Selected Plants of Navajo Rangelands
Buckwheat
Bisnideeshchii’
(a.k.a. slender buckwheat, sand buckwheat)
Buckwheat is represented on the Navajo Nation by 28 different species. Most have taproots, one main stem (simple or branched and with or without leaves). Most species have their leaves near the base of the plant, but send a flowering stem up higher. Although, as forage, buckwheats are inferior, livestock and wildlife will graze upon the flowers. They seldom form patches or become dominant vegetation.
Buckwheat has been used medicinally to treat a variety of conditions and as a tea.
Below are the scientific and common names of buckwheats found on the Navajo Nation:
- Eriogonum alatum, winged buckwheat
- Eriogonum cernuum, nodding buckwheat
- Eriogonum clavellatum, Comb Wash buckwheat
- Eriogonum corymbosum, crispleaf buckwheat
- Eriogonum deflexum, flatcrown buckwheat
- Eriogonum divaricatum, divergent buckwheat
- Eriogonum effusum, spreading buckwheat
- Eriogonum gordonii, Gordon's buckwheat
- Eriogonum hieraciifolium, hawkweed buckwheat
- Eriogonum hookeri, Hooker's buckwheat
- Eriogonum inflatum, desert trumpet
- Eriogonum jamesii, James' buckwheat
- Eriogonum lachnogynum, woollycup buckwheat
- Eriogonum lachnogynum var. sarahiae Sarah's buckwheat (Group 4 Navajo Endangered Species List)
- Eriogonum leptocladon, sand buckwheat
- Eriogonum leptophyllum, slenderleaf buckwheat
- Eriogonum lonchophyllum, spearleaf buckwheat
- Eriogonum microthecum, slender buckwheat
- Eriogonum ovalifolium, cushion buckwheat
- Eriogonum pharnaceoides, wirestem buckwheat
- Eriogonum racemosum, redroot buckwheat
- Eriogonum scabrellum, Westwater buckwheat
- Eriogonum shockleyi, Shockley's buckwheat
- Eriogonum subreniforme, kidneyshape buckwheat
- Eriogonum umbellatum, sulphur-flower buckwheat
- Eriogonum viridulum, clay hill buckwheat
- Eriogonum wetherillii, Wetherill's buckwheat
- Eriogonum wrightii, bastardsage
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