Eriogonum arborescens
Encyclopedia
Eriogonum arborescens is a species of wild buckwheat
known by the common name Santa Cruz Island buckwheat. This shrub
is endemic to the Channel Islands of California
. It may be anywhere from one half to two meters in height and sprawl from one half to three meters in diameter across the ground. The stems bear narrow, fuzzy green leaves at the ends of the branches, each 2 to 5 centimeters long and sometimes with edges rolled under. The bush erects frilly inflorescence
s of densely clustered flowers on nearly naked peduncles
. Each flower is only a few millimeters wide, very light pink in color, with nine protruding stamen
s. This is an uncommon plant in its native range on a few of the Channel Islands. It has also been planted as highway landscaping on mainland California, where the shrub is not native and does not belong with the local flora.
Eriogonum
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...
known by the common name Santa Cruz Island buckwheat. This shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
is endemic to the Channel Islands of California
Channel Islands of California
The Channel Islands of California are a chain of eight islands located in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Southern California along the Santa Barbara Channel in the United States of America...
. It may be anywhere from one half to two meters in height and sprawl from one half to three meters in diameter across the ground. The stems bear narrow, fuzzy green leaves at the ends of the branches, each 2 to 5 centimeters long and sometimes with edges rolled under. The bush erects frilly inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
s of densely clustered flowers on nearly naked peduncles
Peduncle (botany)
In botany, a peduncle is a stem supporting an inflorescence, or after fecundation, an infructescence.The peduncle is a stem, usually green and without leaves, though sometimes colored or supporting small leaves...
. Each flower is only a few millimeters wide, very light pink in color, with nine protruding stamen
Stamen
The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...
s. This is an uncommon plant in its native range on a few of the Channel Islands. It has also been planted as highway landscaping on mainland California, where the shrub is not native and does not belong with the local flora.