Eriogonum

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Ordo: Caryophyllales

Familia: Polygonaceae
Subfamilia: Eriogonoideae
Tribus: Eriogoneae
Genus: Eriogonum
Species: E. abertianum – E. acaule – E. alatum – E. alexanderae – E. aliquantum – E. allenii – E. alpinum – E. ammophilum – E. ampullaceum – E. androsaceum – E. anemophilum – E. angelense – E. angulosum – E. annuum – E. apiculatum – E. apricum – E. arborescens – E. arcuatum – E. aretioides – E. argillosum – E. argophyllum – E. arizonicum – E. artificis – E. atrorubens – E. austrinum – E. baileyi – E. batemanii – E. bicolor – E. bifurcatum – E. brachyanthum – E. brachypodum – E. brandegeei – E. breedlovei – E. brevicaule – E. butterworthianum – E. caespitosum – E. callistum – E. capillare – E. cedrorum – E. cernuum – E. chrysops – E. ciliatum – E. cinereum – E. cithariforme – E. clavatum – E. clavellatum – E. clivosum – E. codium – E. collinum – E. coloradense – E. compositum – E. concinnum – E. congdonii – E. contiguum – E. contortum – E. correllii – E. corymbosum – E. covilleanum – E. crocatum – E. cronquistii – E. crosbyae – E. cusickii – E. darrovii – E. dasyanthemum – E. davidsonii – E. deflexum – E. deserticola – E. desertorum – E. diabolis – E. diatomaceum – E. diclinum – E. divaricatum – E. douglasii – E. duchesnense – E. eastwoodianum – E. effusum – E. elatum – E. elegans – E. elongatum – E. encelioides – E. ephedroides – E. eremicola – E. eremicum – E. ericifolium – E. esmeraldense – E. evanidum – E. exaltatum – E. exilifolium – E. fasciculatum – E. fastigiatum – E. fimbriatum – E. flavum – E. foliosum – E. fusiforme – E. galioides – E. giganteum – E. gilmanii – E. glandulosum – E. gordonii – E. gossypinum – E. gracile – E. gracilipes – E. gracillimum – E. grande – E. greggii – E. gypsophilum – E. hastatum – E. havardii – E. heermannii – E. helichrysoides – E. hemipterum – E. henricksonii – E. heracleoides – E. hieracifolium – E. hirtellum – E. hirtiflorum – E. hoffmannii – E. holmgrenii – E. hookeri – E. hooveri – E. howellianum – E. hylophilum – E. incanum – E. inerme – E. inflatum – E. intrafractum – E. intricatum – E. jamesii – E. jonesii – E. kelloggii – E. kennedyi – E. kingii – E. lachnogynum – E. lagunense – E. lancifolium – E. latens – E. latifolium – E. lemmonii – E. leptocladon – E. leptophyllum – E. libertini – E. lobbii – E. loganum – E. lonchophyllum – E. longifolium – E. luteolum – E. maculatum – E. mancum – E. marifolium – E. mensicola – E. microthecum – E. mohavense – E. molestum – E. molle – E. moranii – E. mortonianum – E. multiflorum – E. natum – E. nealleyi – E. nebraskense – E. nervulosum – E. nidularium – E. niveum – E. nortonii – E. novonudum – E. nudum – E. nummulare – E. nutans – E. ochrocephalum – E. orcuttianum – E. ordii – E. ostlundii – E. ovalifolium – E. palmerianum – E. panamintense – E. panguicense – E. parishii – E. parvifolium – E. pauciflorum – E. pelinophilum – E. pendulum – E. pharnaceoides – E. pilosum – E. plumatella – E. polycladon – E. polypodum – E. pondii – E. prattenianum – E. preclarum – E. prociduum – E. pulchrum – E. pusillum – E. pyrolifolium – E. racemosum – E. reniforme – E. repens – E. ripleyi – E. rixfordii – E. robustum – E. rosense – E. roseum – E. rotundifolium – E. rubricaule – E. rupinum – E. salicornioides – E. saxatile – E. scabrellum – E. scalare – E. scopulorum – E. shockleyi – E. siskiyouense – E. smithii – E. soliceps – E. soredium – E. spathulatum – E. spectabile – E. spergulinum – E. sphaerocephalum – E. strictum – E. subreniforme – E. suffruticosum – E. temblorense – E. tenellum – E. ternatum – E. terrenatum – E. thomasii – E. thompsoniae – E. thornei – E. thurberi – E. thymoides – E. tiehmii – E. tomentosum – E. trichopes – E. tripodum – E. truncatum – E. tumulosum – E. turneri – E. twisselmannii – E. umbellatum – E. ursinum – E. vestitum – E. villiflorum – E. villosissimum – E. vimineum – E. viridescens – E. viridulum – E. viscanum – E. viscidulum – E. visheri – E. watsonii – E. welshii – E. wetherillii – E. wootonii – E. wrightii – E. zapatoense – E. zionis

