E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Flora of British Columbia

Eriogonum ovalifolium Nutt.
cushion buckwheat
Polygonaceae (Buckwheat family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

© Jamie Fenneman  Email the photographer   (Photo ID #14069)

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Distribution of Eriogonum ovalifolium
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SUBTAXA PRESENT IN BC
Eriogonum ovalifolium var. nivale

Species Information

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General:
Perennial herb from a short, branched stem-base, forming mats up to 40 cm wide; stems erect, simple, several, 1-10 cm tall, white-woolly.
Leaves:
Basal leaves roundish, densely white-hairy to silvery on both surfaces, 5-15 mm long, including the stalks; stem leaves lacking.
Flowers:
Inflorescence a head-like cluster of involucres, 1-3.5 cm wide, subtended by 3 or more linear-lanceolate bracts; involucres bell-shaped, 2.5-5 mm long with 5 short teeth; perianths cream or creamy yellow, often pinkish- or purplish-tinged (at least with age) to yellow, (2.5) 3-4 (5) mm long, the outer segments wider than the inner ones; flowers commonly imperfect.
Fruits:
Achenes.

Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Habitat / Range

Dry meadows and rocky slopes from the montane to the alpine zones; locally frequent in SC and SE BC; E to AB and S to NM and CA.

Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Ecology

Ecological Framework for Eriogonum ovalifolium

The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)

Site Information
Value / Class

Minimum

Average

Maximum

Elevation (metres) 615 2113 2659
Slope Gradient (%) 0 38 75
Aspect (degrees)
[0 - N; 90 - E; 180 - S; 270 - W]
14 178 306
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
[0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic;
8 - hydric]
0 1 5
Modal Nutrient Regime
Class
B
Number of field plots
 species was recorded in:
40
Modal BEC Zone Class
ESSF
All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in: AT(11), BAFA(1), ESSF(17), ICH(2), IDF(3), IMA(4), MS(1), PP(1)

Climate

The climate type for this species, as reported in the: "British Columbia plant species codes and selected attributes. Version 6 Database" (Meidinger et al. 2008), is not evaluated, unknown or variable.

Synonyms and Alternate Names

Eriogonum ovalifolium subsp. vineum (Small) S. Stokes

Taxonomic and Nomenclatural Links

Additional Photo Sources

General References