Eriogonum apricum
Ione buckwheat
(c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Polygonaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Eriogonum apricum (Ione buckwheat) is a native California herb in the Polygonaceae family.
Ione buckwheat is a rare California native perennial found in the central Sierra Nevada foothills in rocky or gravelly areas at elevations near 300 meters. Flowering from June to July, this plant produces delicate white flowers in small compact clusters approximately 1 to 2 centimeters wide. Growing as a low mat-forming perennial just 8 to 20 centimeters in diameter, it spreads with slender glabrous stems reaching 4 to 8 centimeters tall. Its basal leaves are distinctively round-ovate, measuring 3 to 5 millimeters long, with a soft white tomentose undersurface and generally smooth upper surface. The plant's compact white-flowered inflorescences and low-growing mat form make it a distinctive feature of its rocky, dry habitat.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated from all other species in this genus
Habitat and range
California counties: Amador, Sierra
How to tell it apart
vs Adenostoma: Eriogonum has flowers in cup-like involucres; Adenostoma has tiny white rose-family flowers in spikes.; vs Salvia: Eriogonum has six similar perianth parts; Salvia has two-lipped tubular flowers.; vs Fagopyrum: Eriogonum has flowers in involucred clusters; Fagopyrum has loose branching sprays without involucres.; vs Artemisia: Eriogonum has cup-surrounded flower clusters; Artemisia has tiny inconspicuous heads in drooping sprays.; vs Chorizanthe: Eriogonum has multiple flowers per involucre; Chorizanthe has one flower per involucre with spiny teeth.
Frequently asked questions
Is Eriogonum apricum native to California?
Yes. Eriogonum apricum is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Eriogonum apricum grow?
Eriogonum apricum occurs in Amador, Sierra.
What plant family does Eriogonum apricum belong to?
Eriogonum apricum is in the Polygonaceae family, genus Eriogonum.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.