Flora of North America species comparison

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Eriogonum ternatum

Eriogonum heermannii

ternate buckwheat, ternate wild buckwheat

Heerman buckwheat, Heermann's buckwheat, Heermann's wild buckwheat
Habit Herbs, spreading, matted, synoecious, 1–2.5(–3) × 3–13 dm, tomentose. Shrubs and subshrubs, spreading to rounded and occasionally erect, not scapose, (0.5–)1–20 × 2–25 dm, glabrous or occasionally floccose, sometimes scabrellous, greenish, infrequently grayish.
Stems

caudex spreading;

aerial flowering stems erect, slender, solid, not fistulose, arising at nodes of caudex branches and at distal nodes of short, nonflowering aerial branches, 1–2.5(–3) dm, tomentose.

spreading or erect, without persistent leaf bases, up to 1/2 height of plant;

caudex stems absent;

aerial flowering stems erect or nearly so, slender to stout, solid, not fistulose, 0.02–0.5 dm, thinly tomentose or glabrous.
Leaves

in loose basal rosettes;

petiole 0.5–1 cm, tomentose;

blade oblong to obovate, (0.7–)1–1.5 × (0.4–)0.8–1.3 cm, usually densely brown-tomentose abaxially, tomentose to thinly tomentose, floccose or glabrate adaxially, margins entire, plane.

cauline, 1 per node, quickly deciduous;

petiole 0.1–1.5 cm, floccose or glabrous;

blade linear, oblanceolate or spatulate or elliptic, or oblong, (0.4–)1–2(–4) × 0.1–0.8 cm, tomentose to floccose or glabrous abaxially, floccose to thinly floccose or glabrous adaxially, margins plane.
Inflorescences

umbellate, rarely with an additional bracteate branch and 1 peduncle with 1 involucre, 0.8–3 × 1–3.5 cm;

branches thinly tomentose;

bracts 4–6(–8) at first node, lanceolate, 0.5–1.5 × 0.2–0.9 cm, scalelike distally, 1–3 × 0.5–1.5 mm.

cymose or racemose, 1–25(–30) × 1–30(–35) cm;

branches dichotomous, sometimes with secondaries suppressed, smooth or angled to ridged and grooved, glabrous or occasionally floccose or scabrous;

bracts 3, scalelike, 0.3–2 mm.
Peduncles

absent.
Involucres

1 per node, turbinate, 5–8 × 3–5 mm, tomentose;

teeth 5–8, erect, 0.8–2 mm.

1 per node, narrowly turbinate or campanulate, 0.7–3 × 0.7–4 mm, glabrous, infrequently floccose;

teeth 5, erect, 0.3–0.7 mm.
Flowers

3–5 mm, including 0.3–0.6 mm stipelike base;

perianth sulphur yellow, glabrous;

tepals monomorphic, spatulate to obovate;

stamens exserted, 3–4 mm;

filaments pilose proximally, infrequently glabrous.

(1.5–)2–4 mm;

perianth white, yellowish white, pink, or reddish, glabrous;

tepals connate proximal 1/4, dimorphic, those of outer whorl obovate to orbiculate, those of inner whorl narrowly lanceolate to oblong;

stamens exserted, 2–5 mm;

filaments pilose proximally.
Achenes

light brown, 3.5–5 mm, glabrous except for sparsely pubescent beak.

light brown to brown, 2–5 mm, glabrous.

Eriogonum ternatum

Eriogonum heermannii
Phenology Flowering Jun–Aug.
Habitat Sandy to gravelly often serpentine slopes and outcrops, manzanita and sagebrush communities, oak and montane conifer woodlands
Elevation 400-1700(-2200) m (1300-5600(-7200) ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CA; NV; UT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Eriogonum ternatum is infrequently encountered in the Coast Ranges of southwestern Oregon (Curry and Josephine counties) and adjacent northwestern California (Del Norte and western Siskiyou counties). A collection from “Dodkin’s Lake” in the Mt. Eddy area of Siskiyou County (Bracelin 455, IND) remains to be confirmed, as this is well to the east of other populations. Some workers have confused this species with E. umbellatum (especially var. humistratum). No doubt the poor representation of this species in herbaria is due at least in part to collectors having assumed that it is some variant of the much more common E. umbellatum.

