Prairie Fameflower

Over its extensive range, Phemeranthus parviflorus varies considerably in several characters, including overall size. Although this variation is more or less continuous, correlating very generally with habitat type and geographic location, some populations that are found toward the limits of the species’ range and that exhibit combinations of tendencies to extremes in the variable characters have been recognized separately. The Alabama populations, few and confined to a very small area on gneiss in the central part of the state, disjunct from the main trans-Mississippi distribution of P. parviflorus, with elongate stems, small flowers, and stigmas often three-lobed, or three instead of one, have been described as Talinum appalachianum. Plants from Arizona with stems slender and tending to elongate, sepals acuminate-cornate and usually purplish, and capsules ovoid have been described as T. gooddingii. Plants from the mountains of New Mexico with elongate stems, subsessile flowers, markedly congested cymes, and acuminate, often persistent sepals have been described as T. confertiflorum (P. confertiflorus).

Plants to 2 dm; roots elongate, fleshily woody. Stems ± erect, simple or branching, sometimes suffrutescent. Leaves sessile; blade terete, sometimes slightly broadened at base, to 5 cm. Inflorescences cymose, much overtopping leaves; peduncle scapelike, to 15 cm. Flowers usually pedicellate, sometimes sessile or subsessile; sepals deciduous or sometimes persistent, ovate, to 4.5 mm, apex sometimes purplish, acuminate-cornate, thickened; petals light pink to purplish, elliptic to obovate, to 7 mm; stamens (4-)5(-6); stigma 1, subcapitate, sometimes stigmas 3-lobed, or 3, triangular. Capsules ellipsoid or sometimes ovoid, sometimes obtusely trigonous, 3-5 mm. Seeds without arcuate ridges, 0.8-1 mm. 2n = 24, 48.

Ala., Ariz., Ark., Colo., Ill., Iowa, Kans., La., Minn., Mo., Nebr., N.Mex., N.Dak., Okla., S.Dak., Tex., Utah, Wyo.; n Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila).

Flowering Apr-Sep.

Dry woodland, grassland, chaparral, scrub, canyon washes, mountain slopes and ledges, sandy, usually rocky soil, outcrops; 0-2700m.

Talinum parviflorum Nuttall in J. Torrey and A. Gray, Fl. N. Amer. 1: 197. 1838; Phemeranthus confertiflorus (Greene) Hershkovitz; T. appalachianum W. Wolf; T. confertiflorum Greene; T. fallax Poellnitz; T. gooddingii P. Wilson

Talinum gooddingii P. Wilson
An erect herb, 1-2 im. high, with rather slender stems 2-3 cm. long; leaf-blades terete, 1.8-3 cm. long, 1-1.5 mm. thick, acute at the apex; inflorescence a cyme, bracted at the forks; peduncles slender, 9-15 cm. long; pedicels slender; sepals ovate, 3 mm. long, 1.7 mm. broad, with a horn-like appendage on the back at the apex; petals obovate, 4.5-6 mm. long, 2-2. S mm. broad; stamens 5 or 6, the filaments long and slender, the anthers oblong, 1.2-1.3 mm. long; stigma capitate; capsule ovoid, 5 mm. long, 3 mm. in diameter; seeds black, 1 mm. wide, smooth.
Caules herbacci erccti paullo tenues; folia tereta acuta; inflorcscentia patenter cymosa; pedunculi caules foliosos plurimum superantes; sepala in appendicular!! apicalem cornutam producta; stamina 5 vel 6; stigma capitatum; capsula ovoidea; semina nigra levia.
Type collected on rocky slopes, Boyle's, San Francisco River, Arizona {L. N. Coodding

Talinum rosei P. Wilson
Talinum gracile Rose & Standley, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb. 13: 285. 1911. Not T. graci!,Colla, 1833.
A perennial herb, 11-14 cm. high, the root sometimes rather thick and usually much branched; stems well developed, branched; leaves numerous, terete, 1.5-3 cm. long, 0.8-1 cm. thick; inflorescence a cyme, bracted at the forks; flowers few; peduncles slender, 4-5 cm. long; pedicels 1-2 mm. long; sepals ovate to lanceolate, 2.8-3 mm. long, 1.6-1.8 mm. broad, acuminate; petals (immature) obovate, 2.5 mm. long, 1.2-1.5 mm. broad; stamens 5; stigma capitate; capsule ovoid, 3-4 mm. long, obtusely triquetrc mm. wide, black, smooth.
Type locality: Canon de San I 1 " Distribution: Northern Mi

Talinum parviflorum Nutt.; T. & G. PI. N. Am. 1: 197. 1838
■ma ttuttoUiona Cuntze, Rev. Gen 57. I l.iinnum parvijlorum Nieuwl. Am. Midi ' '15.
An herb, 5-19 cm. high, with fleshy n>.it . borl itemmed oi mibacaulescent; l
i, linear, i.s -5 <m. long, 0.8-2.5 mm. thick, broadened al the base; inflcDoe a cyme, bracted at the forks; pedunclei lender, 3— 15 cm. Ion lender;
te, 2.7-4 mm. long, 1.5-2 mm. broad, deciduous, petals oboi elliptic, 5.5-7 mm. long, 2.2-2.6 mm. broad; stamens 4-S, the anthers oblong, 0.9 mm. long; style longer than the stamens; stigmas subcapitate; capsule ellipsoid, 3.5-4.5 mm. long, 2.S-3 mm. in diameter; seeds 0.8-0.9 mm. wide, smooth.
Type locality: On rocks. Arkansas.
Distribution: Minnesota and North Dakota to Arkansas, Texas, and Arizona.

Phemeranthus parviflorus, commonly called sunbright or prairie fame flower, is a species of flowering plant in the montia family (Montiaceae). It is native to North America, where it is found in the central and eastern United States and northern Mexico. Its natural habitat is in dry, sandy or rocky areas, typically on acidic substrates. Over its extensive range, it is found various communities such as grasslands, open woodlands, glades, mountain slopes, and bluffs.

Phemeranthus parviflorus is an herbaceous perennial. Its leaves are linear and succulent. It produces reddish-pink to reddish-purple flowers from May to September.