Eriogonum elongatum var. elongatum

Common names: Long-stem wild buckwheat
Illustrated
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 5. Treatment on page 289. Mentioned on page 288.

Herbs, erect, not scapose, 6–12 (–18) × 5–15 (–20) dm, tomentose to floccose, grayish. Stems spreading to erect, without persistent leaf-bases, up to 1/5 height of plant; caudex stems absent; aerial flowering-stems erect, slender, solid, not fistulose, 1–4 dm, tomentose to floccose. Leaves cauline, fasciculate or 1 per node; petiole 0.5–2 cm, tomentose to floccose; blade narrowly oblong to narrowly ovate, 1–3 × 0.5–2 cm, densely tomentose on both surfaces, margins plane, sometimes crisped. Inflorescences virgate, with involucres racemosely disposed at tips, 15–120 × 10–50 cm; branches dichotomous, tomentose to floccose; bracts 3, scalelike, triangular, 1–5 mm. Peduncles absent. Involucres 1 per node, narrowly turbinate, (4–) 6–7 × 2–4 mm, tomentose to floccose; teeth 5, erect, 0.3–0.6 mm. Flowers 2.5–3 mm; perianth white, glabrous; tepals connate proximal 1/4, monomorphic, oblong to obovate; stamens exserted, 2–4 mm; filaments glabrous or sparsely villous proximally. Achenes dark-brown, 2–3 mm, glabrous. 2n = 34.


Phenology: Flowering (Jan-)Jul–Nov(-Dec).
Habitat: Sandy to loamy flats and slopes, grassland, coastal sage, and chaparral communities, oak and conifer woodlands
Elevation: 60-1900 m

Distribution

V5 565-distribution-map.gif

Calif., Mexico (Baja California)

Discussion

Variety elongatum occurs in the Coast and Transverse Ranges of southeastern California from Monterey and San Benito counties southward to Mexico. The elongate, upright flowering stems and inflorescence branches often persist for several years with new stems produced annually. The long, “leggy” habit is not particularly attractive in the garden even though the variety is occasionally grown as an ornamental. The long-stem wild buckwheat is heavily visited by honey bees in some areas and is the host plant of the Gorgon copper butterfly (Gaeides gorgon). J. B. Romero (1954) reported that the variety was used by Native Americans to treat high blood pressure, and E. W. Voegelin (1938) mentioned that the stems were roasted and the resulting juice was used as a chewing gum. Care should be taken not to confuse fragmentary specimens of the annual Eriogonum roseum with the perennial E. elongatum.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

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included +  and exserted +
3-gonous +
usually red +  and cream or yellow +
oblong +  and ellipsoid or oval +
acute;obtuse or rounded +
James L. Reveal +
Bentham +
deciduous +  and persistent +
stipelike +
Undefined subg. Eucycla +
papillate +
awn-tipped +  and simple +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br />) +
narrowly oblong;narrowly ovate +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br />) +
not awn-tipped +
leaflike +  and semileaflike +
glandular +, pubescent +  and glabrous +
triangular +  and scale-like +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
not brittle +
spreading +  and erect +
tomentose +  and floccose +
scabrellous +
ridged +, angled +  and round +
spreading +  and erect +
whorled +, opposite +  and alternate +
Long-stem wild buckwheat +
Calif. +  and Mexico (Baja California) +
60-1900 m +
villous +  and glabrous +
unisexual +, , +  and bisexual +
not attenuate +
0.25 cm2.5 mm <br />0.0025 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
decumbent to erect +  and prostrate +
not fistulose +
unwinged +  and winged +
black +, red +, brown +  and yellowish +
exserted +  and included +
pubescent +  and glabrous +
spheroidal +, 4-gonous +, lenticular +, biconvex +, discoid +, 3-gonous +  and 2-gonous +
Sandy to loamy flats and slopes, grassland, coastal sage, and chaparral communities, oak and conifer woodlands +
reduced +
capitate +  and subcapitate +
dense +  and diffuse +
15 cm150 mm <br />0.15 m <br /> (120 cm1,200 mm <br />1.2 m <br />) +
cymelike +, paniclelike +, racemelike +  and spikelike +
10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br /> (50 cm500 mm <br />0.5 m <br />) +
connate +  and free +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br />) +
0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br /> (0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br />) +
tomentose +  and floccose +
nonmembranous +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br />) +
in whorls +, opposite +, alternate +  and rosulate +
persistent +
bractlike +
pubescent +  and glabrous +
crisped +  and plane +
not swollen +
orthotropous +
accrescent +
curved +  and straight +
erect to deflexed +
cylindric +  and urceolate +
accrescent +
fleshy +, indurate +  and membranous +
with extrafloral nectaries +  and not articulate +
tomentose +  and floccose +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br />) +
Flowering (Jan-)Jul–Nov(-Dec). +
homostylous +  and 3-carpellate +
Boy. Voy. Sulphur, +
, +  and solid +
slender;stout +
persistent +
Illustrated +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br />) +
decumbent to erect +  and prostrate +
spreading +  and erect +
glandular +, pubescent +  and glabrous +
penicillate +, fimbriate +  and capitate +
deciduous +  and persistent +
2-lobed +  and cylindric +
coriaceous +  and membranous +
consisting of a series +  and tubular +
distinct +
erect;spreading or recurved +
spreading;erect +
chambered +  and solid +
slender +  and stout +
Eriogonum elongatum var. elongatum +
Eriogonum elongatum +
variety +
emarginate +  and entire +
0 +  and 1/2 +
oblong +  and obovate +
coriaceous +
0.03 cm0.3 mm <br />3.0e-4 m <br /> (0.06 cm0.6 mm <br />6.0e-4 m <br />) +
persistent +
membranous +
pubescent +  and glabrous +
tomentose +  and floccose +
synoecious +, monocarpic +, polycarpic +  and , +
3 +, 2 +  and 1 +