Polygonaceae

Eriogonum marifolium

Marum-Leaved Buckwheat

Shrubby stems from mats up to 30 in. across. Dioecious. Leaf clusters at ends of short stems. Leaves very small to 1 1/4 in. long, oval, pointed at tip, with woolly hairs shed in late summer from olive-green upper surface. Flower clusters supported by narrow leaf-like bracts. Male flowers dull yellow, very small; female flowers bright yellow, often turning red, somewhat larger. Grows in sandy soils at mid and high elevations. The species and common names refer to this plant's resemblance to Teucrium marum, Mediterranean germander, a common garden plant.

• Rarity: Locally Common
• Flowering Time: All Summer
• Life Cycle: Perennial
• Height: 4--10 inches
• Habitat: Alpine, Subalpine, East-Side Forest, West-Side Forest
• Found In: Crater Lake Np
• Native: Yes