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Thomas eriogonum, Thomas' buckwheat, Thomas' wild buckwheat

drooping wild buckwheat, Dugway buckwheat, Dugway wild buckwheat

Habit Herbs, spreading, annual, 0.5–3 dm, glabrous, greenish, sometimes grayish or reddish. Herbs, spreading to erect, annual, 0.5–3 dm, glandular or glabrous, occasionally glaucous, greenish, grayish, or reddish.
Stems

caudex absent;

aerial flowering stems erect, solid, not fistulose, 0.2–1 dm, glabrous except for few glands proximally.

caudex absent;

aerial flowering stems erect, solid, not fistulose, 0.3–1.5 dm, glandular or glabrous, occasionally glaucous.

Leaves

basal;

petiole 0.5–3 cm;

blade round to round-reniform, 0.5–2 × 0.5–2 cm, densely white-tomentose abaxially, floccose to glabrate and greenish adaxially, margins plane.

basal;

petiole 0.5–2.5 cm, tomentose;

blade broadly reniform to round, 0.5–2.5 × 0.5–2.5 cm, densely white-tomentose abaxially, floccose to glabrate and greenish adaxially, margins plane.

Inflorescences

cymose, open to diffuse, 5–25 × 5–25 cm;

branches glabrous;

bracts 3, scalelike, 1–2.5 × 1–2 mm.

cymose, open to diffuse, 5–20 × 5–20 cm;

branches glandular or glabrous, occasionally glaucous;

bracts 3, scalelike, 0.5–2 × 1–2.5 mm.

Peduncles

capillary, spreading to slightly recurved, straight or curved, capillary, 0.5–3 cm, glabrous.

recurved to cernuous, curved or sometimes straight, slender, 0.3–1 cm, glandular or glabrous.

Involucres

turbinate-campanulate, 0.6–1.2 × 0.7–1.3 mm, glabrous;

teeth 5, erect, 0.4–0.6 mm.

campanulate, 2–3 × 2–3.5 mm, glandular or glabrous;

teeth 5, erect, 0.5–1 mm.

Flowers

0.8–1 mm in early anthesis, becoming 1.2–2 mm;

perianth yellow in early anthesis, becoming white to rose, short-hispidulous;

tepals dimorphic, those of outer whorl cordate, becoming saccate-dilated proximally, those of inner whorl spatulate;

stamens included, 0.5–0.9 mm;

filaments mostly glabrous.

2–3 mm;

perianth white with greenish or reddish midribs, becoming rose or red, glabrous;

tepals dimorphic, those of outer whorl oblong to oval, those of inner whorl oblanceolate;

stamens included, 2–3 mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

Achenes

brown to dark brown, usually lenticular, 0.8–1 mm, glabrous.

brown, 3-gonous, 1.7–2 mm, glabrous.

2n

= 40.

Eriogonum thomasii

Eriogonum nutans

Phenology Flowering year-round.
Habitat Sandy flats, washes, and slopes, saltbush, greasewood, creosote bush, and sagebrush communities, pinyon and/or juniper woodlands
Elevation -70-1200(-1400) m (-200-3900(-4600) ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; NV; UT; Mexico (Baja California, Sonora)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CA; NV; OR; UT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Eriogonum thomasii is common to abundant and even weedy throughout its range on the Mojave and Sonoran deserts in Arizona, southeastern California, southern Nevada, and southwestern Utah. The distinctive swollen bases of the outer tepals are easy to observe in fruiting material but not always obvious in early anthesis.

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

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

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

Key
1. Peduncles and involucres glandular; nw Arizona, ec California, n and c Nevada, se Oregon, w and ec Utah
var. nutans
1. Peduncles and involucres glabrous; Elko County, Nevada, apparently introduced but not persisting in Nevada County, California
var. glabratum
Source FNA vol. 5, p. 404. FNA vol. 5, p. 402.
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. tenellum, E. ternatum, E. terrenatum, 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. 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. 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. nutans var. glabratum, E. nutans var. nutans
Synonyms E. cernuum var. purpurascens
Name authority Torrey: in War Department [U.S.], Pacif. Railr. Rep. 5(2): 364. (1857) Torrey & A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 8: 181. (1870)
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