Semi-desert, foothills.  Woodlands, openings. Spring.
Above: Lower Cross Canyon, Utah, May 17, 2015 and
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, May 11, 2011.
Left and immediately below: Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, June 6, 2005 and May 11, 2016.

These handsome white, one inch puff-balls are often tinged with pink or lavender --  especially as they age --  and they can form mounds a foot or more across. The one-third inch, oval, sage green leaves grow vertically and are easily recognized even when the flowers are not present. Leaves vary from oval to round to spatulate and are always quite hairy.

Altogether this is an unusual and easily remembered plant.  

The 2005 Flora of North America, v. 5, recognizes eleven varieties of Eriogonum ovalifolium; three of them occur in at least one of the Four Corners states.  The FNA indicates that "E. ovalifolium is a highly diverse and widespread complex of generally distinct but sometimes intergrading varieties".  E. ovalifolium occurs in all of the Four Corners states.

Thomas Nuttall named this plant in 1834 from a specimen collected by his friend, Nathaniel Wyeth, near the "source of the Missouri" in June, 1833.  "Ovalifolium" refers to the leaf shape.

Foothills, montane, subalpine. Openings. Summer.
Above: Dolores/Norwood Road, August 16, 2021.
Left: Sharkstooth Road, July 30, 2004 and Above: Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, April 30, 2016.

Red Root Buckwheat is common in low foothill and mountain dry meadows and sometimes numbers in the hundreds or thousands giving a white-to-pink tinge to the meadows. The long-lasting flowers are in elongated racemes atop a long-necked, leafless stem.

The plant’s light green, basal, elliptical, nearly vertical leaves are commonly found without a flower stalk.

The Flora of North America notes that although Eriogonum racemosum is "highly variable" in a number of its characteristics ("stature, the presence of... bracts..., the size and shape of the leaves, and the length of the mature flowers"), none of these variable features is related to any geographical area and thus all of the plants are considered the same species. 

Eriogonum racemosum occurs in all of the Four Corners states.

Thomas Nuttall named this species in 1848 from a collection he made in his 1834-1837 trip across the continent.  "Racemosum" is from the Latin for "cluster" and is common botanical nomenclature for this flower arrangement, a "raceme".

Foothills, montane, subalpine. Openings. Summer.
Sharkstooth Road, July 30, 2004; Spruce Creek Trail, October 3, 2010; and western San Juan National Forest, July 16, 2020.

Numerous tight clusters of flowers make this plant stand out even though it is quite slender. The photograph below shows the flowers' various stages of development. 

Faded fall flowers are quite vivid although a string contrast with bright whites.

Range map © John Kartesz,
Floristic Synthesis of North America

State Color Key

Species present in state and native
Species present in state and exotic
Species not present in state

County Color Key

Species present and not rare
Species present and rare
Species extirpated (historic)
Species extinct
Species noxious
Species exotic and present
Native species, but adventive in state
Eradicated
Questionable presence

Range map for Eriogonum ovalifolium 

Range map for E. ovalifolium var. purpureum  

Range map for Eriogonum racemosum