Eriogonum nudum var. indictum
Protruding buckwheat, Protruding Buckwheat
Photo: parent species Eriogonum nudum · no rights reserved · CC0
Family: Polygonaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.2
Eriogonum nudum var. indictum (Protruding buckwheat) is a native California subshrub in the Polygonaceae family.
Protruding buckwheat is a native perennial found on the western edge of the San Joaquin Valley and eastern South Coast Ranges in clay habitats at elevations of 100 to 1,100 meters. Flowering from May to October, this plant produces white to yellow flowers in open, spreading clusters 15 to 25 centimeters wide. Growing with erect stems 50 to 80 centimeters tall that are distinctively inflated and glabrous, it develops a robust and open branching structure. Its leaves are tomentose with blades 1 to 6 centimeters long and 1 to 2 centimeters wide, covered in soft hairs on both upper and lower surfaces. The plant forms distinctive open inflorescences with glabrous branches and small involucres 4 to 5 millimeters long.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Clay
Elevation: 100-1100 m
California counties: Kern, Merced, Monterey, Fresno, San Benito, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, San Mateo, Stanislaus, Tuolumne, Tulare, Mariposa, Mendocino, Marin, Plumas
Bloom period
Eriogonum nudum var. indictum blooms May-Oct.
Conservation status
CNPS 4.2
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 nudum var. indictum native to California?
Yes. Eriogonum nudum var. indictum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Eriogonum nudum var. indictum bloom?
Eriogonum nudum var. indictum blooms May-Oct.
Where in California does Eriogonum nudum var. indictum grow?
Eriogonum nudum var. indictum occurs in Kern, Merced, Monterey, Fresno, San Benito, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, San Mateo and other counties, at elevations of 100-1100 m.
What plant family does Eriogonum nudum var. indictum belong to?
Eriogonum nudum var. indictum is in the Polygonaceae family, genus Eriogonum.
Is Eriogonum nudum var. indictum rare or endangered?
Eriogonum nudum var. indictum carries California Rare Plant Rank 4.2, state rank S4.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Eriogonum nudum var. murinum — Mouse buckwheat
- Eriogonum nudum var. nudum — Naked wild buckwheat
- Eriogonum nudum var. oblongifolium — Harford's wild buckwheat
- Eriogonum nudum var. paralinum — Del norte buckwheat
- Eriogonum nudum var. pauciflorum — Little-flower wild buckwheat
- Eriogonum nudum var. psychicola — Antioch dunes 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.