Santa Cruz Island buckwheat
Eriogonum arborescens

Family: Polygonaceae.

Type: Small shrub.

Leaves: Arranged in rosettes at the ends of branches. Leaves are long and linear. They are whitish on the underside, and a pale green above.

Twig: Woody and fibrous.

Fruit & Flower: Inflorescences are open, broad clusters of small, white and pink flowers.

Miscellaneous: This is a close relative of the naked-stem buckwheat, but this species grows as a true woody shrub. There is a tendency towards organisms (animals as well as plants) developing either gigantism or dwarfism on islands. This can occur because niches are unfilled on islands, producing a selective pressure towards the unfilled niche. Dwarfism is also common because the environment is harsher, and resources may be less available, particularly for animals. This is not just an example of phenotypic plasticity, however; the plants on islands are genetically different from their mainland counterparts. The Santa Cruz Island buckwheat is found in chaparral and scrub in the northern Channel Islands, on dry, slope areas.