Eriogonum umbellatum var. bahiiforme

Bay buckwheat, Bay Buckwheat

Family: Polygonaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 4.2

Bay buckwheat is a California native perennial ranked 4.2 by CNPS, found in northern coastal California and central western California regions in serpentine habitats at elevations of 700 to 2,000 meters. Flowering from July to September, this plant produces yellow flowers 5 to 8 millimeters long in compact umbel-like clusters. Growing as a dense mat 3 to 6 meters in diameter with stems 5 to 15 centimeters tall, it develops tomentose (woolly) stems and branches. Its leaves are small and densely woolly, with blades 5 to 15 millimeters long and 3 to 7 millimeters wide, creating a compact, low-growing form. The plant forms intricate involucre tubes 2 to 3 millimeters long with small teeth 2 to 3.5 millimeters in length.

Habitat: Serpentine

Bloom period: Jul-Sep

Elevation: 700-2000 m

Bioregions: NCoRI, CW.

California counties: San Bernardino, Mendocino, Glenn, Colusa, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, Los Angeles, San Benito, Lake, Calaveras, Monterey, Napa, Sonoma, Tehama, Trinity, Tulare, Siskiyou, Alameda, Kern, Santa Barbara, Ventura

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