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Blue Mountain buckwheat, strict buckwheat

west Humboldt buckwheat, wind-loving wild buckwheat

Habit Herbs, erect, loosely to densely matted, not scapose, 1–5 × 1–10 dm, tomentose or glabrous. Herbs, matted, scapose, 0.5–1 × 0.5–3 dm, thinly tomentose to floccose, grayish.
Stems

spreading to erect, with or without persistent leaf bases, up to 1/4 height of plant;

caudex stems absent or spreading to matted;

aerial flowering stems erect to spreading, slender, solid, not fistulose, 1–3 dm, tomentose or glabrous.

spreading, with persistent leaf bases, up to 1/5 height of plant;

caudex stems matted;

aerial flowering stems scapelike, erect, slender, solid, not fistulose, 0.6–1(–1.5) dm, thinly tomentose to floccose.

Leaves

basal, 1 per node;

petiole rarely twisted or curled, 1–6 cm, mostly tomentose;

blade elliptic to ovate, 0.5–2.5(–4) × (0.3–)0.5–1.5 cm, lanate, tomentose to floccose on both surfaces, sometimes sparsely tomentose to floccose and greenish or floccose to subglabrous or glabrous adaxially, margins plane.

basal, fasciculate in terminal tufts;

petiole 0.5–2.5(–3.5) cm, tomentose;

blade elliptic to obovate or suborbiculate, (0.7–)0.9–1.5(–2) × (0.3–)0.5–0.9(–1.1) cm, densely white-tomentose abaxially, less so and greenish-tomentose adaxially, margins plane.

Inflorescences

umbellate-cymose to cymose, 1–20 × 3–25 cm;

branches dichotomous, tomentose to floccose or less often glabrous;

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

capitate, 1–1.5 cm;

branches absent;

bracts 3, triangular, scalelike, 1.5–2 mm.

Peduncles

absent.

absent.

Involucres

1 per node, rarely 2–5 per cluster, narrowly turbinate to turbinate-campanulate, 4–6 × 1.5–5 mm, tomentose or glabrous;

teeth 5, erect, 0.5–1.3 mm.

3–5 per cluster, turbinate to turbinate-campanulate, 2–3.5(–4) × 2–3(–3.5) mm, weakly rigid, floccose at least on teeth;

teeth 5–7, erect, 0.4–1 mm.

Flowers

3–5(–6) mm;

perianth yellow or white to rose or purple, glabrous;

tepals connate proximally, dimorphic, those of outer whorl elliptic to nearly orbiculate, 2–3 × 2–3 mm, those of inner whorl oblanceolate to oblong, 3–4 × 1–2 mm;

stamens included to slightly exserted, 2–5 mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

2–3(–3.5) mm;

perianth creamy white, glabrous;

tepals connate proximal 1/5, monomorphic, oblanceolate;

stamens exserted, 2–3 mm;

filaments sparsely pubescent proximally.

Achenes

light brown to brown, 3–3.5 mm, glabrous.

brown, 2.5–3.5 mm, glabrous, occasionally minutely papillate on beak.

Eriogonum strictum

Eriogonum anemophilum

Phenology Flowering May–Aug.
Habitat Volcanic tuffaceous or gravelly to rocky (often limestone) slopes, saltbush and sagebrush communities, pinyon-juniper woodlands
Elevation 1400-2600 m (4600-8500 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; ID; MT; NV; OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
NV
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 4 (4 in the flora).

Eriogonum strictum, E. niveum, and E. ovalifolium form a complex of closely related species differing in leaf, inflorescence branching, and flower features. Variety proliferum appears to be the basal entity of the complex, approaching both E. niveum and E. ovalifolium var. pansum in its pubescence and branching pattern. Also, specimens of var. proliferum are sometimes difficult to differentiate from E. nudum var. oblongifolium. Careful observation, though, will permit well-made collections to be easily distributed among the individual species. An alternative taxonomy is to reduce all of the taxa to E. ovalifolium and recognize a series of subspecies and varieties. It is possible that additional study will show that E. strictum is sufficiently distinct from its tomentose to floccose counterparts to justify recognition of E. proliferum. In that case, both var. anserinum and var. greenei would be assigned to the latter species. Or, one could follow C. L. Hitchcock et al. (1955–1969, vol. 2) and recognize subsp. strictum as distinct from subsp. proliferum, with the latter consisting of varieties proliferum, anserinum, and greenei.

Members of the Eriogonum strictum are food plants for the Bauer’s dotted-blue butterfly (Euphilotes baueri).

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

Of conservation concern.

Eriogonum anemophilum, in a strict sense, is known only from the limestone ridges and slopes of Star Peak in the West Humboldt Range of Pershing County. Also included within the present circumscription are plants from tuffaceous hills in Reese River Valley in Lander County, and from scattered sites on low hills in northeastern Eureka and southwestern Elko counties. A third set of populations occurs elsewhere in Pershing County (Jersey Valley and the Tobin and Trinity ranges) and just over the line in Humboldt County. Each group differs slightly from the others, the plants of the mountain ranges tending to be more robust, with obovate to suborbiculate leaf blades, compared to the plants of lower elevations, which have narrower leaf blades. Plants from Eureka and Elko counties have a grayish leaf tomentum, while those from the valleys of Humboldt, Pershing, and Lander counties have a greenish or tawny leaf tomentum. What, if any, taxonomic recognition these groups merit has not been determined.

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

Key
1. Inflorescence branches glabrous
var. strictum
1. Inflorescence branches tomentose to floccose
→ 2
2. Perianths yellow
var. anserinum
2. Perianths white to rose or purple
→ 3
3. Leaf blades grayish-tomentose to floccose on both surfaces, or greenish-tomentose to floccose adaxially
var. proliferum
3. Leaf blades densely whitish-lanate to tomentose on both surfaces
var. greenei
Source FNA vol. 5, p. 317. FNA vol. 5, p. 275.
Parent taxa Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Eucycla 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. spergulinum, E. sphaerocephalum, 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. 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. 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. strictum var. anserinum, E. strictum var. greenei, E. strictum var. proliferum, E. strictum var. strictum
Name authority Bentham: Trans. Linn. Soc. London 17: 414. (1836) Greene: Pittonia 3: 199. (1897)
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