1 Cauline leaves whorled; basal leaves persistent at flowering.

  2 Tepals white to pink; plants 4-12 dm tall; achenes glabrous; [of longleaf pine sandhills of s. NC (at least formerly), SC, south to c. peninsular FL, west to s. AL]; [subgenus Eriogonum]

1 Cauline leaves alternate; basal leaves either persistent, or absent or withering at flowering;[subgenus Eriogonum].

    3 Flowers 1-2.5 mm long; plants annuals or biennials; [subgenus Micrantha].

      4 Outer tepals obovate, 0.9-1.5 mm wide; involucres 2.5-4 mm long, tomentose to floccose on lower surface, glabrous on upper surface; plants grayish

      4 Outer tepals oblong-cordate, 1.5-2 mm wide; involucres 2-2.5 mm long, usually tomentose on both surfaces; plants reddish.

        5 Leaf blades narrowly lanceolate to narrowly elliptic, 2-5 (-8) × 0.3-0.9 (-1.5) cm, 4-10× as long as wide, attenuate to rarely rounded at base, not auriculate-subclasping

        5 Leaf blades oblong to narrowly ovate, 1.5-4 (-4.5) × 1-2.2 (-2.5) cm, 1.5-4× as long as wide, auriculate-subclasping at base

    3 Flowers 5-15 mm long; plants biennials or perennials; [subgenus Eriogonum].

          6 Plant monocarpic, living 2-5 years and dying after flowering; perianth 5-7 mm long, including the 0.5-1 (-1.2) mm long stipelike base; tepals obovate; involucres 3-3.5 mm long; achenes 4-4.5 mm long, with short, appressed hairs, and 3-winged near the apex; [of limestone glades and barrens of KY, TN, and n. AL]

          6 Plant perennial; flowers 5-15 mm long, including the (0.5-) 1-4 (-7) mm long stipelike base; tepals lanceolate to elliptic; involucres 4-7 mm long; achenes 4-6 mm long, with long hairs, and not winged.

             7 Perianth 8-15 mm long, including the 2-4 (-7) mm long stipe-like base; involucres 6-7 mm long; [endemic to Florida scrub and sandhills]

             7 Perianth 5-11 mm long, including the (0.5-) 1-2.5 mm long stipe-like base; involucres 4-6 mm long; [of calcareous glades, sandy or clayey woodlands of MO, AR, and w. LA, westwards]