Eriogonum brachyanthum is a species of wild buckwheat known by the common name shortflower buckwheat. It is native to eastern California and western Nevada, particularly the Mojave Desert region, where it is common to abundant, and even sometimes weedy. It is also known from southern Oregon. The plant grows in sandy habitat, such as desert flats and sagebrush. It is an annual herb reaching 30 to 40 centimeters tall. The woolly leaves are oval or rounded and are located about the base of the stem. The top of the stem is occupied by a branching inflorescence bearing many widely spaced clusters of flowers. Each individual flower is about a millimeter wide and light yellow in color.