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

Varieties 8 (8 in the flora).

As Eriogonum heermannii is here circumscribed, the number of varieties is dramatically decreased from past presentations, with E. apachense reduced to synonymy under a now greatly expanded var. argense. Also included in that variety is the more stoutly branched var. subracemosum. The southern var. heermannii of basically desert ranges and the more northern var. occidentale of the Coast Ranges in California are maintained, but their separation is more traditional than certain. The fragile and bulky nature of many dried, often poorly prepared specimens, and the tendency for leaves to fall away have made varietal identification within E. heermannii difficult.

Eriogonum heermannii varieties are food plants for Ellis’s dotted-blue butterfly (Euphilotes ellisi) and the Mormon metalmark (Apodemia mormo mormo).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Key
1. Flowering stems and inflorescence branches round or angled, scabrellous or papillate-scabrous; plants often densely branched
→ 2
1. Flowering stems and inflorescence branches round, not angled, usually smooth, glabrous or thinly tomentose; plants sparsely branched
→ 3
2. Flowering stems and inflorescence branches round, usually distinctly scabrellous or infrequently papillate-scabrous; Arizona, se California, Nevada
var. argense
2. Flowering stems and inflorescence branches sharply ridged and deeply grooved, minutely scabrellous; nw Arizona, se California, s Nevada, sw Utah
var. sulcatum
3. Involucres not racemosely arranged on inflorescence branches, or only last 2-3 so disposed; inflorescences diffusely branched, glabrous; Great Basin or northeast edge of Mojave Desert
→ 4
3. Involucres racemosely arranged along inflorescence branches or at least at tips of branches; inflorescences openly branched, glabrous or floccose to thinly tomentose; Mojave and Sonoran deserts
→ 5
4. Inflorescence branches mostly slender, smooth, not ridged, not spinose; inflorescences 3-15(-23) × 5-20 cm; subshrubs or shrubs, 3-7 × 5-12(-15) dm; Great Basin, ec California and Nevada
var. humilius
4. Inflorescence branches stoutish, faintly ridged and grooved, spinose; inflorescences 3-7(-10) × 3-10(-12) cm; shrubs, 1-3 × 1.5-5(-8) dm; Mojave Desert, sw Utah and nw Arizona
var. subspinosum
5. Inflorescence branches thinly tomentose to floccose; s California, s Nevada, nw Arizona
var. floccosum
5. Inflorescence branches glabrous; s Nevada, California
→ 6
6. Involucres racemosely arranged; inflorescence branches whiplike; s Nevada
var. clokeyi
6. Involucres racemosely arranged only distally; inflorescence branches not whiplike; California
→ 7
7. Leaf blades 0.5-1.5 cm, glabrous abaxially; inflorescence branches stout; sc California
var. heermannii
7. Leaf blades 1.5-3(-4) cm, mostly tomentose to floccose abaxially (at least in early anthesis); inflorescence branches slender; sw California
var. occidentale
Source FNA vol. 5, p. 356. FNA vol. 5, p. 304.
Parent taxa Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Oligogonum 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. strictum, E. subreniforme, E. suffruticosum, E. temblorense, E. tenellum, 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. 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. 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. heermannii var. argense, E. heermannii var. clokeyi, E. heermannii var. floccosum, E. heermannii var. heermannii, E. heermannii var. humilius, E. heermannii var. occidentale, E. heermannii var. subspinosum, E. heermannii var. sulcatum
Synonyms E. umbellatum var. ternatum, E. ursinum var. confine E. geniculatum
Name authority Howell: Fl. N.W. Amer., 570. (1902) Durand & Hilgard: in War Department [U.S.], Pacif. Railr. Rep. 5(3): 14. (1857)
Web links 
Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).



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