Phemeranthus parviflorus

(Nuttall) Kiger

Novon 11: 320. 2001.

Common names: Sunbright
Illustrated
Basionym: Talinum parviflorum Nuttall in J. Torrey and A. Gray, Fl. N. Amer. 1: 197. 1838
Synonyms: Phemeranthus confertiflorus (Greene) Hershkovitz Talinum appalachianum W. Wolf Talinum confertiflorum Greene Talinum fallax Poellnitz Talinum gooddingii P. Wilson
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 4. Treatment on page 493. Mentioned on page 489, 490, 492, 494, 495.

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.


Phenology: Flowering Apr–Sep.
Habitat: Dry woodland, grassland, chaparral, scrub, canyon washes, mountain slopes and ledges, sandy, usually rocky soil, outcrops
Elevation: 0-2700 m

Distribution

V4 1003-distribution-map.gif

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).

Discussion

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).

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Phemeranthus parviflorus"
Robert W. Kiger +
(Nuttall) Kiger +
Talinum parviflorum +
Sunbright +
Ala. +, Ariz. +, Ark. +, Colo. +, Ill. +, Iowa +, Kans. +, La. +, Minn. +, Mo. +, Nebr. +, N.Mex. +, N.Dak. +, Okla. +, S.Dak. +, Tex. +, Utah +, Wyo. +, n Mexico (Chihuahua +  and Coahuila). +
0-2700 m +
Dry woodland, grassland, chaparral, scrub, canyon washes, mountain slopes and ledges, sandy, usually rocky soil, outcrops +
Flowering Apr–Sep. +
wolf1939a +
Illustrated +
Phemeranthus confertiflorus +, Talinum appalachianum +, Talinum confertiflorum +, Talinum fallax +  and Talinum gooddingii +
Phemeranthus parviflorus +
Phemeranthus +
species +