This photo and the next 7 were taken at the Craters of the Moon National Monument in Idaho. This variety of wild buckwheat is called Eriogonum ovalifolium Nutt. var. focarium Reveal & Mansfield or Craters of the Moon wild buckwheat. You can see photos by James Reveal at this URL: http://plant-systematics.appspot.com/?name=Eriogonum%20ovalifolium%20var.%20focarium
The wild buckwheat plants are the white patches on the darker cinders.