Eriogonum niveum var. anserinum Douglas ex Benth.
snow buckwheat
Polygonaceae (Buckwheat family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

Photograph

© Bob Thacker     (Photo ID #89265)


Map

E-Flora BC Static Map

Distribution of Eriogonum niveum
Click here to view the full interactive map and legend

Species Information

General:
Perennial herb from a thick woody taproot and freely branched crown, sometimes mat-forming; stems ascending to erect, branched, several, 5-20 cm tall/long, greyish-woolly.
Leaves:
Basal leaves egg-shaped to widely lanceolate, grey-hairy, the blades 1.5-6 cm long, the stalks as long as, or longer than, the blades; stem leaves lacking.
Flowers:
Flowers in large, freely-branched clusters; flower stalks with leaflike bracts at the branch bases; involucres conic, densely hairy, 3-4 mm long with 3 (4) short, erect teeth; perianths cream or pink (rarely yellow), 3-4 mm long (to 6 mm long in fruit).
Fruits:
Achenes.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Illustration

If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.

USDA Species Characteristics

Flower Colour:
White
Blooming Period:
Late Summer
Fruit/Seed characteristics:
Colour: Brown
Present from Summer to Fall
Source:  The USDA

Ecology

Ecological Framework for Eriogonum niveum

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

Avg

Min

Max

Elevation (metres)
494 285 1269
Slope Gradient (%)
23 0 105

Aspect (degrees)
[0 - N; 90 - E; 180 - S; 270 - W]

206 5 340
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
[0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic;
8 - hydric]
2 0 6
Modal Nutrient Regime
Class
C
# of field plots
 species was recorded in:
141
Modal BEC Zone Class
BG

All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in

BG(92), IDF(14), MS(1), PP(32)

Habitat and Range

Dry grasslands, shrublands, rocky slopes and forest openings in the steppe and lower montane zones; locally frequent in SC BC; S to ID and OR.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Synonyms

Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Eriogonum niveum subsp. decumbens (Benth.) S. Stokes
Eriogonum niveum var. decumbens (Benth.) Torr. & Gray
Eriogonum niveum var. dichotomum (Dougl. ex Benth.) M.E. Jones
Eriogonum strictum var. lachnostegium Benth.