scalelike, triangular, 1.5–7 mm.
Peduncles

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

absent.
Involucres

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

teeth 5, erect, 0.5–1 mm.

1 per node, turbinate, 3–4 × 2–3 mm, tomentose to floccose;

teeth 5–6, erect, 0.8–1.5 mm.
Flowers

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.

(3–)5–7 mm, including elongate, sharply triangular, slightly winged, stipelike base;

perianth white to rose or yellowish, glabrous;

tepals connate proximally, dimorphic, those of outer whorl oblanceolate to lanceolate, 3–5 × 1.5–2 mm, those of inner whorl obovate, 4–6 × 2–3 mm;

stamens included to slightly exserted, 2.5–5 mm;

filaments pilose proximally.
Achenes

brown, 3-gonous, 1.7–2 mm, glabrous.

3-gonous, nearly winged, 3.5–4 mm, glabrous.
2n

= 40.

Eriogonum nutans

Eriogonum saxatile
Phenology Flowering May–Oct.
Habitat Decomposed granitic or volcanic flats, slopes, and ridges, chaparral, saltbush, and sagebrush communities, pinyon-juniper and montane conifer woodlands
Elevation (300-)800-3400(-3500) m ((1000-)2600-11200(-11500) ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; NV; OR; UT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; NV
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

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

Eriogonum saxatile is found mainly in arid mountains of California (Fresno, Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles, Mono, Monterey, Riverside, San Benito, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, Tulare, and Ventura counties) and Nevada (Esmeralda and western Nye counties). The plants vary considerably as to robustness, degree of branching, and sprawl of the caudex. The size and position of the leaves also vary, as does the density of tomentum on the blades. Flower color varies from white to rose or yellowish, but the deep yellow of E. crocatum is never seen in E. saxatile. The species is frequently cultivated and is an excellent plant for the rock garden.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Key
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. 402. FNA vol. 5, p. 324.
Parent taxa Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Ganysma 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. 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
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. 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. 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. nutans var. glabratum, E. nutans var. nutans
Synonyms E. cernuum var. purpurascens E. saxatile subsp. multicaule
Name authority Torrey & A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 8: 181. (1870) S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 12: 267. (1877)
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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