''Eriogonum pyrolifolium'' (Shasta buckwheat, pyrola-leafed buckwheat, alpine buckwheat,
alpine eriogonum, oarleaf buckwheat, or dirty socks
) is a species of
wild buckwheat. It is native to western North America, from
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...
to the high mountains of
California
California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
.
Description
This is a small woody perennial reaching a maximum height and width of about 20 centimeters, including its
inflorescence
In botany, an inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a plant's Plant stem, stem that is composed of a main branch or a system of branches. An inflorescence is categorized on the basis of the arrangement of flowers on a mai ...
. Its rounded or spade-shaped, woolly (sometimes glabrous),
petioled leaves are located at the base of the plant; their resemblance to the leaves of wintergreens (genus ''
Pyrola
''Pyrola'' is a genus of evergreen herbaceous plants in the family Ericaceae. Under the old Cronquist system it was placed in its own family Pyrolaceae, but genetic research showed it belonged in the family Ericaceae. The species are commonly ...
'') gives the species its name. The wool on the leaves and petioles sometimes has a pronounced orange color. Clusters of flowers appear on stalks which may be erect or bend to the ground. The small hairy flowers are greenish-white or white to pink.
At certain times during growth and blossoming this plant will emit an odor similar to sweaty, unwashed socks.
Habitat
''Eriogonum pyrolifolium'' often grows on nearly barren dry rocky soil in sub-alpine and alpine locations, including extensive pumice and tephra slopes on Mount Rainier and other Cascade range volcanoes.
Gallery
Image: Eriogonum pyrolifolium iNat-59546946.1.jpg, Only plant locally on gravel, Mount Rainier
Image: Eriogonum pyrolifolium iNat-59546946.2.jpg, Orange wooly form
Image: Eriogonum pyrolifolium iNat-8072996.jpg, Dark pink flower form
References
External links
*
CalFlora Database: ''Eriogonum pyrolifolium'' (Shasta buckwheat)Jepson eFlora (TJM2) treatment for ''Eriogonum pyrolifolium''UC CalPhotos gallery for ''Eriogonum pyrolifolium''
pyrolifolium
Flora of California
Flora of British Columbia
Flora of the Northwestern United States
Flora of the Cascade Range
Alpine flora
Taxa named by William Jackson Hooker
Flora without expected TNC conservation status
{{Polygonaceae-stub