Barnes

Scientific name: Eriogonum baileyi

Common name: Bailey’s buckwheat

This interesting plant is in the buckwheat family, and is probably seldom noticed. It grows from southeast Washington to southeast California and Arizona, adjacent Idaho and in Utah. The plant prefers sand or gravel or heavy soils, in deserts to grassland or shrubland. Depending on which botanist you ask, the plant is divided into two to several varieties, or split off from other species, most of which vary by rather weak differences.

In spite of many years tramping around the Blues, I had never seen this plant until last summer — in our backyard. And lots of it. It’s back this year. The leaves are already spread out and ready to bolt.

In our area the plant sprouts and puts out its leaves in early spring. The only leaves on the plant are mostly flat on the ground at the base, each leaf is narrow at the base, and nearly circular at the tip. Then in late spring or summer it sends up very thin, erect or ascending, branching stems. The stems are loosely covered with tiny white clusters of flowers. Each cluster is only about 2 to 4 millimeters across.

By about mid summer the branches have produced a rather eye-catching bouquet up to 20 inches across and nearly as high.

Tribes in the plant’s area have used the plant to treat skin ailments. They also pounded the seeds into meal, then mixed it with water for a beverage, and they also ate the meal dry.