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hoary buckwheat, hoary wild buckwheat, rock buckwheat

short-flower buckwheat, short-flower wild buckwheat, yellow buckwheat

Habit Herbs, loosely to densely matted, not scapose, (1–)2–4 × 0.5–2 dm, densely white- or grayish-lanate to tomentose or floccose. Herbs, spreading, (0.5–)1–3 dm, glabrous, greenish.
Stems

spreading, often with persistent leaf bases, up to 1/4 height of plant;

caudex stems matted, decumbent to spreading;

aerial flowering stems spreading to erect, slender, solid, not fistulose, 0.5–1.5 dm, lanate to tomentose or floccose.

aerial flowering stems erect, 0.3–0.8 dm, glabrous.

Leaves

basal or sheathing up stems 4 cm, 1 per node or fasciculate at tips of caudex branches;

proximal leaves: petiole 1–3(–4) cm, tomentose, blade obovate to rounded, 1–2(–2.5) × 1–2 cm, lanate to tomentose;

distal leaves sessile, blade elliptic to rounded, 0.3–1 × 0.3–1 cm, lanate to tomentose.

basal;

petiole 0.5–3 cm, tomentose;

blade ovate to rounded, 0.5–2 × 0.5–2 cm, densely white-tomentose on both surfaces, rarely glabrate and grayish or greenish adaxially.

Inflorescences

cymose, 10–25 × 5–12 cm;

branches dichotomous, lanate to tomentose or floccose;

bracts 3–4, scalelike, triangular, 1.5–7 mm.

cymose, occasionally distally uniparous due to suppression of secondary branches, usually diffuse, 5–25 × 5–30 cm;

branches glabrous;

bracts 0.5–2 × 0.5–2 mm.

Peduncles

absent.

absent.

Involucres

1 per node, turbinate, 3–4 × 2–3 mm, tomentose to floccose;

teeth 5–6, erect, 0.8–1.5 mm.

somewhat appressed to branches, turbinate, 1–1.2 × 0.4–0.6 mm, glabrous;

teeth 5, erect, 0.2–0.3 mm.

Flowers

(3–)5–7 mm, including elongate, sharply triangular, slightly winged, stipelike base;

perianth white to rose or yellowish, glabrous;

tepals connate proximally, dimorphic, those of outer whorl oblanceolate to lanceolate, 3–5 × 1.5–2 mm, those of inner whorl obovate, 4–6 × 2–3 mm;

stamens included to slightly exserted, 2.5–5 mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

0.6–0.8(–1) mm;

perianth yellow or pale yellowish, rarely whitish, glabrous;

tepals slightly dimorphic, those of outer whorl oblong to oblong-obovate, those of inner whorl narrowly oblong;

stamens included, 0.5–0.8 mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

Achenes

3-gonous, nearly winged, 3.5–4 mm, glabrous.

dark brown, 3-gonous, 0.8–1 mm.

2n

= 40.

Eriogonum saxatile

Eriogonum brachyanthum

Phenology Flowering May–Oct. Flowering Apr–Nov.
Habitat Decomposed granitic or volcanic flats, slopes, and ridges, chaparral, saltbush, and sagebrush communities, pinyon-juniper and montane conifer woodlands Sandy to gravelly flats, washes, and slopes, saltbush, greasewood, and sagebrush communities, pinyon-juniper and montane conifer woodlands
Elevation (300-)800-3400(-3500) m ((1000-)2600-11200(-11500) ft) 600-2300 m (2000-7500 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; NV
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; NV; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Eriogonum saxatile is found mainly in arid mountains of California (Fresno, Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles, Mono, Monterey, Riverside, San Benito, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, Tulare, and Ventura counties) and Nevada (Esmeralda and western Nye counties). The plants vary considerably as to robustness, degree of branching, and sprawl of the caudex. The size and position of the leaves also vary, as does the density of tomentum on the blades. Flower color varies from white to rose or yellowish, but the deep yellow of E. crocatum is never seen in E. saxatile. The species is frequently cultivated and is an excellent plant for the rock garden.

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

Eriogonum brachyanthum basically is a species of the Mojave Desert, extending northward in eastern California (Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles, Mono, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties) and along the Lahontan Trough of Nevada (Churchill, Esmeralda, Eureka, Humboldt, Lander, Lyon, Mineral, Nye, Pershing, and Washoe counties) to just north of Denio in Harney County, Oregon. It is common to abundant and even locally weedy in the northern Mojave Desert. Elsewhere it is less common and much more widely scattered. It often is found with other annual wild buckwheats forming dense patches (especially along highways) composed of several (up to seven in places) species, and care must be taken to sort them properly when making herbarium specimens.

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

Source FNA vol. 5, p. 324. FNA vol. 5, p. 426.
Parent taxa Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Eucycla 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. pyrolifolium, E. racemosum, E. reniforme, E. ripleyi, E. rixfordii, E. robustum, E. rosense, E. roseum, E. rotundifolium, E. rubricaule, E. rupinum, E. salicornioides, 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. 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. saxatile subsp. multicaule E. baileyi var. brachyanthum, E. vimineum var. brachyanthum
Name authority S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 12: 267. (1877) Coville: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 4: 185. (1893)
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