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Palmer's buckwheat, Palmer's wild buckwheat

rock buckwheat, rock wild buckwheat, round-head buckwheat, round-head eriogonum

Habit Herbs, spreading to erect, (0.5–)1–3 dm, mostly floccose to tomentose, grayish to tawy. Subshrubs, spreading to erect, infrequently polygamodioecious, 0.5–4 × 3–5(–6) dm, floccose or glabrous.
Stems

aerial flowering stems mostly erect, 0.3–0.8 dm, floccose to tomentose.

caudex spreading;

aerial flowering stems erect, slender, solid, not fistulose, arising at nodes of caudex branches and at distal nodes of short, non-flowering aerial branches, (0.3–)0.5–1 dm, thinly floccose or glabrous, with a whorl of 4–8 leaflike bracts ca. midlength or proximally, linear-oblanceolate to oblanceolate, 1–2 × 0.1–0.4 cm.

Leaves

basal;

petiole 1–4 cm, floccose;

blade suborbiculate to cordate, 0.5–1.5(–1.8) × 0.5–2 cm, densely white- to grayish-tomentose abaxially, less so to glabrate and often greenish adaxially.

in loose to congested basal rosettes;

petiole 0.05–0.3 cm, floccose or glabrous;

blade linear-oblanceolate, narrowly oblanceolate, or narrowly spatulate, 1–3(–4) × (0.1–)0.3–0.6(–1) cm, lanate or tomentose to floccose or glabrous, margins entire, plane or revolute.

Inflorescences

cymose, distally uniparous due to suppression of secondary branches, open, 5–2.5 × 10–30 cm;

branches not inwardly curved distally, floccose to tomentose;

bracts 0.5–3 × 1–3 mm.

capitate, compound-umbellate, or umbellate, 1–2 cm wide or 1–5 × 1–5 cm;

branches thinly floccose or glabrous;

bracts absent immediately below involucre.

Peduncles

absent.

Involucres

appressed to branches, campanulate, 1.5–2 × 1.5–2 mm, floccose to tomentose;

teeth 5, erect, 0.2–0.3 mm.

1 per node, turbinate-campanulate to campanulate, 3–4 × 2.5–4.5 mm;

teeth 6–10, lobelike, slightly reflexed, 1.5–3(–5) mm.

Flowers

1.5–2 mm;

perianth white to pink or pale yellowish, becoming pink to red, glabrous;

tepals dimorphic, those of outer whorl narrowly fan-shaped, those of inner whorl oblanceolate;

stamens included, 1–1.5 mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

(5–)6–9 mm, including 1–2 mm stipelike base;

perianth pale to bright yellow or cream to ochroleucous, villous abaxially;

tepals monomorphic, obovate to oblong-ovate;

stamens exserted, 4–6 mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

Achenes

brown, 3-gonous, 1.5–1.8 mm.

light brown, 3–4 mm, glabrous except for sparsely pubescent beak.

2n

= 40.

Eriogonum palmerianum

Eriogonum sphaerocephalum

Phenology Flowering Mar–Oct.
Habitat Sandy to gravelly washes, flats, and slopes, saltbush, greasewood, creosote bush, blackbrush, and sagebrush communities, pinyon and/or juniper woodlands
Elevation (300-)600-2300(-2700) m ((1000-)2000-7500(-8900) ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; CO; ID; NM; NV; UT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; ID; NV; OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Eriogonum palmerianum is common and widespread, sometimes becoming locally abundant and even weedy. It is found in the southern Great Basin and Mojave deserts of eastern California eastward through Nevada, southwestern Idaho, and Utah, on to the Colorado Plateau of western Colorado. In Arizona and New Mexico, it occurs mainly in the Sonoran Desert. Occasional collections are difficult to distinguish from E. nidularium, but such confusion usually is not encountered in the field.

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

Varieties 4 (4 in the flora).

The Piute of Nevada have used a decoction of the root of Eriogonum sphaerocephalum (either var. sphaerocephalum or var. halimoides) to treat colds and diarrhea (P. Train et al. 1941).

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

Key
1. Perianths bright yellow; inflorescences umbellate or compound-umbellate; ne California, sw Idaho, n and wc Nevada, e Oregon, and e Washington
var. sphaerocephalum
1. Perianths pale yellow to cream or ochroleucous; inflorescences umbellate, compound-umbellate, or capitate; ne California, sw or wc Idaho, c Oregon, and c Washington
→ 2
2. Leaf blades usually thinly floccose or glabrous on both surfaces; inflorescences umbellate or compound-umbellate; sw Idaho
var. fasciculifolium
2. Leaf blades tomentose on both surfaces, or floccose adaxially; inflorescence capitate or umbellate; ne California to nw Nevada, c Oregon to wc Idaho, and c Washington. [3. Shifted to left margin.—Ed.]
→ 3
3. Leaf blades usually narrowly oblanceolate to narrowly spatulate, margins plane; ne California to nw Nevada, c Oregon to wc Idaho, and c Washington
var. halimioides
3. Leaf blades linear-oblanceolate, margins usually revolute; nc Oregon, sc Washington
var. sublineare
Source FNA vol. 5, p. 428. FNA vol. 5, p. 361.
Parent taxa Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Oregonium Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Oligogonum
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. ochrocephalum, E. ordii, E. ostlundii, E. ovalifolium, 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. saxatile, E. scabrellum, E. scopulorum, E. shockleyi, E. siskiyouense, E. smithii, E. soliceps, E. soredium, E. spathulatum, E. spectabile, E. spergulinum, 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. sphaerocephalum var. fasciculifolium, E. sphaerocephalum var. halimioides, E. sphaerocephalum var. sphaerocephalum, E. sphaerocephalum var. sublineare
Synonyms E. plumatella var. palmeri
Name authority Reveal: in P. A. Munz, Suppl. Calif. Fl., 58. (1968) Douglas ex Bentham: Trans. Linn. Soc. London 17: 407. (1836)
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