Crosby’s buckwheat – State Wildlife Action Plan

Crosby’s buckwheat

Photo Credit: Oregon Department of Agriculture

Crosby’s buckwheat is a low, matted perennial 0.5-15 (-20) cm tall by (1-) 10-30 cm in diameter, growing from a woody caudex with matted stems. Stems bear persistent leaf bases and reach up to 1/5 the height of the plant. Leaves are basal and arranged in tight terminal clusters, the petiole 0.2-3 (-3.5) cm long and tomentose, occasionally glandular, the blade oblanceolate to spatulate or elliptic to obovate or ovate, (0.5-) 1-2 (-3) cm long by 0.2-1 (-1.5) cm wide, and densely white- or grayish-tomentose on both surfaces, sometimes less so and greenish white adaxially. Inflorescences are capitate, 0.7-1.5 cm wide, subtended by three scalelike narrowly triangular to triangular bracts 1-3 mm long, and borne on weakly erect to erect, slender scapelike stems, floccose to tomentose or glabrous, sometimes only or also sparsely to densely glandular. Involucres number (3-) 5-8 per cluster, are turbinate to campanulate, (1.5-) 2-5 (-5.5) mm by 2-4 (-4.5) mm, rigid or membranous, tomentose to floccose, occasionally glabrous except for floccose teeth, or rarely sparsely pilose and glandular, with 5-7 teeth 0.5-1.5 mm long, erect to spreading or reflexed. Flowers are yellow to pale yellow (rarely cream), 1.5-3.5 (-4) mm, glabrous or sometimes minutely glandular (some pustulose), tepals oblong to oblong-ovate and 1/4-1/3 connate at the base, stamens 1.5-4 mm long and exserted, filaments glabrous or sparsely pilose at the base. Achenes are light brown, 2-4 mm long, and glabrous or occasionally with minute bristles on the beak.

Overview

  • Species Common Name Crosby's buckwheat
  • Species Scientific Name Eriogonum crosbyae var. crosbyae
  • State Listing Status Threatened

Ecoregions

    Special needs

    Crosby’s buckwheat is found in rolling hills dominated by big sagebrush. This species is restricted to light-colored (tan and white) tuffaceous sandstone substrates, at elevations of 5250-5460 feet.

    Limiting factors

    Crosby’s buckwheat is threatened by cattle grazing, range improvement projects, off-road vehicle traffic, and mining operations. The species is also highly vulnerable to climate change because of limited habitat availability, predicted changes to hydrologic regimes, and increased wildfire risk.

    Data gaps

    Develop propagation and transplanting protocols. Conduct studies of reproductive biology, including pollinator studies. Analyze genetics.

    Conservation actions

    Limit rangeland projects within buckwheat habitat. Prevent off-road vehicle traffic. Conduct long-term monitoring to detect seed production trends. Collect and store seeds.