Eriogonum panamintense
Panamint mountain wild buckwheat, Panamint Mountain Wild Buckwheat
(c) Steve Matson, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Polygonaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Eriogonum panamintense (Panamint mountain wild buckwheat) is a native California herb in the Polygonaceae family, recognized by tall narrow habit and desert mountain location distinctive.
Panamint mountain wild buckwheat is a California native perennial found in the western and eastern desert mountains in gravelly or rocky habitats at elevations of 1,800 to 2,900 meters. Flowering from May to October, this plant produces white to white-brown flowers in compact clusters 10 to 20 centimeters long. Growing with low-spreading stems 15 to 30 centimeters tall and 10 to 40 centimeters wide, it forms a dense, woolly mat with tomentose stems and branches. Its basal leaves are relatively broad, measuring 1.5 to 4 centimeters long and 1 to 2.5 centimeters wide, covered in a dense white or grayish tomentum. The small involucres and compact flower clusters give this wild buckwheat a distinctive cushion-like appearance in its harsh desert mountain environment.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 57 sympatric species; tall narrow habit and desert mountain location distinctive
Habitat and range
Habitat: Gravel or rocks
Elevation: (1600)1800-2900 m
California counties: Inyo, San Bernardino, Mono
Outside California: southern Nevada, northwestern Arizona
Bloom period
Eriogonum panamintense blooms May-Oct.
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 panamintense native to California?
Yes. Eriogonum panamintense is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Eriogonum panamintense bloom?
Eriogonum panamintense blooms May-Oct.
Where in California does Eriogonum panamintense grow?
Eriogonum panamintense occurs in Inyo, San Bernardino, Mono, at elevations of (1600)1800-2900 m.
What plant family does Eriogonum panamintense belong to?
Eriogonum panamintense is in the Polygonaceae family, genus Eriogonum.
What habitat does Eriogonum panamintense grow in?
Eriogonum panamintense grows in Gravel or rocks.
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.