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Matted wild buckwheat, tall buckwheat, tall wild buckwheat

fork buckwheat, Pahrump Valley buckwheat, Pahrump Valley wild buckwheat

Habit Herbs, erect to spreading, perennial, 1–6 dm, glabrous, often glaucous, grayish. Herbs, spreading, annual, 1–4 dm, glabrous, greenish to grayish.
Stems

caudex compact to spreading;

aerial flowering stems erect, solid, not fistulose, 0.4–4 dm, glabrous, often glaucous.

caudex absent;

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

Leaves

basal or sheathing up stem 3–8 cm;

petiole 0.4–4 cm, tomentose;

blade elliptic to deltoid or ovate to suborbiculate or orbiculate, 0.3–3 × 0.2–3 cm, densely white-tomentose and grayish on both surfaces, margins plane.

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, erect to spreading, 5–40 × 5–40 cm;

branches glabrous;

bracts 3, scalelike, 1–3 × 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 or spreading, straight, slender, 0.6–6 cm, glabrous.

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

Involucres

turbinate to turbinate-campanulate, 2–4 × 1.5–3(–4) mm, glabrous but tomentose adaxially;

teeth 5, erect or nearly so, 0.5–1 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 to pink with greenish to reddish midribs, becoming pinkish or orange-brown to red, glabrous;

tepals dimorphic, those of outer whorl ovate to obovate or cordate to suborbiculate, those of inner whorl narrowly oblong to oblong;

stamens included, 1–1.5 mm;

filaments sparsely pilose proximally.

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

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

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

2n

= 40.

Eriogonum tenellum

Eriogonum bifurcatum

Phenology Flowering May–Jun.
Habitat Alkaline sandy flats and slopes, saltbush communities
Elevation 600-800 m (2000-2600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CO; NM; OK; TX; including Mexico
[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. Leaves basal; caudex stem blades 0.3-1.5 × 0.3-1 cm; compact; se Colorado, e New Mexico, w Oklahoma, n and w Texas
var. tenellum
1. Leaves sheathing up stems; caudex stem blades 0.3-3 × 0.2-3 cm; compact to spreading; Texas
→ 2
2. Leaf blades elliptic to deltoid, 0.3-1.2 × 0.2-0.7 cm; caudex stems spreading; c Texas
var. ramosissimum
2. Leaf blades ovate to suborbiculate or orbiculate, 1-3 × 1-3 cm; caudex stems compact to slightly spreading; sw Texas
var. platyphyllum
Source FNA vol. 5, p. 400. 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. spergulinum, E. sphaerocephalum, E. strictum, E. subreniforme, E. suffruticosum, E. temblorense, 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. tenellum var. platyphyllum, E. tenellum var. ramosissimum, E. tenellum var. tenellum
Name authority Torrey: Ann. Lyceum Nat. Hist. New York 2: 241. (1827) Reveal: Aliso 7: 357. (1971)
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