This plant is fairly common in the Anza Borrego desert. This specimen was fairly small -- probably less than a foot tall. The photo was taken on Dec. 3rd.
Erigeronum inflatum? Eriogonum inflatum - Google Search https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8f/Eriogonum_inflatum_3.jpg
Thanks for your help, Silver Surfer. It certainly looks like it could be Eriogonum inflatum (Desert Trumpet), but it also looks like it could be Eriogonum trichopes (Little Desert Trunpet). If you or anyone else know how to tell the difference, please let me know.
May I suggest you research reliable /learned sites . The site below says...."Comments: Little Deserttrumpet may be found in almost pure stands. This species looks similar to Desert Desert Trumpet but Little Deserttrumpet has many hair-like branches of the inflorescence, with very small, few-flowered involucre are distictive." "Comments: Eriogonum inflatum is well known for it's inflated stems." I suspect without any flowers or leaves it will be hard. Quote..."Eriogonum are often tricky to identify; there are around 250 species and many of them are found in California" Eriogonum trichopes, Little Deserttrumpet, Southwest Desert Flora Eriogonum inflatum, Desert Trumpet, Southwest Desert Flora Taxonomic Treatment of Eriogonoideae (Polygonaceae) by JLReveal: Eriogonum trichopes Eriogonum inflatum - Botany Photo of the Day Southwest Colorado Wildflowers, Eriogonum inflatum Eriogonum Society Home Page Inventory for Polygonaceae Anza Borrego desert. Polygonaceae: Buckwheat Family Chorizanthe brevicornu Spine Flower (Coyote Creek) C. fimbriata var. laciniata Fringed Spineflower (Palm Canyon) C. rigida Rigid Chorizanthe C. thurberi (Vallecito area) Eriogonum angulosum Wild Buckwheat (desert slopes) E. apiculatum San Jacinto Buckwheat (Pinyon Mtn) E. davidsonii Davidson's Buckwheat (Hellhole Can., CRHT) E. deflexum Skeleton Weed E. elongatum Tall Buckwheat (Culp Valley) E. fasciculatum ssp. polifolium Wild Buckwheat E. gracile var. incultum [CRHT at Culp Valley trailhead.] E. inflatum Desert Trumpet (also var. deflatum) E. reniforme Kidney-Leaved Buckwheat (small annual, Carrizo Wash) E. thomasii Wild Buckwheat (small annual) E. thurberi Thurber's Buckwheat (San Felipe Valley; small annual) E. trichopes Wild Buckwheat (annual--trichotomous branching; Coyote Mt) E. wrightii var. nodosum Knotty Buckwheat (Palm Can, CRHT, Cool Can) Nemacaulis denudata (var. gracilis) Woolly Heads Pterostegia drymarioides Calif. Threadstem (Borrego Palm Canyon)
The difference is ridiculously small: "Involucre teeth generally 4 in E. trichopes and generally 5 in E. inflatum". UCJEPS: keys
