General: Grooved Heermann's Buckwheat (Eriogonum heermannii var. sulcatum), also called Brain Plant, is a rounded shrub that is fairly common on rocky limestone outcrops. The branches are stiff, fork into 3s, and are green when fresh. Leaves long (10-20 mm) and narrow (1-8 mm), tomentose or glabrous, and drop early. There are several varieties, and this one has ridges along the stems.

The inflorescence branches are green and ascending. Involucres (bracts surrounding a flower) 1 per node in forks of branches (not terminal). Flowers three parted, petals lack stripes, and glabrous.

Heermann's Buckwheat (Eriogonum heermannii) is a common component of vegetation communities in dry, well-drained gravelly areas on bajadas into the lower mountains in the Upper Sonoran (Mojave Desert Scrub and Pinyon-Juniper Woodland) life zone.

Family: Buckwheat (Polygonaceae)