Nothospecies: E. × ammei – E. × duchesnense
Name

Eriogonum Michx. Fl. Bor.-Amer. (Michaux) 1: 246, t. 24. (1803)

Type species: Eriogonum tomentosum Michx. Fl. Bor.-Amer. (Michaux) 1: 246, pl. 26. (1803)

References

Michaux, A. 1803. Flora Boreali-Americana (Michaux) 1: 246, t. 24.
Hassler, M. 2017. Eriogonum. World Plants: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World In: Roskovh, Y., Abucay, L., Orrell, T., Nicolson, D., Bailly, N., Kirk, P., Bourgoin, T., DeWalt, R.E., Decock, W., De Wever, A., Nieukerken, E. van, Zarucchi, J. & Penev, L., eds. 2017. Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life. Published online. Accessed: 2017 Apr. 8. Reference page.
International Plant Names Index. 2017. Eriogonum. Published online. Accessed: Mar. 4 2017. Reference page.
The Plant List 2013. Eriogonum in The Plant List Version 1.1. Published online. Accessed: 2017 Mar. 4.
Tropicos.org 2017. Eriogonum. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published online. Accessed: 4 Mar. 2017.

Vernacular names
English: Wild Buckwheat
polski: Pokoślin

Eriogonum is a genus of flowering plants in the family Polygonaceae. The genus is found in North America and is known as wild buckwheat. This is a highly species-rich genus, and indications are that active speciation is continuing. It includes some common wildflowers such as the California buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum).

The genus derived its name from the Greek word erion meaning 'wool' and gonu meaning 'knee or joint'. The author of the genus, Michaux, explained the name as describing the first named species of the genus (E. tomentosum) as a wooly plant with sharply bent stems ("planta lanata, geniculata").[1] Despite sharing the common name "buckwheat", Eriogonum is part of a different genus than the cultivated European buckwheat and than other plant species also called wild buckwheat.

In addition to the widespread common species, approximately a third of the species in the genus are rare, endangered, or threatened. [2] One such species came into the news in 2005 when the Mount Diablo buckwheat (Eriogonum truncatum, believed to be extinct) was rediscovered.[3]
Ecology

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Eriogonum species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths). An example of a butterfly that uses this plant for food is the Lycaena heteronea. Several of these are monophagous, meaning their caterpillars only feed on this genus, sometimes just on a single taxon of Eriogonum. Wild buckwheat flowers are also an important source of food for these and other Lepidoptera. In some cases, the relationship is so close that Eriogonum and dependent Lepidoptera are in danger of coextinction.

Monophagous Lepidoptera on wild buckwheat include:

Apodemia mormo (Mormon metalmark) – feeds exclusively on Eriogonum
Apodemia mormo langei (Lange's metalmark) – only known from Eriogonum nudum ssp. auriculatum
Chionodes dammersi – feeds exclusively on Eriogonum
Chionodes luteogeminatus – only known from Eriogonum niveum
Euphilotes enoptes smithi (Smith's blue butterfly) – only known from Eriogonum latifolium and Eriogonum parvifolium
Euphilotes battoides allyni (El Segundo blue butterfly) - only known from Eriogonum parvifolium

Additionally, bees of the sagebrush steppe rely on the nectar of desert buckwheats, and birds and rodents eat the seeds.[4]
Uses

Some varieties of eriogonum, such as California buckwheat were and still are used as medicinal and food crops by Native American tribes.[5][6]
Selected species

