Eriogonum spectabile
Encyclopedia
Eriogonum spectabile is a rare species of wild buckwheat
known by the common name Barron's buckwheat. It is endemic to Plumas County, California
, where it is known from two occurrences in Lassen National Forest
near Chester
. There are approximately 250 individuals in existence. It grows in scrubby, forested mountain habitat, only on glaciated
andesite
substrates. This rare plant was discovered in 1997 and described to science as a new species in 2001.
This is a small, compact shrub
growing in a mat up to 25 centimeters wide and 15 tall. The spreading stems bear woolly foliage, each leaf with an oval blade up to 2 centimeters long by 1 wide. The plant blooms with slender, erect flowering stems bearing umbel
s of flowers. The flowers are white, aging pink, hairy and glandular, and about half a centimeter long.
The main threat to this species is logging
. Other threats include herbivory, competition with other plants, climate change
, and changes in the fire regime
of its native forest.
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 Barron's buckwheat. It is endemic to Plumas County, California
Plumas County, California
Plumas County is a county located in the Sierra Nevada of the U.S. state of California. The county gets its name from the Spanish words for the Feather River , which flows through the county. As of the 2010 census, the population 20,007, down from 20,824 at the 2000 census...
, where it is known from two occurrences in Lassen National Forest
Lassen National Forest
Lassen National Forest is a national forest of 1,700 square miles in northeastern California. It is named after pioneer Peter Lassen, who mined, ranched and promoted the area to emigrant parties in the 1850s.- Overview :...
near Chester
Chester, California
Chester is a census-designated place in Plumas County, California, United States. Chester is located on Lake Almanor, north-northwest of Quincy. The town is located along State Route 36. The US Postal Service ZIP code for the community is 96020...
. There are approximately 250 individuals in existence. It grows in scrubby, forested mountain habitat, only on glaciated
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
andesite
Andesite
Andesite is an extrusive igneous, volcanic rock, of intermediate composition, with aphanitic to porphyritic texture. In a general sense, it is the intermediate type between basalt and dacite. The mineral assemblage is typically dominated by plagioclase plus pyroxene and/or hornblende. Magnetite,...
substrates. This rare plant was discovered in 1997 and described to science as a new species in 2001.
This is a small, compact 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...
growing in a mat up to 25 centimeters wide and 15 tall. The spreading stems bear woolly foliage, each leaf with an oval blade up to 2 centimeters long by 1 wide. The plant blooms with slender, erect flowering stems bearing umbel
Umbel
An umbel is an inflorescence which consists of a number of short flower stalks which are equal in length and spread from a common point, somewhat like umbrella ribs....
s of flowers. The flowers are white, aging pink, hairy and glandular, and about half a centimeter long.
The main threat to this species is logging
Logging
Logging is the cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks.In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard...
. Other threats include herbivory, competition with other plants, climate change
Climate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
, and changes in the fire regime
Fire regime
A fire regime is the pattern, frequency and intensity of the bushfires and wildfires that prevails in an area. It is an integral part of fire ecology, and renewal for certain types of ecosystems. If fires are too frequent, plants may be killed before they have matured, or before they have set...
of its native forest.