naked-stem buckwheat
Eriogonum nudum

Family: Polygonaceae.

Type: Herb.

Branching: Doesn't really apply, since leaves are basal, but you could call it whorled.

Leaves: Leaves are basal: they grow at the base of the plant, around the ground. The upper surface is green to reddish, but the undersurface is bright white to reduce water loss by reflecting light. The leaves can be rotated to vary the amount of light reflected versus absorbed; this is a common strategy in the chaparral, where conditions are so dry. The petiole is quite long, and the blade is long and narrow, broader at the base.

Twig: The stem of the buckwheat is actually part of its inflorescence. It is long, thin, and dead-looking, with a reddish to brown color. It branches at Y-shaped junctions.

Fruit & Flower: Tufts at the top are clusters of seeds and fruits, with the appearance of pink-white cotton balls.

Miscellaneous: There are many species of buckwheat in California; we will see another one soon. It grows in highly disturbed locations, such as along the edges of roads.