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red-root wild buckwheat, redroot buckwheat

fork buckwheat, Pahrump Valley buckwheat, Pahrump Valley wild buckwheat

Habit Herbs, erect to slightly spreading, 3–8(–10) × 0.5–1.5 dm, tomen-tose to floccose or rarely glabrous, grayish. Herbs, spreading, annual, 1–4 dm, glabrous, greenish to grayish.
Stems

spreading to erect, without persistent leaf bases, up to 1/6 height of plant;

caudex stems absent;

aerial flowering stems erect to slightly spreading, slender to stout, solid, not fistulose, (1–)1.5–2.5(–3) dm, tomentose to floccose, rarely glabrous.

caudex absent;

aerial flowering stems erect, solid, not fistulose, 0.05–0.3 dm, often obscured by leaves, glabrous.

Leaves

basal, 1 per node;

petiole (2–)3–10(–15) cm, tomentose to floccose;

blade elliptic to ovate or oval to nearly rotund, (1.5–)2–6(–10) × 1–4(–5) cm, lanate to thinly tomentose abaxially, floccose or glabrous and green adaxially, margins plane.

basal;

petiole 1–4 cm, tomentose;

blade round-cordate, 1–3 × 1–3 cm, densely white-tomentose abaxially, less so to floccose and greenish adaxially, margins plane.

Inflorescences

virgate or racemose with involucres racemosely disposed throughout or at tips, 15–50 × 05–20 cm, tomentose, rarely glabrous;

branches dichotomous, upper secondaries suppressed and bearing 5–20(–30) racemosely arranged involucres;

bracts 3, scalelike, triangular, and (1–)2.5–7 mm, or leaflike, linear-oblanceolate or oblanceolate to elliptic, and 10–40 × 5–20(–25) mm.

cymose, spreading and flat-topped, 5–30 × 10–50 cm;

branches glabrous;

bracts scalelike, 1–1.5 × 0.4–1 mm.

Peduncles

absent or erect, stout, 0.3–4 cm, tomentose to floccose.

absent or erect, straight, slender, 0.1–0.5 cm, glabrous.

Involucres

1 per node, turbinate to turbinate-campanulate, (2–)3–5 × (2–)2.5–4 mm, tomentose to floccose;

teeth 5, erect, (0.1–)0.2–0.5 mm.

turbinate, 2–2.5 × 1.3–2 mm;

teeth 5, erect, 0.4–0.5 mm.

Flowers

(2–)2.5–5 mm;

perianth white to pinkish, glabrous;

tepals connate proximal 1/4, monomorphic, oblong;

stamens exserted, 2–5 mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

1.5–2 mm, glabrous;

perianth white with greenish to reddish midribs, becoming faintly pinkish, glabrous;

tepals dimorphic, those of outer whorl obovate to cordate, those of inner whorl lanceolate;

stamens exserted, 2–3 mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

Achenes

light brown, 3–4 mm, glabrous.

light brown, 3-gonous, 2–2.3 mm, glabrous.

2n

= 36.

= 40.

Eriogonum racemosum

Eriogonum bifurcatum

Phenology Flowering Jun–Oct. Flowering May–Jun.
Habitat Sandy to gravelly flats and slopes, mixed grass, sagebrush, and mountain mahogany communities, scrub oak, pinyon, juniper, and conifer woodlands Alkaline sandy flats and slopes, saltbush communities
Elevation 1400-2900(-3500) m (4600-9500(-11500) ft) 600-800 m (2000-2600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CO; NM; NV; UT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; NV
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Eriogonum racemosum is highly variable in stature, the presence of leaflike bracts in the inflorescences, the size and shape of the leaves, and the length of the mature flowers. None of these features is geographically correlated and thus no taxonomic distinctions are attempted. The species is occasionally cultivated. The tomentose, nonfistulose flowering stems easily distinguish it from Eriogonum zionis. Individuals of E. racemosum with glabrous flowering stems are known (Reveal & Holmgren 1893, BRY, US, UTC; Goodrich 17355, BRY; Neese & White 9237, BRY), but are rare and clearly aberrant expressions.

The Navajo or Diné people use the roots of Eriogonum racemosum as a “life medicine,” primarily in the treatment of internal problems, notably poisoning and diarrhea (C. Arnold, pers. comm.; P. A. Vestal 1952). They also use it as an analgesic and orthopedic aid (D. E. Moerman 1986; L. C. Wyman and S. K. Harris 1951); there are reports of its use for venereal disease. Leaves and stems were eaten raw by the Ramah Navajo in northwestern New Mexico (Wyman and Harris).

Eriogonum racemosum is the food plant for the Spalding dotted-blue butterfly (Euphilotes spaldingi) and is occasionally visited by the desert green or Comstock’s hairstreak (Callophrys comstocki).

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

Of conservation concern.

Eriogonum bifurcatum is restricted to the Mesquite, Pahrump, and Stewart valleys along the California-Nevada border in southeastern Inyo, northwestern Clark, and southwestern Nye counties. It is closely related to E. exaltatum, and spring-flowering specimens of the latter are impossible to distinguish from mature individuals of E. bifurcatum. The Las Vegas populations (last collected in 1941) formerly called E. bifurcatum are here tentatively assigned to E. exaltatum. The Pahrump Valley wild buckwheat is currently considered a “sensitive” species, and habitat protection is being considered.

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

Source FNA vol. 5, p. 295. FNA vol. 5, p. 397.
Parent taxa Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Eucycla Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Ganysma
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. pyrolifolium, 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. 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. 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
Synonyms E. racemosum var. obtusum, E. racemosum var. orthocladon
Name authority Nuttall: Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 4: 14. (1848) Reveal: Aliso 7: 357. (1971)
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