Eriogonum sphaerocephalum is a species of wild buckwheat known by the common names rock buckwheat and round-headed desert buckwheat.[1] It is native to the western United States.
| Eriogonum sphaerocephalum | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Polygonaceae |
| Genus: | Eriogonum |
| Species: | E. sphaerocephalum
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| Binomial name | |
| Eriogonum sphaerocephalum | |
Habitat
editEriogonum sphaerocephalum can be found primarily east of the crest of the Cascade Range, in Washington and Oregon to Idaho and from southern Oregon and northern California to northern Nevada. It is a common member of desert, rocky and sagebrush steppe habitats.[2][3] It is found over a wide range of elevations, but is most common between 2,000–7,000 feet (600–2,100 m).
Description
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The plant is a small shrub or subshrub up to 50 cm (20 in) tall and wide, growing from a caudex and producing erect flowering stems. Fresh blooms occur in early summer.[1] The leaves are wooly (typically on the underside),[1] widely lance-shaped to somewhat oval, and 1–4 cm (3⁄8–1+5⁄8 in) long, forming basal rosettes around the caudex[4][5] and appearing at the end of branches.[1]
The inflorescence arises on a stalk and bears many yellow flowers in a head-like cluster[1] or umbel.
Varieties
editThere are several varieties of this species:
- E. s. var. fasciculifolium is endemic to Idaho.
- E. s. var. halimioides is a widespread variety with very pale yellow flowers.
- E. s. var. sphaerocephalum has bright yellow flowers.
References
edit- ^ a b c d e Taylor, Ronald J. (1994) [1992]. Sagebrush Country: A Wildflower Sanctuary (rev. ed.). Missoula, MT: Mountain Press Pub. Co. p. 28. ISBN 0-87842-280-3. OCLC 25708726.
- ^ Sullivan, Steven. K. (2020). "Eriogonum sphaerocephalum". Wildflower Search. Retrieved 2020-09-22.
- ^ USDA, NRCS. (2020). "Eriogonum sphaerocephalum". The PLANTS Database. National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC 27401-4901 USA. Retrieved 2020-09-22.
- ^ a b Giblin, David, ed. (2020). "Eriogonum sphaerocephalum". WTU Herbarium Image Collection. Burke Museum, University of Washington. Retrieved 2020-09-22.
- ^ "Eriogonum sphaerocephalum". in Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora. Jepson Herbarium; University of California, Berkeley. 2020. Retrieved 2020-09-22.
External links
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Media related to Eriogonum sphaerocephalum at Wikimedia Commons- Photo gallery
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