Buckwheat

Fagopyrum esculentum, despite its name, is not related to wheat but sorrel and rhubarb. The plant is cultivated for its grain-like seeds and as a cover crop. First cultivated in Southeast Asia, it was one of the earliest crops introduced by Europeans to North America. The plant grows quickly, reaching up to 50 inches in height. Buckwheat is an herbaceous plant, with a knotted, hollow stem and a perfumed bloom with two kinds of flowers: one with long stamens and one with short. The seeds have a tough brown ring and are three-sided.