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ocherflower wild buckwheat, white woolly buckwheat, whitewoolly wild buckwheat

spreading buckwheat, strawflower wild buckwheat

Habit Herbs, matted, scapose, 0.5–4.5(–5) × 0.5–3 dm, glabrous or glandular, grayish. Shrubs, spreading, not scapose, 1.5–3(–4) × 3–8 dm, floccose and dark green.
Stems

matted or spreading, occasionally with persistent leaf bases, up to 1/5 height of plant;

caudex stems matted or absent;

aerial flowering stems scapelike, erect, slender, solid, not fistulose, (0.5–)1.5–4.5(–5) dm, glabrous, rarely slightly floccose, or glandular below inflorescence.

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

caudex stems absent;

aerial flowering stems erect to slightly spreading, slender, solid, not fistulose, 0.02–0.04 dm, floccose.

Leaves

basal, fasciculate in terminal tufts, sometimes 1 per node and sheathing up stem 1–4 cm;

petiole 1–4(–5) cm, tomentose;

blade oblanceolate or lanceolate to elliptic, oblong, or ovate to obovate, (0.6–)1–3.5(–4) × (0.3–)0.5–1.5 cm, densely tomentose abaxially, only slightly less so adaxially, margins plane.

cauline, 1 per node;

petiole 0.2–0.7 cm, floccose;

blade linear to linear-oblanceolate, (2–)3–6 × 0.1–0.3 cm, densely tomentose abaxially, floccose and green adaxially, margins revolute.

Inflorescences

capitate, 1.5–2.5 cm;

branches absent;

bracts 3, scalelike, narrowly triangular, 1–2.5 mm.

cymose, compact, 0.5–1.3(–1.6) dm;

branches dichotomous, floccose to nearly glabrous;

bracts 3, scalelike, triangular, 0.5–2 mm.

Peduncles

absent or erect, slender, 0.1–0.5(–0.6) cm, glabrous.

absent or erect, 0.5–2.5 cm, floccose.

Involucres

5–8 per cluster, turbinate to campanulate, 3.5–5.5(–6) × (1.5–)2–4.5(–5) mm, rigid, floccose at least on teeth, occasionally glandular, rarely glabrous;

teeth 6–8, erect, 0.5–1 mm.

1 per node, turbinate, 2.5–3 × 1–2 mm, floccose or glabrous;

teeth 5, erect, 0.3–0.6 mm.

Flowers

1.5–3 mm;

perianth yellow, glabrous or weakly glandular abaxially;

tepals connate proximally, monomorphic, broadly oblong;

stamens exserted, 2.5–3.5(–4) mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

2–2.5(–3) mm;

perianth white, becoming rose, glabrous;

tepals connate proximal 1/4, essentially monomorphic, elliptic to obovate;

stamens exserted, 2.5–4.5 mm;

filaments sparsely pilose.

Achenes

light brown, (1.5–)2–3 mm, glabrous.

brown, 2–2.5 mm, glabrous.

Eriogonum ochrocephalum

Eriogonum helichrysoides

Phenology Flowering Jul–Sep.
Habitat Clay slopes or chalky limestone outcrops, mixed grassland communities
Elevation 900-1100 m (3000-3600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; ID; NV; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
KS
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

Variety ochrocephalum is occasionally seen in rock gardens, and var. calcareum is worthy of cultivation.

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

Eriogonum helichrysoides is limited to west-central Kansas (Ellis, Gove, Lane, Logan, Scott, and Trego counties). The plants’ dark green color and narrow leaf blades readily segregate the species from E. effusum.

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

Key
1. Scapes glandular at least proximal to inflorescence; ne California, nw Nevada
var. ochrocephalum
1. Scapes glabrous or, rarely, slightly floccose; sw Idaho, se Oregon, wc Nevada
var. calcareum
Source FNA vol. 5, p. 283. FNA vol. 5, p. 248.
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. nudum, E. nummulare, E. nutans, 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. 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. ochrocephalum var. calcareum, E. ochrocephalum var. ochrocephalum
Synonyms E. microthecum subsp. helichrysoides, E. effusum subsp. helichrysoides, E. effusum var. rosmarnioides
Name authority S. Watson: in W. H. Brewer et al., Bot. California 2: 480. (1880) (Gandoger) Prain: in B. D. Jackson et al., Index Kew., suppl. 4: 82. (1913)
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