Taxon Report

Eriogonum spergulinum A. Gray var. pratense (S. Stokes) J.T. Howell

mountain meadow wild buckwheat

Print Report

Taxon Summary

Eriogonum spergulinum var. pratense, commonly known as mountain meadow wild buckwheat, is a annual herb in the Polygonaceae that is found only in California. It occurs within Alpine boulder and rock field (creeks, meadows), and Meadows and seeps, growing at elevations from 1830 to 3445 meters. Eriogonum spergulinum var. pratense is ranked 4.3, Plants of Limited Distribution, A Watch List; Not very threatened in California.

Classification


Scientific Name:	Eriogonum spergulinum A. Gray var. pratense (S. Stokes) J.T. Howell
Common Name:	mountain meadow wild buckwheat
Family:	Polygonaceae
Element Code:	PDPGN085J1
USDA Plants Symbol:	ERSPP
Synonyms/Other Names:

Ecology and Life History


Lifeform:	annual herb
Blooming Period: Jul-Aug	Jul-Aug
Elevation:	1830-3445 (6005-11305)
General Habitats:	Alpine boulder and rock field, Meadows and seeps
Microhabitat:	Edges (often), Gravelly (usually), Sandy (usually)
Microhabitat Details:

Conservation Status


CA Rare Plant Rank:	4.3
Global Rank:	G4T3
State Rank:	S3
State List:	None
Fed List:	None
Other Status:
CRPR Changes:	changed from CBR to 4.3 on 2011-12-27 Considered But Rejected on 2001-01-01

Occurrence Data from the CNDDB


Total Occurrences:	0
Element Occurrence Ranks:
Excellent (A)	0
Good (B)	0
Fair (C)	0
Poor (D)	0
None (X)	0
Unknown (U)	0

Location


California Endemic: True
California Counties and Islands: Name (Code)
Inyo (INY), Tulare (TUL)
Quads: Name (Quad Code)
Camp Nelson (3611825), Casa Vieja Meadows (3611823), Cirque Peak (3611842), Haiwee Pass (3611821), Johnson Peak (3611843), Kern Peak (3611833), Monache Mountain (3611822), Mount Whitney (3611853), Olancha (3611831), Templeton Mtn. (3611832)

Threat List Data from the CNDDB


Threat List Total:	0
EOs with Threat Listed:	Total EOs	% of EOs
	0	0 %

Notes



Known only from the high Sierra Nevada; field surveys needed. Occurrences from Kern Plateau are threatened by trampling and grazing. Previously Considered But Rejected as being a synonym of E. spergulinum, a common taxon; many collections of E. spergulinum from FRE Co. need to be examined to confirm their varietal identification. See Leaflets of Western Botany 3(9):201-202 (1943) for original description, and 6(4):75-80 (1950) for taxonomic treatment.
Threats:

Taxonomy:

Selected References

CRPR List Addition on 2011-12-27

Citation California Native Plant Society, Rare Plant Program. 2025. Rare Plant Inventory (online edition, v9.5.1). Website https://www.rareplants.cnps.org [accessed 22 November 2025].