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hoary buckwheat, hoary wild buckwheat, rock buckwheat

cottony buckwheat, cottony wild buckwheat, gypsum wild-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, annual, 0.5–2 dm, tomentose, grayish to reddish.
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.

caudex absent;

aerial flowering stems erect, not striated or angled, solid, not fistulose, 0.2–0.5 dm, tomentose.

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 and cauline;

basal: petiole 0.5–1 cm, floccose, blade broadly oblanceolate, 1.5–4 × 0.5–1 cm, tomentose abaxially, floccose or glabrate and grayish to green adaxially, margins crenulate, often slightly revolute;

cauline sessile, blade lanceolate, 0.3–2 × 0.2–0.7 cm, similar to basal blade.

Inflorescences

cymose, 10–25 × 5–12 cm;

branches dichotomous, lanate to tomentose or floccose;

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

cymose, diffuse, 3–17 × 5–25 cm;

branches tomentose;

bracts 3, scalelike, 1–2 × 0.5–1.5 mm.

Peduncles

absent.

spreading, straight, capillary, 0.2–1.5 cm, thinly tomentose to floccose or glabrous.

Involucres

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

teeth 5–6, erect, 0.8–1.5 mm.

turbinate, 2.7–3 × 2–2.5 mm, glandular-puberulent, densely tomentose adaxially;

teeth 5, spreading, 0.8–1.2(–1.5).

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.

1.5–1.7 mm;

perianth white, glandular-puberulent;

tepals monomorphic, narrowly oblong;

stamens included, 1–1.5 mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

Achenes

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

light brown, 3-gonous, 1.3–1.5 mm, glabrous.

2n

= 40.

= 40.

Eriogonum saxatile

Eriogonum gossypinum

Phenology Flowering May–Oct. Flowering year-round.
Habitat Decomposed granitic or volcanic flats, slopes, and ridges, chaparral, saltbush, and sagebrush communities, pinyon-juniper and montane conifer woodlands Clayey gypsophilous flats and slopes, grassland and saltbush communities
Elevation (300-)800-3400(-3500) m ((1000-)2600-11200(-11500) ft) 100-500 m (300-1600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; NV
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA
[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 gossypinum is rare to infrequent on the foothills of the Inner Coast Ranges in Kings (Kettleman Hills) and eastern San Luis Obispo counties, with two centers of concentration in Kern County, one in the Taft area and another east of Bakersfield. The Kern County populations are the most extensive and subject to the greatest habitat destruction. The species is protected at The Nature Conservancy’s Sand Ridge Preserve near Edison.

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

Source FNA vol. 5, p. 324. FNA vol. 5, p. 413.
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. 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. 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. 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
Name authority S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 12: 267. (1877) Curran: Bull. Calif. Acad. Sci. 1: 274. (1885)
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