Polygonaceae

Eriogonum heracleoides

Creamy Eriogonum

Mats loose, 2–16 in. across, shrubby at base. Leaves green, mostly on lower stem and basal, 1–2 in., narrow to oblong, hairy mostly on underside. Inflorescence usually with whorl of reflexed leaf-like bracts midway on stem and second whorl where flower stalks branch. Flowers clustered, cream, with long-stalked base, turning red with age. Grows in loamy sandy or gravelly slopes at mid to high elevations. Plants with leaves less than 1/4 in. wide are var. angustifolium; plants with wider leaves are var. heracleoides. Plants without bracts on stems are var. minus, most often found in central Washington and east to Spokane.

• Rarity: Common
• Flowering Time: Early Spring
• Life Cycle: Perennial
• Height: 6--20 inches
• Habitat: Shrub-Steppe, Dry Rocky Sites
• Found In: Steens, Wallowas, Great Basin
• Native: Yes