Polygonaceae

Eriogonum caespitosum

Cushion Eriogonum

Mat of white-woolly leaves. Plant with woody base, much-branched to mats 18 in. in diameter. Leaves covered with white hair on both sides, oblong to egg-shaped, to 1 in. long, with edges rolled under. Flowering stem bare, to 4 in. long, with single head of flowers supported by single small cup. Flowers yellow, fading to red, of 2 types: small infertile, larger fertile. Grows in sandy or rocky soils at high elevations.

• Rarity: Locally Common
• Flowering Time: Early Summer
• Life Cycle: Perennial
• Height: to 4 inches
• Habitat: Subalpine, Shrub-Steppe
• Found In: Wallowas, Steens
• Native: Yes