Eriogonum inflatum
 | This article includes a improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (January 2016) ) |
| Desert trumpet | |
|---|---|
| |
| The inflated stem is distinctive. | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Polygonaceae |
| Genus: | Eriogonum |
| Species: | E. inflatum
|
| Binomial name | |
| Eriogonum inflatum | |
Eriogonum inflatum, the desert trumpet, is a
perennial plant of the family Polygonaceae. The plant possesses very small yellow or pink flowers and an inflated stem just below branching segments. Eriogonum: from the Greek erion, "wool", and gonu, "joint or knee", in reference to the hairy or woolly joints of some of the species of the genus, but not particularly inflatum. It is found in the Mojave Desert
and other deserts.
Stems
The swelling of the stems was assumed to have been influenced by the presence of
J. L. Reveal of the University of Maryland, College Park, revealed the swollen stem of Eriogonum inflatum is due to high concentrations of carbon dioxide
in the solid stem and seems to be related to gas regulation.
Some insects utilize the swollen stem as a larder, but the inflation is not caused by the larval feeding of gall insects.
Uses
It is known that some
Paiute) would remove the stalk of E. inflatum at the base, and then cut the inflated bulb in half, producing a makeshift pipe. A mixture of Indian tobacco and mistletoe
would be smoked primarily for leisure purposes.
This plant makes a brief appearance in Star Trek: Voyager, in Season 3, episode 1, at around the 3 minute 47 second mark, when the character "Neelix" is shown to be looking at a picked specimen.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Eriogonum inflatum.