Eriogonum alpinum

Trinity buckwheat

Family: Polygonaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

Trinity buckwheat is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native perennial found in the eastern Klamath Ranges in the Mount Eddy area of southern Siskiyou and northeastern Trinity counties, growing on serpentine terrain at elevations of 2,000 to 2,800 meters. Flowering from July to September, this plant produces bright yellow flowers in compact head-like clusters 1 to 2.5 centimeters wide. Growing as a low, spreading mat only 2 to 6 centimeters tall and up to 10 centimeters in diameter, it forms a dense ground-hugging perennial with sparse tomentose stems. Its basal leaves are nearly round, 1 to 3 centimeters long and covered in a dense white tomentose surface. The plant's distinctive yellow flowers are 4 to 8 millimeters long, with oblong-obovate perianth lobes emerging from small tomentose involucres.

Habitat: Serpentine

Bloom period: Jul-Sep

Elevation: 2000-2800 m

Bioregions: e KR (Mount Eddy area, s Siskiyou, ne Trinity cos.).

California counties: Siskiyou, Trinity

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.