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Parsnipflower Buckwheat (Eriogonum heracleoides)

Description

Eriogonum heracleoides (common names; parsnipflower buckwheat, whorled buckwheat, and Wyeth buckwheat) is a plant that has many flowering clusters which are usually cream coloured, or off-white. It can usually be found in rocky areas, such as sagebrush deserts and Ponderosa pine forests. Parsnipflower buckwheat is in the genus Eriogonum and the family Polygonaceae, which is a family of plants known as the "knotweed family". It inhabits much of the western part of the United States. The parsnipflower buckwheat is a perennial flowering plant with flowers measuring 4–9 mm. It has leaves in loose rosettes, covered with soft hairs measuring 0.5–3 cm. The hairs feel woolly and matted, and cover both sides of the leaf.) The flowers have one carpel (achenes). Parsnipflower buckwheat has a whorled arrangement of leaves at midpoint of the stem. It blooms in early to mid summer. It attracts butterflies, bees, insects, and birds and is the host plant for several Palouse butterflies.

Taxonomic tree

  • Domain: Eukarya

    • Kingdom: Plantae

      • Phylum: Magnoliophyta

        • Class: Magnoliopsida

          • Order: Caryophyllales

            • Family: Polygonaceae

              • Genus: Eriogonum