Cushion Buckwheat, Oval-leaved Buckwheat, Sierran Cushion Buckwheat
Eriogonum ovalifolium var. nivale
Synonyms: Eriogonum nivale, Eriogonum rhodanthum
The photo above shows cushion buckwheat as
seen near 6900' along the Highline Trail #114 near the eastern branch of the
Muddy Fork Creek on the northern slopes of Mt. Adams.......July 11,
2005. This species typically grows in fairly exposed areas amongst rocks and
on cinder and pumice flats above timberline on Mt. Adams.
The photo above shows a close-up of the flowers
of cushion buckwheat as seen near 6900' along the Highline Trail #114 near the
eastern branch of the Muddy Fork Creek on the northern slopes of Mt. Adams........July
11, 2005.
The photo above shows a close-up side-view
of the inflorescence of cushion buckwheat as seen near 6900' along the Highline
Trail #114 near the eastern branch of the Muddy Fork Creek on the northern slopes
of Mt. Adams.......July 11, 2005.
The photo above shows the upper and lower leaf
blades of cushion buckwheat as seen near 6900' along the Highline Trail #114
near the eastern branch of the Muddy Fork Creek on the northern slopes of Mt.
Adams........July 11, 2005. Both the upper and lower leaf surfaces of
this species are densely covered with whitish hairs.
The photo above shows a mat of cushion buckwheat
as seen near 6900' along the Highline Trail #114 near the eastern branch of
the Muddy Fork Creek on the northern slopes of Mt. Adams.......July
11, 2005. The foliage and flower heads make for an attractive plant to use in
rock gardens or troughs.
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Cushion buckwheat blooming on lateral moraines near 7300' above the terminal moraine of the Adams Glacier, Mt. Adams Wilderness......July 19, 2018.
The photo above shows cushion buckwheat (var.
nivale) on the moraine at the head of Hell Roaring Gorge, Mt. Adams.........August
4, 2001. Note the leaves which are covered on both surfaces by silvery-white
hairs.
The photo above shows cushion buckwheat (var.
nivale) and cutleaf daisy (Erigeron compositus) growing from a
crack beneath a boulder on Little Mt. Adams.........July 16, 2006.
Note the spherical, capitate inflorescence and the leaves which are covered
on both surfaces by silvery-white hairs on the buckwheat.
The photo above shows cushion buckwheat on Little Mt. Adams......July
17, 2006.
Cushion buckwheat as seen on Little Mt. Adams..........August
13, 2012.
Cushion buckwheat fading out of bloom at about 7000' on the lateral moraine (from the Adams Glacier) between the Lewis River and Adams Creek, Mt. Adams Wilderness............August 20, 2013.
Paul Slichter