Eriogonum cithariforme
Cithara buckwheat
(c) Kylie Etter, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Kylie Etter · licence
Family: Polygonaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Eriogonum cithariforme (Cithara buckwheat) is a native California herb in the Polygonaceae family.
Cithara buckwheat is a California native annual found in dry, open habitats at elevations of 300 to 1,500 meters. Flowering from June to September, this plant produces delicate white to rose-colored flowers in small clusters 5 to 25 centimeters long. Growing with slender stems 20 to 50 centimeters tall that are sometimes softly woolly, it has a delicate, open branching structure. Its basal leaves are small, narrow to nearly round, and typically covered in soft, feltlike hairs, measuring 3 to 20 millimeters long. The tiny flowers and leaves create an intricate, airy appearance characteristic of this distinctive desert buckwheat.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated from all other species in this genus
Habitat and range
California counties: Ventura, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Kern, Monterey, Tulare, San Benito, Inyo, Riverside
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 cithariforme native to California?
Yes. Eriogonum cithariforme is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Eriogonum cithariforme grow?
Eriogonum cithariforme occurs in Ventura, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Kern, Monterey, Tulare and other counties.
What plant family does Eriogonum cithariforme belong to?
Eriogonum cithariforme is in the Polygonaceae family, genus Eriogonum.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Eriogonum cithariforme var. agninum — Santa ynez wild buckwheat
- Eriogonum cithariforme var. cithariforme — Cithara wild buckwheat
- Eriogonum clavatum — Hoover's desert trumpet
- Eriogonum collinum — Hill buckwheat
- Eriogonum compositum var. compositum — Arrow-leaf wild buckwheat
- Eriogonum congdonii — Congdon's buckwheat
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.