Eriogonum (wild buckwheats) of California With Emphasis on Subgenus Oligogonum
August 17, 2023
7:00 – 8:00 PM (Via Zoom)
Travis Columbus
Research Scientist, California Botanic Garden
Professor of Botany, Claremont Graduate University
View the Presentation Here
There are 119 currently recognized species of Eriogonum in California, making it the second-largest genus after Carex. Adding varieties, there are 215 species and varieties in the state. Eriogonum subgenus Oligogonum is well represented with 25 species including the widespread species E. umbellatum, which has an astounding 25 varieties in the state. Flowers of Oligogonum are basally constricted and cylindric (termed a floral stipe), resembling the pedicel. As is true of Eriogonum as a whole, many species and varieties of Oligogonum are narrowly distributed and rare, often limited to unusual soils including serpentine. In my presentation, I will give an overview of California's wild buckwheats with a focus on Oligogonum and including new findings from my research.
Travis Columbus is a Research Scientist at California Botanic Garden (formerly Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden) and Professor of Botany at Claremont Graduate University, where he has worked for 29 years. Most of his career has focused on the systematics of grasses. In recent years he has added research on wild buckwheats and relatives, in particular lineages that are diverse in California.
