Eriogonum, cradled, volcanic

Sierra Buttes, CA, USA

Eriogonum latifolium

Plants in the genus Eriogonum are known as wild buckwheats, and they are found in many varied habitats in western North America. This one is Eriogonum latifolium, the seaside buckwheat. As its common name suggests, its distribution hugs the coast, extending from the Big Sur area of California northward to coastal Oregon and Washington. Like other wild buckwheats, it has tiny flowers packed together in clusters, and the flower color ranges from white to pink. The genus belongs to the family Polygonaceae.

The Heart-Leaf Buckwheat, Eriogonum compositum, being visited by tumbling flower beetles, of Mordella sp