Eriogonum umbellatum var. torreyanum

Donner pass buckwheat, Donner Pass Buckwheat

Family: Polygonaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

Donner pass buckwheat is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native perennial found in northern Sierra Nevada Mountains in Sierra, Nevada, and Placer counties, growing in sandy or gravelly habitats at elevations of 2,100 to 2,400 meters. Flowering from July to September, this plant produces distinctive yellow flowers in compact umbels. Growing as a low mat formation 4 to 8 meters in diameter with erect stems 10 to 20 centimeters tall, it forms a tight ground-hugging cluster. Its leaves are glabrous, blade-shaped, 1 to 3 centimeters long and 1 to 2 centimeters wide, creating a dense green base for the bright yellow flower clusters. The plant forms neat, compact mats with multiple flowering stems emerging from a single root system.

Habitat: Sand or gravel

Bloom period: Jul-Sep

Elevation: (1800)2100-2400 m

Bioregions: n SNH (Sierra, Nevada, Placer cos.).

California counties: Nevada, Placer, Sierra, Butte, Modoc

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