Eriogonum inerme
Unarmed buckwheat
(c) Matt Berger, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Polygonaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Eriogonum inerme (Unarmed buckwheat) is a native California herb in the Polygonaceae family.
Unarmed buckwheat is a California native annual herb found in rocky or open areas at low to moderate elevations. Flowering from early summer to fall, this plant produces delicate pink to reddish flowers in small clusters with distinctive hooked hairs. Growing to 30 centimeters tall with slender, glandular stems, it develops both basal and stem leaves up to 4 centimeters long. Its leaves are glabrous and relatively narrow, ranging from 0.4 to 1.5 centimeters wide, with a simple, understated form. The tiny flowers, measuring just 1.2 to 1.8 millimeters long, are clustered in compact inflorescences with glandular branches.
Habitat and range
California counties: Tulare, Fresno, Ventura, Kern, Monterey, Santa Clara, Contra Costa, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, San Benito, Los Angeles, Mariposa
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 inerme native to California?
Yes. Eriogonum inerme is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Eriogonum inerme grow?
Eriogonum inerme occurs in Tulare, Fresno, Ventura, Kern, Monterey, Santa Clara, Contra Costa, San Luis Obispo and other counties.
What plant family does Eriogonum inerme belong to?
Eriogonum inerme 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.