Herbs or subshrubs, compact or spreading, matted, 0.5–2.5 × 3–15 dm, tomentose to floccose. Stems: caudex absent or spreading; aerial flowering-stems erect, slender, solid, not fistulose, usually arising directly from a taproot, 0.5–1.5 dm, tomentose to floccose. Leaves basal, typically not in rosettes; petiole 0.5–6 cm, tomentose to floccose; blade usually narrowly elliptic, 1–3 (–3.5) × (0.3–) 0.5–1 (–1.2) cm, densely tomentose abaxially, thinly tomentose, floccose or glabrous and grayish to greenish adaxially, margins entire, plane or undulate and crisped. Inflorescences umbellate or compound-umbellate, 10–30 × 10–25 cm; branches tomentose to floccose; bracts 3–9, semileaflike at proximal node, 0.5–2 × 0.2–1 cm, often scalelike distally. Involucres 1 per node, turbinate, 1.5–7 × 2–5 mm, tomentose to floccose; teeth 5–8, erect, 0.1–0.5 mm. Flowers 3–8 mm, including 0.7–2 mm stipelike base; perianth white to cream, densely pubescent abaxially; tepals dimorphic, those of outer whorl lanceolate to elliptic, 2–5 × 1–3 mm, those of inner whorl lanceolate to fan-shaped, 1.5–6 × 2–4 mm; stamens exserted, 2–4 mm; filaments pilose proximally. Achenes light-brown to brown, 4–5 mm, glabrous except for sparsely pubescent beak.

Distribution

• Generated Map
• Legacy Map

Ariz., Colo., Kans., N.Mex., Okla., Tex., including Mexico

Discussion

Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).

Eriogonum jamesii is a nectar source for the rare Spalding dotted-blue butterfly (Euphilotes spaldingi).

Eriogonum jamesii and E. arcuatum (see below) are considered “life medicines” and used ceremonially by Native Americans (C. Arnold, pers. comm.; A. B. Reagan 1929; P. A. Vestal 1952).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Eriogonum jamesii var. jamesii, Eriogonum jamesii var. simplex, Eriogonum jamesii var. undulatum

Key

1	Leaf margins undulate, frequently crisped; flowers 3-5(-6) mm; se Arizona, s New Mexico, sw Texas	Eriogonum jamesii var. undulatum
1	Leaf margins plane, not crisped; flowers 4-8 mm; e Arizona, c and s Colorado, wc Kansas, New Mexico, w Oklahoma, n and w Texas	> 2
2	Inflorescences compound-umbellate; e Arizona, c and s Colorado, New Mexico, w Oklahoma, n and w Texas	Eriogonum jamesii var. jamesii
2	Inflorescences simple-umbellate; wc Kansas	Eriogonum jamesii var. simplex

"dm" is not declared as a valid unit of measurement for this property.