Eriogonum prattenianum
Nevada city buckwheat
(c) Matt Berger, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Polygonaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Eriogonum prattenianum (Nevada city buckwheat) is a native California shrub in the Polygonaceae family.
Nevada city buckwheat is a California native perennial found in foothill and mountain regions at elevations likely between 500 to 1,500 meters. Flowering from mid-summer to early fall, this plant produces delicate yellow flowers in compact head-like clusters approximately 0.8 to 2 centimeters wide. Growing as a low mat or subshrub spreading 3 to 5 meters in diameter, it features erect stems 1 to 3 meters tall with distinctive leaf-like bracts near the stem's middle. Its basal leaves are small and dense, measuring 0.5 to 1.5 centimeters long with a soft, woolly tomentose texture that creates a grayish appearance. The plant's yellow perianth with spoon-shaped lobes and compact growth form make it a distinctive ground-covering species in its native habitat.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 0 sympatric species; geographically isolated
Habitat and range
California counties: Colusa, Tuolumne, Mariposa, Nevada, Calaveras, El Dorado, Fresno, Placer
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 prattenianum native to California?
Yes. Eriogonum prattenianum is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Eriogonum prattenianum grow?
Eriogonum prattenianum occurs in Colusa, Tuolumne, Mariposa, Nevada, Calaveras, El Dorado, Fresno, Placer.
What plant family does Eriogonum prattenianum belong to?
Eriogonum prattenianum is in the Polygonaceae family, genus Eriogonum.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Eriogonum prattenianum var. avium — Kettle dome buckwheat
- Eriogonum prattenianum var. prattenianum — Nevada city wild buckwheat
- Eriogonum prociduum — Prostrate buckwheat
- Eriogonum pusillum — Yellow turbans
- Eriogonum pyrolifolium — Shasta buckwheat
- Eriogonum pyrolifolium var. coryphaeum — Hairy shasta wild buckwheat
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.