Eriogonum kennedyi var. alpigenum
Southern alpine buckwheat
Photo: parent species Eriogonum kennedyi · (c) Adam J. Searcy, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Polygonaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.3
Eriogonum kennedyi var. alpigenum (Southern alpine buckwheat) is a native California subshrub in the Polygonaceae family, recognized by smallest size and rolled leaf margins diagnostic.
Southern alpine buckwheat is a rare (CNPS 1B.3) California native perennial found in the San Gabriel Mountains and San Bernardino Mountains in gravelly habitats at elevations of 2,500 to 3,500 meters. Flowering from July to August, this plant produces pale flowers in small, delicate clusters. Growing as a compact cushion-like perennial just 2 to 5 centimeters tall and spreading 1 to 4 meters in diameter, it forms dense, low mats with tomentose stems. Its tiny leaves, less than 4 millimeters long, are covered in reddish or brownish-white woolly hairs and have edges tightly rolled underneath. In gravelly alpine environments, this buckwheat creates intricate, low-growing formations that help it survive in harsh, high-elevation landscapes.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 52 sympatric species; smallest size and rolled leaf margins diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Gravel
Elevation: 2500-3500 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Ventura
Bloom period
Eriogonum kennedyi var. alpigenum blooms Jul-Aug.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.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 kennedyi var. alpigenum native to California?
Yes. Eriogonum kennedyi var. alpigenum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Eriogonum kennedyi var. alpigenum bloom?
Eriogonum kennedyi var. alpigenum blooms Jul-Aug.
Where in California does Eriogonum kennedyi var. alpigenum grow?
Eriogonum kennedyi var. alpigenum occurs in San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Ventura, at elevations of 2500-3500 m.
What plant family does Eriogonum kennedyi var. alpigenum belong to?
Eriogonum kennedyi var. alpigenum is in the Polygonaceae family, genus Eriogonum.
Is Eriogonum kennedyi var. alpigenum rare or endangered?
Eriogonum kennedyi var. alpigenum carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.3, state rank S3.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Eriogonum kennedyi var. austromontanum — Southern mountain buckwheat
- Eriogonum kennedyi var. kennedyi — Kennedy's wild buckwheat
- Eriogonum kennedyi var. pinicola — Kern buckwheat
- Eriogonum kennedyi var. purpusii — Purpus' wild buckwheat
- Eriogonum latens — Inyo wild buckwheat
- Eriogonum latifolium — Seaside wild 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.