The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links

thyme buckwheat, thyme wild buckwheat, thyme-leaf buckwheat, thyme-leaf wild buckwheat

rose and white buckwheat, rose-and-white wild buckwheat

Habit Subshrubs, spreading, polygamodioecious, 0.5–2(–3) × 1–3(–4) dm, tomentose to sericeous. Herbs, erect to spreading, annual, 1–5 dm, thinly tomentose, greenish, grayish, or reddish.
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, (0.1–)0.3–0.8(–1.2) dm, tomentose to sericeous, with a whorl of 6–10(–12), leaflike bracts ca. midlength, these similar to leaf blades, 0.3–0.8(–1) × 0.1–0.2 cm.

caudex absent;

aerial flowering stems erect, not striated but sometimes angled, solid, not fistulose, 0.1–0.8 dm, tomentose.

Leaves

in compact basal rosettes, fasciculate, and sheathing up stems;

petiole 0.05–0.2 cm;

blade linear to narrowly spatulate, (0.2–)0.3–1(–1.5) × 0.1–0.2(–0.3) cm, densely white-tomentose abaxially, silky-villous or sericeous adaxially, margins entire, inrolled to tightly revolute.

basal and cauline;

basal: petiole 0.5–1 cm, floccose;

basal blade oblanceolate to oblong, 2–4 × 0.3–1 cm, tomentose abaxially, floccose to glabrate and grayish or greenish adaxially, margins crenulate, often slightly revolute;

cauline sessile, blade narrowly oblong, 0.5–2(–6) × 0.2–0.8(–1.5) cm, similar to basal blade.

Inflorescences

capitate, 0.8–2 cm wide;

branches absent;

bracts absent immediately below involucre.

cymose, mostly open, 5–35 × 5–35 cm;

branches thinly tomentose;

bracts 3, scalelike, 1–3 × 1–2.5 mm.

Peduncles

spreading, straight, capillary, 0.8–2.5 cm, glabrous.

Involucres

1 per node, turbinate, 3–5 × 2.5–4 mm, villous to sericeous;

teeth 6–8, erect, 0.5–1 mm.

campanulate, 1.8–2 × 2–3 mm, glandular-puberulent, not densely tomentose adaxially;

teeth 5, erect, 0.4–0.8 mm.

Flowers

4–10 mm, including 0.5–1 mm stipelike base;

perianth white to pale yellow or yellow, becoming pink to rose, villous abaxially;

tepals monomorphic, obovate;

stamens included to slightly exserted, 2–4 mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

2–2.5 mm;

perianth white to rose, glandular-puberulent;

tepals monomorphic, oblong to elliptic;

stamens included, 1–2 mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

Achenes

light brown, 2–2.5 mm, glabrous except for densely pubescent beak.

light brown, 3-gonous, 1–1.2(–1.5) mm, glabrous.

2n

= 40.

Eriogonum thymoides

Eriogonum gracillimum

Phenology Flowering Apr–Jul. Flowering year-round.
Habitat Sandy to gravelly, often volcanic flats, slopes, and outcrops, mixed grassland and sagebrush communities, montane conifer woodlands Sandy to gravelly or clayey flats and slopes, mixed grassland, chaparral, saltbush, and creosote bush communities, oak and conifer woodlands
Elevation (200-)600-1700 m ((700-)2000-5600 ft) 0-1100 m (0-3600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
ID; OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Eriogonum thymoides is an exquisite species concentrated in three regions of the Pacific Northwest. The first is along the eastern edge of the Cascade Range from near Wenatchee, Washington (Adams, Benton, Chelan, Douglas, Franklin, Grant, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lincoln, and Yakima counties), to near the Dalles in extreme north-central Oregon (Union County). The second is from Baker and northern Malheur counties, Oregon, to Adams, Canyon, and Washington counties, Idaho. A third series of populations is in the Mount Bennett Hills area of Gooding County, Idaho, and just over the borders in Blaine, Camas, Elmore, and Lincoln counties. Staminate plants tend to have yellow flowers that quickly fade after pollen release. Pistillate plants tend to have white to pale yellow flowers that persist and greatly elongate as the achene matures.

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

Eriogonum gracillimum is found in the Coast, Transverse, and scattered mountain desert ranges in Fresno, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Los Angeles, Madera, Merced, Monterey, Riverside, San Benito, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Tulare counties. The species is often common and occasionally even weedy.

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

Source FNA vol. 5, p. 360. FNA vol. 5, p. 412.
Parent taxa Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Oligogonum 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. thomasii, E. thompsoniae, E. thornei, E. thurberi, 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. 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
Synonyms E. sphaerocephalum subsp. minimum, E. thymoides subsp. congestum E. angulosum subsp. gracillimum, E. angulosum var. gracillimum, E. angulosum subsp. victorense
Name authority Bentham: in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 14: 9. (1856) S. Watson: in W. H. Brewer et al., Bot. California 2: 480. (1880)
Web links