Eriogonum abertianum – Abert's buckwheat
Eriogonum alatum – winged buckwheat
Eriogonum alexanderae[7]
Eriogonum aliquantum – Cimarron buckwheat
Eriogonum alpinum – trinity buckwheat
Eriogonum ampullaceum – mono buckwheat
Eriogonum androsaceum – rock-jasmine buckwheat
Eriogonum angulosum – anglestem buckwheat
Eriogonum apiculatum – San Jacinto buckwheat
Eriogonum apricum – Ione buckwheat
Eriogonum arborescens – Santa Cruz Island buckwheat
Eriogonum argillosum – clay buckwheat
Eriogonum argophyllum – Sulphur Hot Springs buckwheat, Ruby Valley buckwheat
Eriogonum baileyi – Bailey's buckwheat
Eriogonum bicolor – Pretty buckwheat
Eriogonum brachyanthum – shortflower buckwheat
Eriogonum brachypodum – Parry's buckwheat
Eriogonum brandegeei – Brandegee's buckwheat
Eriogonum breedlovei – Paiute buckwheat
Eriogonum brevicaule – shortstem buckwheat
Eriogonum butterworthianum – Butterworth's buckwheat
Eriogonum caespitosum – matted buckwheat
Eriogonum calcareum[7]
Eriogonum callistum – Tehachapi buckwheat
Eriogonum cedrorum – The Cedars buckwheat
Eriogonum cernuum – nodding buckwheat
Eriogonum cinereum – ashyleaf buckwheat, coastal buckwheat
Eriogonum cithariforme – Cithara buckwheat
Eriogonum codium – basalt desert buckwheat
Eriogonum coloradense – Colorado buckwheat
Eriogonum compositum – arrowleaf buckwheat
Eriogonum congdonii – Congdon's buckwheat
Eriogonum contiguum – Reveal's buckwheat
Eriogonum corymbosum – crispleaf buckwheat
Eriogonum corymbosum var. nilesii – Nile's wild buckwheat, Las Vegas buckwheat
Eriogonum covilleanum – Coville's buckwheat
Eriogonum crocatum – conejo buckwheat or saffron buckwheat
Eriogonum crosbyae – Crosby's buckwheat
Eriogonum cusickii – Cusick's buckwheat
Eriogonum dasyanthemum – chaparral buckwheat
Eriogonum davidsonii – Davidson's buckwheat
Eriogonum deflexum – flatcrown buckwheat
Eriogonum deserticola – Colorado Desert buckwheat
Eriogonum diatomaceum – Churchill Narrows buckwheat
Eriogonum diclinum – Jaynes Canyon buckwheat
Eriogonum domitum[7]
Eriogonum douglasii – Douglas buckwheat
Eriogonum elatum – tall woolly buckwheat
Eriogonum encelioides – Encelia buckwheat
Eriogonum eremicola – Telescope Peak buckwheat
Eriogonum evanidum – vanishing wild buckwheat
Eriogonum exilifolium – dropleaf buckwheat
Eriogonum fasciculatum – California buckwheat
Eriogonum flavum – yellow buckwheat
Eriogonum giganteum – Saint Catherine's lace
Eriogonum giganteum var. compactum – Santa Barbara Island buckwheat
Eriogonum gilmanii – Gilman's buckwheat

Eriogonum gossypinum – cottony buckwheat
Eriogonum gracile – slender woolly buckwheat
Eriogonum gracilipes – White Mountain buckwheat, raspberry buckwheat
Eriogonum gracillimum – rose and white buckwheat
Eriogonum grande – redflower buckwheat
Eriogonum gypsophilum – gypsum wild buckwheat
Eriogonum heermannii – Heermann's buckwheat
Eriogonum helichrysoides – Strawflower wild buckwheat
Eriogonum heracleoides – parsnip-flower Buckwheat
Eriogonum hirtellum – Klamath Mountain Buckwheat
Eriogonum hoffmannii – Hoffmann's buckwheat
Eriogonum hookeri – Hooker's buckwheat
Eriogonum incanum – frosted buckwheat
Eriogonum inflatum – desert trumpet, bladderstem, Indian pipe-weed
Eriogonum intrafractum – napkinring, jointed buckwheat
Eriogonum jamesii – James' buckwheat
Eriogonum kelloggii – red mountain buckwheat

Eriogonum kennedyi – Kennedy's buckwheat
Eriogonum latens – Inyo buckwheat
Eriogonum latifolium – seaside buckwheat
Eriogonum libertini – Dubakella Mountain buckwheat
Eriogonum lobbii – Lobb's buckwheat
Eriogonum longifolium – longleaf buckwheat
Eriogonum longifolium var. harperi – Harper's umbrella plant or Harper's buckwheat
Eriogonum longifolium var. gnaphalifolium – scrub buckwheat or long-leaf wild Buckwheat
Eriogonum longifolium var. longifolium – longleaf buckwheat
Eriogonum longifolium var. lindheimeri – Lindheimer's long-leaf Eriogonum or Lindheimer's buckwheat

