Eriogonum ternatum
Ternate buckwheat
(c) Harrison Reber, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Polygonaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.3
Eriogonum ternatum (Ternate buckwheat) is a native California herb in the Polygonaceae family, recognized by serpentine habitat and spoon-shaped yellow flowers diagnostic.
Ternate buckwheat is a California native perennial ranked 4.3 by CNPS, found in northern Klamath Ranges, northern coastal Mendocino County, and northwestern Sonoma County in serpentine habitats at elevations of 400 to 1,700 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces yellow flowers in dense clusters with spoon-shaped to obovate perianth lobes. Growing as a low-spreading mat up to 1.3 meters in diameter, it develops tomentose stems 10 to 25 centimeters tall. Its basal leaves are densely tomentose, measuring 1 to 1.5 centimeters long and 0.8 to 1.3 centimeters wide, with soft, felt-like surfaces. The fruit is small, 3.5 to 5 millimeters long, with a sparsely hairy tip.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 53 sympatric species; serpentine habitat and spoon-shaped yellow flowers diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Serpentine
Elevation: 400-1700 m
California counties: Siskiyou, Del Norte, Trinity, Shasta, Mendocino, Sonoma, Humboldt
Outside California: southwestern Oregon
Bloom period
Eriogonum ternatum blooms Jun-Aug.
Conservation status
CNPS 4.3
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 ternatum native to California?
Yes. Eriogonum ternatum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Eriogonum ternatum bloom?
Eriogonum ternatum blooms Jun-Aug.
Where in California does Eriogonum ternatum grow?
Eriogonum ternatum occurs in Siskiyou, Del Norte, Trinity, Shasta, Mendocino, Sonoma, Humboldt, at elevations of 400-1700 m.
What plant family does Eriogonum ternatum belong to?
Eriogonum ternatum is in the Polygonaceae family, genus Eriogonum.
Is Eriogonum ternatum rare or endangered?
Eriogonum ternatum carries California Rare Plant Rank 4.3, state rank S4.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
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.