Eriogonum saxatile |
Eriogonum racemosum |
|
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hoary buckwheat, hoary wild buckwheat, rock buckwheat |
red-root wild buckwheat, redroot 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, erect to slightly spreading, 3–8(–10) × 0.5–1.5 dm, tomen-tose to floccose or rarely glabrous, grayish. |
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. |
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. |
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, 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. |
Inflorescences | cymose, 10–25 × 5–12 cm; branches dichotomous, lanate to tomentose or floccose; bracts 3–4, scalelike, triangular, 1.5–7 mm. |
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. |
Peduncles | absent. |
absent or erect, stout, 0.3–4 cm, tomentose to floccose. |
Involucres | 1 per node, turbinate, 3–4 × 2–3 mm, tomentose to floccose; teeth 5–6, erect, 0.8–1.5 mm. |
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. |
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. |
(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. |
Achenes | 3-gonous, nearly winged, 3.5–4 mm, glabrous. |
light brown, 3–4 mm, glabrous. |
2n | = 40. |
= 36. |
Eriogonum saxatile |
Eriogonum racemosum |
|
Phenology | Flowering May–Oct. | Flowering Jun–Oct. |
Habitat | Decomposed granitic or volcanic flats, slopes, and ridges, chaparral, saltbush, and sagebrush communities, pinyon-juniper and montane conifer woodlands | Sandy to gravelly flats and slopes, mixed grass, sagebrush, and mountain mahogany communities, scrub oak, pinyon, juniper, and conifer woodlands |
Elevation | (300-)800-3400(-3500) m ((1000-)2600-11200(-11500) ft) | 1400-2900(-3500) m (4600-9500(-11500) ft) |
Distribution |
CA; NV
|
AZ; CO; NM; NV; UT
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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 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.) |
Source | FNA vol. 5, p. 324. | FNA vol. 5, p. 295. |
Parent taxa | Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Eucycla | Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Eucycla |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | E. saxatile subsp. multicaule | E. racemosum var. obtusum, E. racemosum var. orthocladon |
Name authority | S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 12: 267. (1877) | Nuttall: Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 4: 14. (1848) |
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