Eriogonum thomasii – “Thomas’ Wild Buckwheat”

Also Known As: Thomas’ Buckwheat, Thomas’ Eriogonum
Family: Buckwheat (Polygonaceae)
Bloom Period: year-round
Form: Annual
Habitat: Sand
Leaves: Round to obovate or reniform (kidney-shaped); basal
Translation: “Eriogonum” is Greek for “woolly joint” and refers to the fuzzy-looking flowers that grow at the stem joints of some species in this genus (but not this one); “thomasii” is named after George Henry Thomas (1816-1870), United States Army officer stationed at Fort Yuma about 1850, who collected plants in the area.