Eriogonum visheri A. Nelson 



VISHER'S BUCKWHEAT 



Buckwheat Family (Polygonaceae) 



CONSERVATION STATUS 



U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: None. It was formerly listed as Category 2 (USDI Fish and 

 Wildlife Service 1993), however, listing of this category was discontinued by the service in 

 1996 (USDI Fish and Wildlife Service 1996). Prior to that, a South Dakota status report on 

 the species (Ode 1987) had recommended removing it from consideration (3C). 



Bureau of Land Management: None. Watch status is recommended, as is consistent with 

 BLM status in adjoining states. 



Montana Natural Heritage Program: G3 SI; Vulnerable due to rarity throughout its range. 

 It did not have a state rank prior to this study, in which it was documented for the first time in 

 the state. 



DESCRIPTION: Visher's buckwheat is an annual with a slender taproot and much-branched single 

 stem, 15-25 cm tall. Leaves are glabrous, in a basal rosette, the blades ovate to reniform, 15-20 mm 

 long. Bracts of the inflorescence are elliptic, involucres are on slender peduncles or sessile in an 

 erect or spreading inflorescence. Flowers are 1-few per involucre, yellow. Flowering in late June- 

 July. 



Readily distinguished from the other two annual species oi Eriogonum in Montana; annual 

 buckwheat {E. annuum) has cauline (stem) leaves rather than a distinct basal rosette, and nodding 

 buckwheat (£. cemuum) has strongly reflexed involucral peduncles rather than an erect to spreading 

 inflorescence. 



GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION 



Global distribution: Visher's buckwheat is a regional endemic known only from western 

 South Dakota, southwestern North Dakota, and now southeastern Montana (Heidel and 

 Dueholm 1995, Ode 1987, Vanderpool 1993). 



Montana distribution: Visher's buckwheat 

 was found for the first time in the state during 

 his study. No other sites are known for the 

 species in Montana. 



Carter County distribution: The single known 

 population is located on BLM land in the 

 badlands along the Powderville Road, near the 

 western edge of the county. 



Eriogonum vIshBri 



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