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Eriogonum

(Genus)

Overview

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Eriogonum is the scientific name for a genus of flowering plants, in the family Polygonaceae. The genus is found in North America and is known as Wild Buckwheat. This is a highly species-rich genus, and indications are that active speciation is continuing. It includes some common wildflowers such as the California Buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum).

It came into the news in 2005 when the Mount Diablo Buckwheat (Eriogonum truncatum, believed to be extinct) was rediscovered.

Importance For Lepidoptera

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Eriogonum species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths). Several of these are monophagous, meaning that their caterpillars only feed on this genus, sometimes just on a single taxon of Eriogonum. Wild buckwheat flowers are also an important source of food for these and other Lepidoptera. In some cases, the relationship is so close that Eriogonum and dependent Lepidoptera are in danger of coextinction.

Monophagous Lepidoptera on wild buckwheat include:

Selected Species

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Eriogonum hirtellum
Eriogonum hirtellum
Talus BuckwheatEriogonum ursinum
Talus Buckwheat
Eriogonum ursinum
Eriogonum wrightii var. subscaposum
Eriogonum wrightii var. subscaposum

Taxonomy

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The Genus Eriogonum is further organized into finer groupings including:

Sources

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Last Revised: August 24, 2012
2012/08/24 14:43:56