Al Schneider's Rocky Mountains Plant Descriptions

Alpine Golden Buckwheat
Eriogonum flavum
Smartweed-Buckwheat family (Polygonaceae)

This is one of many Eriogonums in our area and it is a controversial one. This plant has perhaps 5 varieties and one variety that has been assigned to a different species. Colorado flora authority William Weber indicates that we have one variety of this plant found in the foothills and one in the zone, the latter a miniature of the former. One way or the other, this is a cute, hairy plant with bright yellow flowers. The Eriogonum was named by Andre Michaux in his 1803, "Flora Boreali-Americana". "Erio" is Greek for "wool" and "gono" for "knee," referring to the wooly leaves and swollen joints of the type species.


©2004 Matt Lavin

Description

plants with to 8" tall, but sometimes much shorter, hairy. Leaves to 2" long, clustered on the (woody base of non-woody ) branches, , to with a that is sometimes as long as the , white-hairy on both leaf sides or somewhat above, hairs often becoming rust-colored in age. an , several, leaf-like, short. about 1/5" long, yellow, hairy. a hairy .

Field Marks

Open mat of upright very hairy topped by few slender flower stems with clusters of yellow flowers.

© Al Schneider

An umbel is a collection of flowers on short stalks which spread from a common point, somewhat like umbrella ribs. The arrangement can vary from being flat-topped to almost spherical.

oblanceolate -- top wider than bottom

A peduncle is a common stalk of a cluster of flowers.

A perennial plant lives and blooms for many years.

An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem.

perianth -- the non-reproductive part of the flower such as petals and sepals.

Bracts are modified leaves associated with a flower.

spatulate -- spoon-shaped.

glabrous -- smooth, glossy, having no bristles or hair-like structures. Bald.

achene -- a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. For example, a rose hip holds a few achenes.

fruit -- any seed-bearing structure in flowering plants. It is formed from the ovary after flowering.

basal leaves -- a leaf that grows lowest on the stem of a plant.

scape -- a long, leafless flower stalk coming directly from a root. The tulip has a scape.

petiole -- the stalk of a leaf.

caudex -- The woody stem base of some herbaceous perennials.

genus -- A subdivision of a botanical Family in which all members have a significant number of similar characteristics.

blade -- Just the flat part of a leaf. Not the stem.

oblong -- Having an elongated form with somewhat parallel sides. Rectangular.

alpine -- above the tree line. Thin soil, rocks, short growing season, frost, winter snow.