Eriogonum coloradense
| Eriogonum coloradense | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Embryophytes |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Polygonaceae |
| Genus: | Eriogonum |
| Species: | E. coloradense |
| Binomial name | |
| Eriogonum coloradense | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
| |
Eriogonum coloradense is a species of flowering plant in the buckwheat family known by the common name Colorado buckwheat. It is endemic to Colorado in the United States.[1]
This species is a mat-forming herb growing just a few centimeters tall. The leaves are located around the base of the plant. They are up to 4 or 5 centimeters long and are mostly green on top with woolly undersides. The inflorescences are borne atop flowering stems reaching up to about 10 centimeters tall. The inflorescence is a cluster of tiny white to pink flowers.[3] This species is most closely related to Eriogonum lonchophyllum,[3][4] and some authors, including Eriogonum expert James Reveal, suspect it may be a form of that species.[4]
Most of the occurrences of this Colorado endemic plant are located in the vicinity of the Maroon Bells–Snowmass Wilderness. It has a "broad ecological range", occurring in many types of habitat. It occurs on a variety of soils, flat or sloping terrain, every aspect, and a number of landforms. It occurs in several plant communities and at a range of elevations. Considering its ability to live in a range of environmental conditions it is unclear why the plant is not more common.[4]
The main threat to this species is recreational activity in its mountain habitat. It occurs at popular recreational sites near Crested Butte.[4]
Taxonomy
The botanist John Kunkel Small scientifically described this species in the Eriogonum genus in 1906, giving it the name Eriogonum coloradense. Susan Gabriella Stokes proposed making it a subspecies of Eriogonum multiceps in 1936, but this has not become the accepted classification. Together with its genus it is in the Polygonaceae family and has no other synonyms.[2]
References
- 1 2 NatureServe (31 July 2026). "Eriogonum coloradense". NatureServe Explorer. Arlington, Virginia. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
- 1 2 "Eriogonum coloradense Small". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
- 1 2 Eriogonum coloradense. Flora of North America.
- 1 2 3 4 Anderson, D.G. (2004, October 14). Eriogonum coloradense Small (Colorado buckwheat): a technical conservation assessment. [Online]. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region.