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bright green buckwheat, two-tooth wild buckwheat, twotooth buckwheat

rock buckwheat, rock wild buckwheat, round-head buckwheat, round-head eriogonum

Habit Herbs, spreading, annual, (0.5–)1–2(–3) dm, tomentose, greenish, grayish, or reddish. Subshrubs, spreading to erect, infrequently polygamodioecious, 0.5–4 × 3–5(–6) dm, floccose or glabrous.
Stems

caudex absent;

aerial flowering stems erect, not striated or angled, solid, not fistulose, 0.2–0.8 dm, tomentose.

caudex spreading;

aerial flowering stems erect, slender, solid, not fistulose, arising at nodes of caudex branches and at distal nodes of short, non-flowering aerial branches, (0.3–)0.5–1 dm, thinly floccose or glabrous, with a whorl of 4–8 leaflike bracts ca. midlength or proximally, linear-oblanceolate to oblanceolate, 1–2 × 0.1–0.4 cm.

Leaves

basal and cauline;

basal: petiole 0.5–1 cm, floccose, blade lanceolate to obovate, (0.5–)2–3 × 1.5–2 cm, tomentose abaxially, floccose to glabrate and grayish to greenish adaxially, margins entire or occasionally crenulate;

cauline sessile, blade lanceolate to oblanceolate, 0.5–2 × 0.3–1 cm, similar to basal blade.

in loose to congested basal rosettes;

petiole 0.05–0.3 cm, floccose or glabrous;

blade linear-oblanceolate, narrowly oblanceolate, or narrowly spatulate, 1–3(–4) × (0.1–)0.3–0.6(–1) cm, lanate or tomentose to floccose or glabrous, margins entire, plane or revolute.

Inflorescences

cymose, open, 4–25 × 5–30 cm;

branches tomentose;

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

capitate, compound-umbellate, or umbellate, 1–2 cm wide or 1–5 × 1–5 cm;

branches thinly floccose or glabrous;

bracts absent immediately below involucre.

Peduncles

spreading, straight, capillary, 1–2 cm, sparsely glandular.

Involucres

campanulate, 2–3 × 2–4 mm, finely glandular;

teeth 5, erect, 0.4–0.8 mm.

1 per node, turbinate-campanulate to campanulate, 3–4 × 2.5–4.5 mm;

teeth 6–10, lobelike, slightly reflexed, 1.5–3(–5) mm.

Flowers

1–2.5 mm;

perianth white to rose, glandular;

tepals dimorphic, those of outer whorl obovate to spatulate, broadly inflated above middle, those of inner whorl narrowly spatulate;

stamens included, 1–2 mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

(5–)6–9 mm, including 1–2 mm stipelike base;

perianth pale to bright yellow or cream to ochroleucous, villous abaxially;

tepals monomorphic, obovate to oblong-ovate;

stamens exserted, 4–6 mm;

filaments pilose proximally.

Achenes

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

light brown, 3–4 mm, glabrous except for sparsely pubescent beak.

Eriogonum viridescens

Eriogonum sphaerocephalum

Phenology Flowering Apr–Nov.
Habitat Sandy to gravelly or clayey flats and slopes, mixed grassland, chaparral, saltbush, and creosote bush communities, oak and conifer woodlands
Elevation 100-1700 m (300-5600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; ID; NV; OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Eriogonum viridescens is infrequent in the Inner Coast and the Transverse ranges (Fresno, Kern, Kings, Los Angeles, Merced, Monterey, Riverside, San Benito, western San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties). Unlike those of the more widespread E. maculatum, the outer tepals of E. viridescens are swollen apically, rather than basally. A collection made at Crystal Springs in the Coso Mountains of Inyo County (Coville & Funston 909, DS, US) probably is accurately labeled but the location remains to be confirmed by modern collections.

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

Varieties 4 (4 in the flora).

The Piute of Nevada have used a decoction of the root of Eriogonum sphaerocephalum (either var. sphaerocephalum or var. halimoides) to treat colds and diarrhea (P. Train et al. 1941).

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

Key
1. Perianths bright yellow; inflorescences umbellate or compound-umbellate; ne California, sw Idaho, n and wc Nevada, e Oregon, and e Washington
var. sphaerocephalum
1. Perianths pale yellow to cream or ochroleucous; inflorescences umbellate, compound-umbellate, or capitate; ne California, sw or wc Idaho, c Oregon, and c Washington
→ 2
2. Leaf blades usually thinly floccose or glabrous on both surfaces; inflorescences umbellate or compound-umbellate; sw Idaho
var. fasciculifolium
2. Leaf blades tomentose on both surfaces, or floccose adaxially; inflorescence capitate or umbellate; ne California to nw Nevada, c Oregon to wc Idaho, and c Washington. [3. Shifted to left margin.—Ed.]
→ 3
3. Leaf blades usually narrowly oblanceolate to narrowly spatulate, margins plane; ne California to nw Nevada, c Oregon to wc Idaho, and c Washington
var. halimioides
3. Leaf blades linear-oblanceolate, margins usually revolute; nc Oregon, sc Washington
var. sublineare
Source FNA vol. 5, p. 412. FNA vol. 5, p. 361.
Parent taxa Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Ganysma Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Eriogonum > subg. Oligogonum
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. 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. 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. 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. 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. sphaerocephalum var. fasciculifolium, E. sphaerocephalum var. halimioides, E. sphaerocephalum var. sphaerocephalum, E. sphaerocephalum var. sublineare
Synonyms E. angulosum subsp. bidentatum, E. angulosum subsp. viridescens, E. angulosum var. viridescens, E. bidentatum
Name authority A. Heller: Muhlenbergia 2: 25. (1905) Douglas ex Bentham: Trans. Linn. Soc. London 17: 407. (1836)
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