Eriogonum heermannii var. floccosum
Clark mountain buckwheat, Clark Mountain Buckwheat
Photo: parent species Eriogonum heermannii · (c) Matt Berger, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Polygonaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.3
Eriogonum heermannii var. floccosum (Clark mountain buckwheat) is a native California shrub in the Polygonaceae family, recognized by woolly branches diagnostic.
Clark mountain buckwheat is a rare (CNPS 4.3) California native shrub found in the desert mountains on sand or gravel at elevations of 900 to 2,300 meters. Flowering from May to October, this plant produces yellow-white flowers in clusters 5 to 12 centimeters long and 5 to 20 centimeters wide. Growing as a compact shrub 3 to 6 decimeters tall with a spread of 4 to 8 decimeters, it has smooth branches with sparse woolly tufts. Its leaves are small and dense, with blades 0.8 to 1.5 centimeters long and 0.2 to 0.5 centimeters wide, covered in a soft tomentose or hairy texture. The plant's compact form and woolly-textured leaves make it well-adapted to its arid desert mountain habitat.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 57 sympatric species; woolly branches diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Sand or gravel
Elevation: 900-2300 m
California counties: San Bernardino
Outside California: northwestern Arizona, southern Nevada
Bloom period
Eriogonum heermannii var. floccosum blooms May-Oct.
Conservation status
CNPS 4.3
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 heermannii var. floccosum native to California?
Yes. Eriogonum heermannii var. floccosum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Eriogonum heermannii var. floccosum bloom?
Eriogonum heermannii var. floccosum blooms May-Oct.
Where in California does Eriogonum heermannii var. floccosum grow?
Eriogonum heermannii var. floccosum occurs in San Bernardino, at elevations of 900-2300 m.
What plant family does Eriogonum heermannii var. floccosum belong to?
Eriogonum heermannii var. floccosum is in the Polygonaceae family, genus Eriogonum.
Is Eriogonum heermannii var. floccosum rare or endangered?
Eriogonum heermannii var. floccosum carries California Rare Plant Rank 4.3, state rank S4.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Eriogonum heermannii var. heermannii — Heermann's wild buckwheat
- Eriogonum heermannii var. humilius — Heermann's great basin wild buckwheat
- Eriogonum heermannii var. occidentale — Western heermann's buckwheat
- Eriogonum heermannii var. sulcatum — Heermann's grooved wild buckwheat
- Eriogonum heracleoides var. heracleoides — Parsnip-flowered buckwheat
- Eriogonum hirtellum — Klamath mountain buckwheat
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
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.