Eriogonum ovalifolium Family: Polygonaceae – Buckwheat Family Perennial subshrubs; mound-forming; 0.4” to 1' (1 to 30 cm) tall Leaves: basal; simple; woolly on both sides; 0.8” to 2.4” (2 to 6 cm) long; 0.04” to 0.6” (1 to 15 mm) wide Flowers: 0 petals; 3+3 petaloid sepals; 9 stamens; 1 pistil; small flowers in clusters; flowers white, cream, yellow or suffused with pink, red, or purple; 0.12” to 0.28” (3 to 7 mm) long Pollinators: other Eriogonum species are pollinated by bees Fruits: achene Blooms in Arches National Park: April, May, June Habitat in Arches National Park: desert shrub and pinyon-juniper communities Location seen: Park Avenue trail, Windows primitive trail, Fiery Furnace Other: The genus name, “Eriogonum”, means “woolly knee” referring to the hairs located at the swollen joints of many species of this genus. The species name, “ovalifolium”, means "oval leaves". This family's scientific name, “Polygonaceae”, is derived from the Greek words "poly" which means "many" and "goni" which means "joint", a reference to many species that have swollen nodes or joints. |
Last updated: March 20, 2022