The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links

spurry buckwheat, spurry wild buckwheat, wild buckwheat

Conejo buckwheat, saffron 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, erect to spreading, not scapose, 3–5 × 5–10 dm, lanate to tomentose.
Stems

caudex absent;

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

spreading, usually without persistent leaf bases, up to 1/4 height of plant;

caudex stems matted to spreading;

aerial flowering stems spreading to erect, slender, solid, not fistulose, 0.2–1 dm, lanate to tomentose.

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.

cauline, 1 per node;

petiole 0.3–1.2 cm tomentose;

blade broadly ovate, 1–3(–3.5) × 0.8–2.5(–3) cm, lanate to tomentose.

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-umbellate, 0.5–3 × 3–8 cm;

branches umbellate, lanate to tomentose;

bracts 3, scalelike, triangular, 1–2.5 mm.

Peduncles

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

absent.

Involucres

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

teeth 4, erect, 0.2–0.4 mm.

1 per node, broadly campanulate, 3–4 × 3–5 mm, tomentose;

teeth 5–6, erect, 0.5–1 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.

5–6 mm, including elongate, rounded, slightly winged, stipelike base;

perianth bright yellow, glabrous;

tepals connate proximally, dimorphic, those of outer whorl narrowly oblong, 3–4 × 0.7–0.9 mm, those of inner whorl oblong to spatulate, 3.5–5 × 1–1.5 mm;

stamens exserted, 3–5 mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

Achenes

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

brown, 3-gonous, 2.5–3 mm.

2n

= 40.

Eriogonum spergulinum

Eriogonum crocatum

Phenology Flowering Apr–Jul.
Habitat Sandstone slopes, oak woodlands
Elevation 60-200 m (200-700 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; ID; NV; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).

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

Of conservation concern.

Eriogonum crocatum is known only from the Conejo Grade area of the Santa Monica Mountains in Ventura County. A population in the Malibu Hills of Los Angeles County sampled by M. E. Jones (26 Apr 1926, DS, POM) has not been rediscovered. The species is rare, and the state of California considers it worthy of protection. Federal action has been long delayed. The species is widely cultivated and is one of the more popular wild buckwheats in the garden. Great care should be taken to prevent its escape from cultivation.

(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. 325.
Parent taxa Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Ganysma Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Eucycla
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. 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. 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 E. saxatile var. crocatum
Name authority A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 7: 389. (1868) Davidson: Bull. S. Calif. Acad. Sci. 23: 17, plate E. (1924)
Web links