Eriogonum microtheca var. alpinum

Alpine slender buckwheat, Northern Limestone Buckwheat

Family: Polygonaceae · Type: shrub · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 4.3

Alpine slender buckwheat is a rare (CNPS 4.3) California native shrub found in northern and central Sierra Nevada Mountains in Alpine and Tuolumne counties, and northern Sierra Nevada eastern region in Mono County, growing on rocky terrain at elevations of 2,500 to 3,300 meters. Flowering from July to September, this plant produces white to pink or rose-colored flowers in small, compact inflorescences. Growing as a low, spreading subshrub only 10 to 30 centimeters tall with a diameter of 1 to 3 decimeters, it has a compact and dense growth form. Its small leaves are 3 to 7 millimeters long, tomentose on the undersides, with margins rolled tightly underneath. The tiny fruits are 1.5 to 2 millimeters long, complementing the plant's delicate alpine structure.

Habitat: Rocks

Bloom period: Jul-Sep

Elevation: 2500-3300 m

Bioregions: n&ampc SNH (Alpine, Tuolumne cos.), n SNE (Mono Co.).

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.