Eriogonum prociduum
Prostrate buckwheat
(c) Matt Berger, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Polygonaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2
Eriogonum prociduum (Prostrate buckwheat) is a native California herb in the Polygonaceae family, recognized by prostrate habit and clay soil preference distinctive.
Prostrate buckwheat is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native perennial found in the Modoc Plateau in clay habitats at elevations of 1,400 to 2,700 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces bright yellow flowers in compact heads 8 to 12 millimeters wide. Growing as a low-spreading mat to 10 to 30 centimeters in diameter, it forms delicate ground-hugging clusters with slender glabrous stems. Its basal leaves are small and woolly, ranging from 3 to 14 millimeters long and 1.5 to 6 millimeters wide, with a soft tomentose surface. The distinctive yellow flowers feature oblong to oblong-obovate perianth lobes, creating a subtle but charming ground-level display.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 45 sympatric species; prostrate habit and clay soil preference distinctive
Habitat and range
Habitat: Clay
Elevation: 1400-2700 m
California counties: Lassen, Modoc
Outside California: northwestern Nevada, south-central Oregon
Bloom period
Eriogonum prociduum blooms May-Jul.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.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 prociduum native to California?
Yes. Eriogonum prociduum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Eriogonum prociduum bloom?
Eriogonum prociduum blooms May-Jul.
Where in California does Eriogonum prociduum grow?
Eriogonum prociduum occurs in Lassen, Modoc, at elevations of 1400-2700 m.
What plant family does Eriogonum prociduum belong to?
Eriogonum prociduum is in the Polygonaceae family, genus Eriogonum.
Is Eriogonum prociduum rare or endangered?
Eriogonum prociduum carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.2, state rank S3.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Eriogonum pusillum — Yellow turbans
- Eriogonum pyrolifolium — Shasta buckwheat
- Eriogonum pyrolifolium var. coryphaeum — Hairy shasta wild buckwheat
- Eriogonum pyrolifolium var. pyrolifolium — Pyrola-leaved buckwheat
- Eriogonum reniforme — Kidney-leaf wild buckwheat
- Eriogonum rixfordii — Pagoda wild 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.