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Click to read about Eriogonum.
See more Eriogonum and Eriogonum cernuum. |
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Eriogonum ovalifolium variety purpureum (Cushion Buckwheat) Polygonaceae (Buckwheat Family) Semi-desert, foothills. Woodlands,
openings. Spring. 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. |
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Eriogonum ovalifolium variety purpureum (Cushion Buckwheat) Polygonaceae (Buckwheat Family) Semi-desert, foothills. Woodlands,
openings. Spring. |
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Eriogonum ovalifolium variety purpureum (Cushion Buckwheat) Polygonaceae (Buckwheat Family) Semi-desert, foothills. Woodlands,
openings. Spring. Even in bud, this plant is very attractive. |
Eriogonum racemosum (Red Root Buckwheat) Polygonaceae (Buckwheat Family) Foothills, montane,
subalpine. Openings. Summer. 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". |
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Eriogonum racemosum (Red Root Buckwheat) Polygonaceae (Buckwheat Family) Foothills, montane,
subalpine. Openings. Summer. 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,
County Color Key
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Range map for Eriogonum ovalifolium Range map for E. ovalifolium var. purpureum Range map for Eriogonum racemosum |