Eriogonum is the scientific name for 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).

It came into the news in 2005 when the Mount Diablo Buckwheat (Eriogonum truncatum, believed to be extinct) was rediscovered.

Importance for Lepidoptera

Eriogonum species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths). Several of these are monophagous, meaning that 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

Selected species

• Eriogonum alpinum - Trinity Buckwheat
• Eriogonum androsaceum - Rock-jasmine Buckwheat
• Eriogonum angulosum - Anglestem Buckwheat
• Eriogonum apricum - Ione Buckwheat
• Eriogonum arborescens - Santa Cruz Island Buckwheat
• Eriogonum brachypodum - Parry's Buckwheat
• Eriogonum caespitosum - Matted Buckwheat
• Eriogonum cernuum - Nodding Buckwheat
• Eriogonum cinereum - Ashyleaf Buckwheat, Coastal Buckwheat
• Eriogonum crocatum - Conejo Buckwheat or Saffron Buckwheat
• Eriogonum dasyanthemum - Chaparral Buckwheat
• Eriogonum davidsonii - Davidson's Buckwheat
• Eriogonum deflexum - Flatcrown Buckwheat
• Eriogonum diclinum - Jaynes Canyon Buckwheat
• Eriogonum elatum - Tall Woolly 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 gracilipes - White Mountain Buckwheat, Raspberry Buckwheat
• Eriogonum gracillimum - Rose and White Buckwheat
• Eriogonum grande - Redflower Buckwheat
• Eriogonum heermannii - Heermann's Buckwheat
• Eriogonum heracleoides - Parsnip-flower Buckwheat
• Eriogonum hirtellum - Klamath Mountain Buckwheat
• Eriogonum incanum - Frosted Buckwheat
• Eriogonum inflatum - Desert Trumpet, Bladderstem, Indian Pipe-weed
• Eriogonum intrafractum - Napkinring, Jointed Buckwheat
• Eriogonum jamesii - James' 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
• Eriogonum maculatum - Spotted Buckwheat
• Eriogonum marifolium - Marumleaf Buckwheat
• Eriogonum microthecum - Slender 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 ovalifolium - Cushion Buckwheat, Oval-leaf Buckwheat
• Eriogonum parvifolium - Coast Buckwheat, Dune Buckwheat or Cliff Buckwheat
• Eriogonum plumatella - Yucca 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, Mt. Rose Buckwheat
• Eriogonum roseum - Wand Buckwheat
• Eriogonum salicornioides - Glasswort Buckwheat
• Eriogonum saxatile - Hoary Buckwheat
• Eriogonum siskiyouense - Siskiyou Buckwheat
• Eriogonum strictum - Blue Mountain Buckwheat
• Eriogonum tomentosum - Dogtongue Wild Buckwheat
• Eriogonum trichopes - Little Desert Trumpet
• Eriogonum truncatum - Mount Diablo Buckwheat
• Eriogonum umbellatum - Sulphurflower Buckwheat
• Eriogonum ursinum - Talus Buckwheat, Bear Valley Buckwheat
• Eriogonum vimineum - Wickerstem Buckwheat
• Eriogonum wrightii - Bastardsage
• Eriogonum zapatoense

External links

• genus treatment in the Jepson Manual
• Eriogonum in the Flora of North America
• Mt. Diablo buckwheat rediscovered