Eriogonum hookeri
Hooker's wild buckwheat
(c) Jim Morefield, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Polygonaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Eriogonum hookeri (Hooker's wild buckwheat) is a native California herb in the Polygonaceae family, recognized by reflexed involucres diagnostic.
Hooker's wild buckwheat is a California native annual found in the eastern Sierra Nevada in sandy or gravelly habitats at elevations of 1,300 to 2,500 meters. Flowering from June to October, this plant produces yellow to red-yellow flowers with round outer lobes and narrowly ovate inner lobes. Growing 10 to 60 centimeters tall with glabrous stems, it develops from a compact base with minimal branching. Its basal leaves are approximately round, 1 to 6 centimeters long, and covered in dense white tomentose (woolly) hair. The small involucres are reflexed and measure just 1 to 2 millimeters wide, with glabrous surfaces.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 50 sympatric species; reflexed involucres diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Uncommon. Sand or gravel
Elevation: 1300-2500 m
California counties: Lake, Mono, Inyo
Outside California: to Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico
Bloom period
Eriogonum hookeri blooms Jun-Oct.
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 hookeri native to California?
Yes. Eriogonum hookeri is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Eriogonum hookeri bloom?
Eriogonum hookeri blooms Jun-Oct.
Where in California does Eriogonum hookeri grow?
Eriogonum hookeri occurs in Lake, Mono, Inyo, at elevations of 1300-2500 m.
What plant family does Eriogonum hookeri belong to?
Eriogonum hookeri is in the Polygonaceae family, genus Eriogonum.
What habitat does Eriogonum hookeri grow in?
Eriogonum hookeri grows in Uncommon. Sand or gravel.
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.