Eriogonum (Wild Buckwheat) near Zion National Park (location approximate). I.D. based on 5 lobe-like teeth on involucre. Photo credit: T. B.
Abert's Buckwheat (Eriogonum abertianum) is a hardy, native, perennial plant in the Knotweed (Polygonaceae) family that grows at higher elevations. Leaves are tomentose. A unique characteristic of this species are the 5 lobe-like teeth on involucre.
"This annual herb is native to Northern Mexico in Coahuila, Chihuahua, Sonora, and San Luis Potosí states; and the Southwestern United States within Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. It grows from 400–2,500 metres (1,300–8,200 ft) in elevation. Habitats it is found in include the Chihuahuan Desert and Sonoran Desert. Eriogonum abertianum grows from 1–3 feet (0.30–0.91 m) in height and width. Leaves are tomentose, and greenish, tawny, or reddish on both surfaces (1-4 × 1-3 cm). The 3–4.5 mm flowers are white, pink, or yellow. This species is a food source for adult Crescent Metalmark butterflies (Apodemia phyciodoides)." https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/162573-Eriogonum-abertianum
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Jepson eFlora Key to Eriogonum in CA: https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_keys.php?key=11209
Taxon Page for Eriogonum: https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=11209
Genus Eriogonum (Wild Buckwheat) —Polygonaceae: Knotweed Family
Flowers in this family do not have separate petals and sepals. For plants like this, the term “perianth” is used to describe the flower (i.e. the calyx and the corolla together) and “perianth parts” to describe the individual elements. Wild Buckwheat (Eriogonum) are a large and diverse group of plants.
INaturalist Project: Eriogonums of California: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/eriogonums-of-california
Desert Plants and Wildflower I.D. https://borregowildflowers.org/?type=search&searchtype=S&family=&name=eriogonum
Monterey County Wildflowers– a photographic guide https://montereywildflowers.com/polygonaceae-buckwheat/
Leaf Terminology: Diagrams/Definitions: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e8/Leaf_morphology.svg
Plant Identification Terminology: An Illustrated Glossary, 2nd ed., by James Harris and M. Harris, 2022
Irene's Wild Buckwheat (Eriogonum genus) observations on INaturalist, worldwide: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?taxon_id=48939&user_id=aparrot1
Irene's (aparrot1) Profile Page on INaturalist listing Nature Resources (includes list of online references with links) for Plants, Birds, Fungi, Lepidoptera, Arachnids, Reptiles, Amphibians, Marine Life, Plant Galls, and more: https://www.inaturalist.org/people/3188668
Last photo is yellow and white flowering plants growing side by side.
Volcanic gravels
Growing at edge of Gunlock Reservoir.
Corolla around 5 mm long, 14 mm wide, 5 fused petals, dark blue/purple with 5 white dots. 5 stamens which extend about 5 mm beyond the corolla and 1 pistil that is split in two near the top.
Leaves are opposite near the stem base and alternate further up the stem. Leaves lobed and not toothed nor pinnatifid. Stem and leaves glandular hairy.
Found along sandy creekbed.
Quest #45 Colorado?
Grand Wash, Capital Reef
Not 100% sure because I wasn’t specifically seeking them out at the time, but I think these are actually sclero wrightiae. They fit the general description of soil type, shorter stature, and they technically occur just barely inside their range published by USFWS to the north-east of Emery, but this is also an unfortunate area that overlaps with parviflorus. This would be very unusual soil for parviflorus though, AND, the main thing that interests me is how there is plenty of seeds from the previous spring still attached to or on the plant. Never seen that before with any parvs or other scleros. Habitat as you can see is barren clay. Any help would be appreciated because this one is definitely confusing me. I will leave it un-obscured for now until I can hopefully get an ID. Side note, at least half of this population was dead and/or eaten unfortunately.
The inflorescence-creeping buckwheat with leaves that resemble new growth on Fouquieria
Lahontan beardtongue, Penstemon palmeri var. macranthus, Nevada, Pershing County, Humboldt Range, Humboldt Canyon, Humboldt City, Humboldt River watershed, elevation 1682 m (5520 ft).
This northwestern Nevada endemic variety is threatened by hybridization due to widespread use of var. palmeri (Palmer penstemon) in seed mixes outside its native range, which is in southern and eastern Nevada and farther south and east.
From 35mm Ektachrome Elite-100 color transparency film exposed with a Tamron 28-70 mm zoom-macro lens on an Olympus OM-4T body. Scanned at 4000 dpi with a Nikon Coolscan 5000, and restored using Corel Paintshop Pro X4.
Indian chickweed, Mollugo cerviana, California, Inyo County, White Mountains, Beer Creek, Deep Springs Valley watershed, elevation 1579 m (5180 ft).
This area received exceptional monsoon precipitation, with about 2.25 inches 5 weeks prior, and another 1.6 inches 4 weeks prior, to this observation.
Though considered introduced in this region, this annual species only appears after exceptional warm-season rains, and seems as well-integrated into the local flora as many of the other local native monsoon-triggered annual species.
This was a new species for me. Growing in sandy soil near the Red Mountain trailhead south of Dammeron Valley. I could only find this one individual.
Would like some confirmation on this one!
From a night I camped out near Delano Peak, before gps was everywhere...
eremiticus? praelongus?
Growing off a boulder in a shaded conifer canyon at Francis Canyon Ranch. WP 0-17.
I have no idea which species this is; whenever I try to key it out with A Utah Flora, it keys to D. oligosperma (which is obviously not correct) or something like D. ramulosa/sobolifera which would be way out of range.
Looking at photos and some FNA descriptions, it to me looks closest to D. pedicellata/cusickii, but neither are known to occur near here. I did collect this so the herbarium specimen could be referenced if needed but I am very intrigued as to what this could possibly be.
The last photo shows the habitat, this was observed in the rocks above the shoreline.
Hole-in-the Rock - Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
I don’t think this is right because the leaves were more smooth. They are splattered with mud droplets from the orange dirt and rain.
Growing in the aspen parkland west of the south side of the Huntington Reservoir.
I find the distinction between G. amarella and G. heterosepala as outlined in A Utah Flora to be confusing.