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Blue Mountain buckwheat, strict buckwheat

Cusick's buckwheat, Cusick's wild buckwheat

Habit Herbs, erect, loosely to densely matted, not scapose, 1–5 × 1–10 dm, tomentose or glabrous. Herbs, matted, usually not scapose, 0.3–1 × 0.5–3(–5) dm, glabrous, greenish.
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 rarely scapelike, erect, slender, solid, not fistulose, 0.2–0.9 dm, glabrous, tomentose among leaves.

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 0.2–0.5 cm, tomentose;

blade narrowly oblanceolate to spatulate, 0.5–1(–1.2) × 0.15–0.25(–0.3) cm, densely white- or grayish-tomentose on both surfaces, 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.

umbellate-cymose to cymose, rarely capitate, 3–5 × 3–5 cm;

branches dichotomous, glabrous, rarely absent;

bracts 3, triangular, scalelike, 0.5–1 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.

1 per node, rarely 2–5, turbinate-campanulate to campanulate, 2–3 × 2–3 mm, rigid, glabrous;

teeth 6–8, erect, 0.8–1.4 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.

2–2.5(–3) mm;

perianth yellow, glabrous;

tepals connate proximally, monomorphic, oblong;

stamens exserted, 2–3 mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

Achenes

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

light brown, 2.5–3 mm, glabrous.

Eriogonum strictum

Eriogonum cusickii

Phenology Flowering Jun–Jul.
Habitat Sandy, volcanic flats, mixed grassland and sagebrush communities, montane conifer woodlands
Elevation 1300-1500 m (4300-4900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; ID; MT; NV; OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
OR
[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 cusickii is fairly common in scattered portions of Deschutes, Harney, Klamath, and Lake counties. It is gradually being introduced into cultivation.

Eriogonum prociduum is distinct from E. cusickii, but some populations of the latter in Lake County, Oregon, south of Christmas Valley and northwest of Wagontire, have capitate inflorescences even in fruit. These plants differ from typical E. prociduum by consistently having small, rather narrow leaf blades (3–6 × 1–4 mm) that sheath up the flowering stems.

(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. 277.
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. 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. 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
Synonyms E. chrysocephalum subsp. cusickii
Name authority Bentham: Trans. Linn. Soc. London 17: 414. (1836) M. E. Jones: Contr. W. Bot. 11: 10. (1903)
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