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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

White Mountain buckwheat, White Mountains buckwheat, White Mountains wild buckwheat

Habit Herbs, compact or spreading, matted, 0.3–2 × 0.5–3 dm, floccose or glabrous. Herbs, matted, scapose, 0.5–1 × 0.5–2 dm, glandular-hairy, greenish.
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.

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

caudex stems matted;

aerial flowering stems scapelike, erect, slender, solid, not fistulose, (0.2–)0.3–1(–1.2) dm, glandular-hairy.

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, fasciculate in terminal tufts;

petiole (0.5–)0.8–1.7(–2) cm, thinly tomentose, glandular;

blade oblanceolate to elliptic, (0.3–)1–1.5(–2) × (0.2–)0.3–0.6 cm, densely white-tomentose and glandular abaxially, less so and greenish adaxially, margins plane.

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.

capitate, 1–2 cm;

branches absent;

bracts 3–5, lanceolate, scalelike, 1.5–3 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.

5–7 per cluster, turbinate to campanulate, 2–4 × 2–3 mm, membranous, sparsely glandular to glandular-puberulent or pubescent;

teeth 5, erect to spreading, 1–1.5 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.

2–3 mm;

perianth white to rose, glandular;

tepals connate proximal 1/4, monomorphic, obovate;

stamens exserted, 2–3.5(–4) mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

Achenes

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

light brown, 2–2.3(–2.5) mm, glabrous.

Eriogonum pyrolifolium

Eriogonum gracilipes

Phenology Flowering Jul–Sep.
Habitat Granitic, sandstone or limestone sandy to gravelly outcrops, slopes, and ridge tops, high-elevation sagebrush communities, subalpine and alpine conifer woodlands
Elevation 2900-3900 m (9500-12800 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; ID; MT; OR; WA; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; NV
[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 gracilipes is generally found with Great Basin bristlecone pine (Pinus longaeva D. K. Bailey) and foxtail pine (Pinus balfouriana S. Watson) in the higher elevations of the White Mountains and on the eastern edge of the Sierra Nevada immediately to the west. The White Mountains wild buckwheat is restricted to Mono and Inyo counties, California, and just enters Esmeralda County in Nevada. It is occasionally seen in cultivation.

(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. 282.
Parent taxa Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Oligogonum 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. 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. 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. 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. kennedyi subsp. gracilipes, E. ochrocephalum var. gracilipes
Name authority Hooker: Hooker’s J. Bot. Kew Gard. Misc. 5: 395, plate 10. (1853) S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 24: 85. (1889)
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