Kennedy's buckwheat facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kennedy's buckwheat |
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|---|---|
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| var. austromontanum | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Eriogonum
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| Species: |
kennedyi
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Eriogonum kennedyi is a type of wild buckwheat plant. It's often called Kennedy's buckwheat. This plant is a small, tough herb that grows in dry, sandy areas.
What Does Kennedy's Buckwheat Look Like?
Kennedy's buckwheat is a small plant that lives for many years. It grows in a low, cushion-like shape. Its leaves are oval and about a centimeter long. They are often covered in soft, woolly fibers. These fibers can be brown, pink, or white.
The plant has tall, straight stems called scapes. At the top of these stems, you'll find a cluster of small flowers. These flowers are usually white or pink. They often have a darker line down the middle.
Where Does Kennedy's Buckwheat Grow?
This plant only grows naturally in California. You can find it in several mountain ranges. These include the Transverse Ranges and the lower parts of the Sierra Nevada. One type of Kennedy's buckwheat also grows in the high Sierra Nevada mountains. It can also be found in the western edge of the Great Basin. This plant likes dry places with sand or gravel.
Different Types of Kennedy's Buckwheat
There are five main types, or varieties, of Kennedy's buckwheat. Each one grows in slightly different places:
- E. k. var. alpigenum is called the southern alpine buckwheat. It grows in very high, cold mountain areas. You can find it in the San Gabriel Mountains and San Bernardino Mountains. This includes places like San Gorgonio Mountain.
- E. k. var. austromontanum is known as the southern mountain buckwheat. It grows in the mountains of the Transverse Ranges. This includes a special area near Big Bear Lake called the pebble plain. This specific type of plant is considered an endangered subspecies. This means it is at risk of disappearing forever.
- E. k. var. kennedyi grows in the eastern San Bernardino Mountains. It is also found near Mount Pinos.
- E. k. var. pinocola is called the Kern buckwheat. It is very rare and only found in three spots. These spots are in the mountains at the very southern tip of the Sierra Nevada. This area is near the Tehachapi Mountains.
- E. k. var. purpusii can be found in several mountains and ranges across southern and eastern California.
Some types of Kennedy's buckwheat are important food sources for certain butterfly species. For example, butterflies like Bauer's dotted blue (Euphilotes baueri) and the Ord Mountain metalmark (Apodemia mormo dialeuca) feed on these plants.
