About Eriogonum gracile Benth.
Eriogonum gracile Benth. is a species of wild buckwheat known by the common name slender woolly buckwheat. This annual plant is native to California, where it is widespread across the state except the deserts, and also occurs in parts of Baja California, northwestern Mexico. It grows in many types of habitat including chaparral, montane areas, woodland, and grasslands. It is often found on clay soils, and also grows in sandy places. This species is an annual herb quite variable in appearance. It grows from erect to decumbent form, with a slender, branching stem 10 to 70 centimeters long. The stem sometimes has a thick coat of woolly fibers, and is sometimes nearly hairless. The oblong leaves grow on short petioles, with the largest located at the base of the plant, where blades approach 6 centimeters long. There are usually leaves along the lower part of the stem. Leaves have a woolly texture, at least on their undersides. The flowering stem is lined with small clusters of hairless flowers in shades of pink, yellow, or white.
