Eriogonum ovalifolium var. depressum

Depressed wild buckwheat, Depressed Wild Buckwheat

Family: Polygonaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 2B.1

Depressed wild buckwheat is a rare (CNPS 2B.1) California native perennial found in eastern Lassen County in dry playas at elevations around 1,700 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces white to rose-colored flowers in compact clusters 1 to 1.5 centimeters wide. Growing low and spreading, with a diameter of 1 to 2.5 decimeters and stems 1 to 4 centimeters tall that are softly hairy, it forms a low, ground-hugging structure. Its small oval leaves are 4 to 8 millimeters long, densely covered in soft tomentose hairs. The delicate white to rose-colored flowers are 4 to 5 millimeters long, nestled among its soft, grayish foliage.

Habitat: dry playas

Bloom period: Jun-Aug

Elevation: 1700 m

Bioregions: MP (e Lassen Co.)

California counties: Lassen, Mono

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