Eriogonum latens
Inyo wild buckwheat
(c) Steve Matson, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Polygonaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Eriogonum latens (Inyo wild buckwheat) is a native California subshrub in the Polygonaceae family, recognized by . Key features: high elevation, large cream flower heads, tall stature.
Inyo wild buckwheat is a California native perennial found in central and eastern Sierra Nevada slopes, White and Inyo Mountains, and northern desert mountains including the Panamint Range in gravelly habitats at elevations of 2,600 to 3,400 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces cream to pale yellow flowers in compact head-like clusters 2 to 3.5 centimeters in diameter. Growing with stems 1 to 4 meters tall and generally glabrous, it forms low cushion-like clusters approximately 1 to 2 meters wide. Its basal leaves are short and hairy, measuring 1 to 3 centimeters long and 0.8 to 2.5 centimeters wide, with obovate to spoon-shaped perianth lobes. The fruit is smooth, 3 to 5 millimeters long and carried on very short stems.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 57 sympatric species. Key features: high elevation, large cream flower heads, tall stature
Habitat and range
Habitat: Gravel
Elevation: 2600-3400 m
California counties: Inyo, Tulare, Mono, San Bernardino, Shasta, Kings
Outside California: west-central Nevada
Bloom period
Eriogonum latens blooms Jun-Aug.
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 latens native to California?
Yes. Eriogonum latens is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Eriogonum latens bloom?
Eriogonum latens blooms Jun-Aug.
Where in California does Eriogonum latens grow?
Eriogonum latens occurs in Inyo, Tulare, Mono, San Bernardino, Shasta, Kings, at elevations of 2600-3400 m.
What plant family does Eriogonum latens belong to?
Eriogonum latens is in the Polygonaceae family, genus Eriogonum.
What habitat does Eriogonum latens grow in?
Eriogonum latens grows in 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.