Eriogonum caespitosum
| Eriogonum caespitosum | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Embryophytes |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Polygonaceae |
| Genus: | Eriogonum |
| Species: | E. caespitosum |
| Binomial name | |
| Eriogonum caespitosum | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
| |
Eriogonum caespitosum is a species of wild buckwheat known by the common name matted buckwheat, mat buckwheat, or cushion desert buckwheat.[3]
Description
The species is a tough perennial plant which grows in flat, woody mats in sand and gravel substrates. It has small, fuzzy gray leaves (under 2.5 centimetres (1 in) long)[3] which are scoop-shaped due to their rolled edges.
In early summer,[3] short stalks emerge from the mat with inflorescences of greenish-yellow and whitish rounded clusters of flowers. These redden with age[3] and hang backwards over the edge of the involucre. The species is dioecious.[4] Some of the flowers are bisexual and up to 1 cm wide each, and some are only staminate and much smaller.
Taxonomy
Eriogonum caespitosum was given its scientific name in 1834 by Thomas Nuttall, placing it in the Eriogonum genus. It is part of the Polygonaceae and has no accepted subspecies or varieties, but there are several that are considered botanical synonyms.[2]
| Name | Year | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eriogonum andinum Nutt. | 1848 | species | = het. |
| Eriogonum caespitosum var. alyssoides Gand. | 1906 | variety | = het. |
| Eriogonum caespitosum subsp. ramosum (Piper) S.Stokes | 1936 | subspecies | = het. |
| Eriogonum caespitosum subsp. typicum S.Stokes | 1936 | subspecies | ≡ hom. |
| Eriogonum douglasii subsp. ramosum Piper | 1906 | subspecies | = het. |
| Eriogonum sericoleucum Greene ex Tidestr. | 1923 | species | = het. |
| Eriogonum sphaerocephalum var. sericoleucum (Greene ex Tidestr.) S.Stokes | 1936 | variety | = het. |
| Notes: ≡ homotypic synonym; = heterotypic synonym | |||
Distribution and habitat
It is a common perennial plant native to the western United States from California to Montana, especially the Great Basin.
It prefers middle and high elevations, from shrub–steppe to rocky environs.[4]
Uses
It is cultivated as a rock garden plant.
References
- ↑ NatureServe (31 July 2026). "Eriogonum caespitosum". NatureServe Explorer. Arlington, Virginia. Retrieved 20 August 2026.
- 1 2 POWO (2026). "Eriogonum caespitosum Nutt". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 20 August 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 Taylor, Ronald J. (1994) [1992]. Sagebrush Country: A Wildflower Sanctuary (rev. ed.). Missoula, MT: Mountain Press Pub. Co. p. 32. ISBN 0-87842-280-3. OCLC 25708726.
- 1 2 Turner, Mark; Kuhlmann, Ellen (2014). Trees & Shrubs of the Pacific Northwest (1st ed.). Portland, OR: Timber Press. p. 352. ISBN 978-1-60469-263-1.
External links