Eriogonum

Wild buckwheats

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Sulphur Flower
Eriogonum umbellatum

Plant Info

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Scientific classification

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Division:	Magnoliophyta
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Class:	Magnoliopsida
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Order:	Caryophyllales
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Family:	Polygonaceae
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Genus:	Eriogonum Michx. (1803)
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[[{{{diversity_link}}}|Diversity]]

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Synonyms

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Eriogonum is the scientific name for a genus of flowering plants, in the family Polygonaceae. The genus is found in North America and is known as Wild Buckwheat. This is a highly species-rich genus, and indications are that active speciation is continuing. It includes some common wildflowers such as the California Buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum).

It came into the news in 2005 when the Mount Diablo Buckwheat (Eriogonum truncatum, believed to be extinct) was rediscovered.

Importance for Lepidoptera

Eriogonum species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths). Several of these are monophagous, meaning that their caterpillars only feed on this genus, sometimes just on a single taxon of Eriogonum. Wild buckwheat flowers are also an important source of food for these and other Lepidoptera. In some cases, the relationship is so close that Eriogonum and dependent Lepidoptera are in danger of coextinction.

Monophagous Lepidoptera on wild buckwheat include:

Apodemia mormo (Mormon metalmark) - feeds exclusively on Eriogonum
- Apodemia mormo langei (Lange's metalmark) - only known from Eriogonum nudum ssp. auriculatum
Chionodes dammersi - feeds exclusively on Eriogonum
Chionodes luteogeminatus - only known from Eriogonum niveum
Euphilotes enoptes smithi (Smith's blue butterfly) - only known from Eriogonum latifolium and Eriogonum parvifolium