Eriogonum luteolum – goldencarpet buckwheat
Eriogonum maculatum – spotted buckwheat
Eriogonum marifolium – marumleaf buckwheat
Eriogonum microthecum – slender buckwheat
Eriogonum mohavense – Western Mojave buckwheat
Eriogonum molestum – pineland buckwheat
Eriogonum nervulosum – Snow Mountain buckwheat
Eriogonum nidularium – birdnest buckwheat
Eriogonum niveum – snow buckwheat
Eriogonum nortonii – pinnacles buckwheat
Eriogonum nudum – naked buckwheat
Eriogonum nudum ssp. auriculatum

Eriogonum nummulare – Kearney buckwheat, money buckwheat
Eriogonum ochrocephalum – whitewoolly buckwheat
Eriogonum ovalifolium – cushion buckwheat, oval-leaf buckwheat
Eriogonum palmerianum – Palmer's buckwheat
Eriogonum panamintense – Panamint Mountain buckwheat
Eriogonum parishii – mountainmist
Eriogonum parvifolium – coast buckwheat, dune buckwheat or cliff buckwheat
Eriogonum pauciflorum – Fewflower buckwheat
Eriogonum pelinophilum – clay-loving wild buckwheat
Eriogonum pendulum – waldo buckwheat
Eriogonum plumatella – yucca buckwheat
Eriogonum prattenianum – Nevada City buckwheat
Eriogonum prociduum – prostrate buckwheat

Eriogonum pusillum – yellowturbans
Eriogonum pyrolifolium – pyrola-leaved buckwheat
Eriogonum reniforme – kidneyleaf buckwheat
Eriogonum rixfordii – pagoda buckwheat
Eriogonum rosense – rosy buckwheat, mountain rose buckwheat
Eriogonum rosense var. beatleyae – Beatley's buckwheat
Eriogonum roseum – wand buckwheat
Eriogonum salicornioides – glasswort buckwheat
Eriogonum saxatile – hoary buckwheat
Eriogonum shockleyi – cowpie buckwheat

Eriogonum siskiyouense – Siskiyou buckwheat
Eriogonum soredium – Frisco buckwheat
Eriogonum spectabile – Barron's buckwheat
Eriogonum spergulinum – spurry buckwheat
Eriogonum sphaerocephalum – rock buckwheat
Eriogonum strictum – blue mountain buckwheat
Eriogonum ternatum – ternate buckwheat
Eriogonum tiehmii – Tiehm's buckwheat
Eriogonum thomasii – Thomas' buckwheat
Eriogonum thurberi – Thurber's buckwheat
Eriogonum thymoides – thymeleaf buckwheat
Eriogonum tomentosum – dogtongue wild buckwheat
Eriogonum trichopes – little desert trumpet

Eriogonum tripodum – tripod buckwheat
Eriogonum truncatum – Mount Diablo buckwheat
Eriogonum umbellatum – sulphurflower buckwheat
Eriogonum ursinum – talus buckwheat, Bear Valley buckwheat
Eriogonum vimineum – wickerstem buckwheat
Eriogonum viridescens – twotooth buckwheat
Eriogonum visheri – Dakota wild buckwheat, Visher's buckwheat
Eriogonum wrightii – bastardsage
Eriogonum zapatoense
Eriogonum zionis – Zion buckwheat

References

André Michaux. Flora boreali americana. 1803. volume 1. page 247, Biodiversitylibrary.org
Reveal, James L. "Eriogonum". In Flora of North America Editorial Committee (ed.). Flora of North America North of Mexico (FNA). New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press. Retrieved 10 January 2025 – via eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
"05.24.2005 – Dainty pink Mt. Diablo buckwheat rediscovered". Berkeley.edu. Retrieved 2016-03-29.
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.
"Ohlone Medicine". Archived from the original on 2018-08-26. Retrieved 2018-09-13.
"Plant Uses: California : Native American Uses of California Plants - Ethnobotany" (PDF). Arboretum.ucsc.edu. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
Grady, B. R. and J. L. Reveal. (2011). New combinations and a new species of Eriogonum (Polygonaceae: Eriogonoideae) from the Great Basin Desert, United States. Phytotaxa 24 33–38.