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spurry buckwheat, spurry wild buckwheat, wild buckwheat

fork buckwheat, Pahrump Valley buckwheat, Pahrump Valley wild buckwheat

Habit Herbs, prostrate to spreading or erect, annual, 0.5–4 dm, glabrous or glandular and short-hispid, greenish, grayish, or reddish. Herbs, spreading, annual, 1–4 dm, glabrous, greenish to grayish.
Stems

caudex absent;

aerial flowering stems prostrate to erect, solid, not fistulose, 0.1–0.5 dm, glabrous or glandular and short-hispid.

caudex absent;

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

Leaves

basal and cauline;

basal: petiole 0.05–0.3 cm, hispid, blade linear, (0.3–)1–3(–4) × 0.05–0.3 cm, short-hispid, margins plane or revolute, ciliate;

cauline sessile, blade linear, 0.3–2.5 × 0.05–0.3 cm, similar to basal blade.

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

cymose, open to diffuse, 4–25 × 5–35 cm;

branches sparsely hispid to puberulent, internodes usually glandular;

bracts 3–6, semileaflike, 2–10 × 0.5–2 mm.

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

branches glabrous;

bracts scalelike, 1–1.5 × 0.4–1 mm.

Peduncles

erect, straight, filiform, 0.4–1.5 cm, glabrous.

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

Involucres

turbinate, 0.5–1 × 0.4–0.8 mm, glabrous;

teeth 4, erect, 0.2–0.4 mm.

turbinate, 2–2.5 × 1.3–2 mm;

teeth 5, erect, 0.4–0.5 mm.

Flowers

1.5–3.5 mm;

perianth white with greenish to reddish midribs, becoming pinkish to rose, glabrous or sparsely pubescent;

tepals monomorphic, oblong;

stamens included, 0.5–2 mm;

filaments usually glabrous.

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

brown to blackish, lenticular, 1.5–2.3 mm, glabrous.

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

2n

= 40.

Eriogonum spergulinum

Eriogonum bifurcatum

Phenology Flowering May–Jun.
Habitat Alkaline sandy flats and slopes, saltbush communities
Elevation 600-800 m (2000-2600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; ID; NV; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; NV
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).

(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.)

Key
1. Branch internodes not glandular; plants prostrate to ascending; s Sierra Nevada, California
var. pratense
1. Branch internodes glandular; plants erect
→ 2
2. Flowers 1.5-2.5 mm; Transverse, Sierra Nevada, and North Coast Ranges of nw, sw, and e California and w Nevada, also s Oregon, c Idaho
var. reddingianum
2. Flowers 2.5-3.5 mm; c Sierra Nevada, California
var. spergulinum
Source FNA vol. 5, p. 409. FNA vol. 5, p. 397.
Parent taxa Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Ganysma 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. saxatile, E. scabrellum, E. scopulorum, E. shockleyi, E. siskiyouense, E. smithii, E. soliceps, E. soredium, E. spathulatum, E. spectabile, 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
Subordinate taxa
E. spergulinum var. pratense, E. spergulinum var. reddingianum, E. spergulinum var. spergulinum
Synonyms Oxytheca spergulina
Name authority A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 7: 389. (1868) Reveal: Aliso 7: 357. (1971)
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