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alpine buckwheat, alpine eriogonum, alpine wild buckwheat, dirty socks, oarleaf buckwheat, oarleaf wild buckwheat, pyrola-leaf buckwheat, pyrola-leafed wild buckwheat, Shasta buckwheat, Shasta wild buckwheat

Coville wild buckwheat, Coville's buckwheat, Coville's wild buckwheat

Habit Herbs, compact or spreading, matted, 0.3–2 × 0.5–3 dm, floccose or glabrous. Herbs, erect, 1–4 dm, glabrous, green to reddish.
Stems

caudex absent or spreading;

aerial flowering stems prostrate to weakly erect, slender, solid, not fistulose, usually arising directly from a taproot, 0.3–1.5(–1.8) dm, villous to floccose or glabrous.

aerial flowering stems erect, 0.3–1 dm, glabrous.

Leaves

basal, mostly in loose rosettes;

petiole 1–4 cm, tomentose to floccose;

blade ovate to round, 1–2.5(–4) × 0.8–2 cm, grayish- to tannish-lanate or tomentose abaxially, glabrous and green adaxially, or glabrous on both surfaces, margins entire, plane.

basal;

petiole 1–4(–5) cm, tomentose;

blade suborbiculate to reniform, (0.3–)0.5–1.5 × 0.5–1.5(–1.8) cm, densely white-tomentose abaxially, glabrous and bright green adaxially.

Inflorescences

capitate or umbellate, 1–3(–5) × 1–4 cm;

branches floccose or glabrous;

bracts 2, leaflike, (0.4–)1–2 × 0.1–0.2(–0.4) cm, sometimes absent immediately below involucre.

cymose, infrequently distally uniparous due to suppression of secondary branches, open, 5–35 × 5–30 cm;

branches glabrous;

bracts 1–2 × 0.5–1 mm.

Peduncles

absent.

Involucres

1 per node (occasionally appearing clustered), campanulate, 4–6 × (3–)4–8 mm, pilose or glabrous;

teeth 4–5, erect, 0.6–1 mm.

terminal at tips of slender branchlets proximally, not appressed to branches, turbinate, 2–2.5 × 1–1.5 mm, glabrous;

teeth 5, erect, 0.4–0.8 mm.

Flowers

4–6 mm, including 0.1–0.2 mm stipelike base;

perianth white to rose, pilose to villous with intermixed glandular hairs abaxially;

tepals monomorphic, obovate;

stamens exserted, 4–8 mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

2–2.5(–3) mm;

perianth pink at early anthesis, becoming white to rose or yellow, minutely puberulent;

tepals monomorphic, narrowly elliptic;

stamens included, 1.7–2 mm;

filaments glabrous.

Achenes

light brown to brown, 4–5 mm, glabrous except for pilose beak.

light brown, 3-gonous, 1.8–2 mm.

2n

= 34.

Eriogonum pyrolifolium

Eriogonum covilleanum

Phenology Flowering Apr–Aug.
Habitat Shale or serpentine outcrops and slopes, chaparral communities, oak and pine woodlands
Elevation 200-1400 m (700-4600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; ID; MT; OR; WA; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

The taxonomic merit of the two varieties of Eriogonum pyrolifolium is dubious. Plants with both hairy and nonhairy leaves are found growing together, and yet there are many populations in which only a single expression is found.

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

Eriogonum covilleanum is encountered infrequently in the Inner Coast Ranges of central and southwestern California (Fresno, Kern, Merced, Monterey, San Benito, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Stanislaus, and Ventura counties). On occasion it can be locally common but is never abundant or weedy. It is often found growing with other annual wild buckwheats, and care must be taken to sort the species.

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

Key
1. Leaf blades densely lanate to tomentose abaxially, mostly glabrous adaxially
var. coryphaeum
1. Leaf blades glabrous on both surfaces
var. pyrolifolium
Source FNA vol. 5, p. 374. FNA vol. 5, p. 419.
Parent taxa Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Oligogonum Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Oregonium
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. 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. 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. 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. 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. pyrolifolium var. coryphaeum, E. pyrolifolium var. pyrolifolium
Synonyms E. vimineum var. covilleanum
Name authority Hooker: Hooker’s J. Bot. Kew Gard. Misc. 5: 395, plate 10. (1853) Eastwood: Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci., ser. 4, 20: 138. (1931)
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