Flora of North America species comparison

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Phemeranthus teretifolius

Phemeranthus validulus

quill fameflower, rock-portulaca

tusayan fameflower
Habit Plants to 5 dm; roots elongate, fleshy. Plants to 1.2 dm; roots elongate, woody.
Stems

± erect, simple or sometimes branching.

spreading-ascending overall, sometimes basally decumbent, branching.
Leaves

sessile;

blade terete, to 6 cm.

sessile;

blade terete, to 4.5 cm.
Inflorescences

cymose, over-topping leaves;

peduncle scapelike, to 25 cm.

cymose, slightly to much overtopping leaves;

peduncle ± scapelike or not, to 6.5 cm.
Flowers

sepals deciduous, elliptic to ovate, 3–4 mm;

petals rose-purple, obovate, 5–7 mm;

stamens 12–20;

stigma 1, subcapitate or sometimes indistinctly 3-lobed.

sepals persistent, broadly lanceolate, to 4 mm, apex acuminate;

petals white to purplish pink, paler at base, elliptic-ovate, to 9 mm;

stamens (6–)7–18;

stigma 1, subcapitate, sometimes 3-lobed.
Capsules

subglobose, 4–5 mm.

ovoid, strongly trigonous, 5–7 mm.
Seeds

without arcuate ridges, 0.8–1 mm.

without arcuate ridges, 1 mm.
2n

= 48.

Phemeranthus teretifolius

Phemeranthus validulus
Phenology Flowering Apr–Oct. Flowering Jun–Sep.
Habitat Thin, rocky or sandy soil, usually on or near edges of sandstone, granitic, and serpentine outcrops Woodland openings and bare slopes and summits in rocky soil on chert, basalt, and cinder
Elevation 200-1000 m (700-3300 ft) 1800-2400 m (5900-7900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; GA; KY; MD; NC; PA; SC; TN; VA; WV
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; NM
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Phemeranthus teretifolius is an allopolyploid derived from P. parviflorus and P. mengesii, both of which it evidently outcompetes within its southern Appalachian range (M. E. B. Carter and W. H. Murdy 1985; W. H. Murdy and M. E. B. Carter 1985, 2001).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

The more recently described Phemeranthus thompsonii may be indistinct from P. validulus and perhaps should be merged with it.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 4, p. 495. FNA vol. 4, p. 495.
Parent taxa Portulacaceae > Phemeranthus Portulacaceae > Phemeranthus
Sibling taxa
P. aurantiacus, P. brevicaulis, P. brevifolius, P. calcaricus, P. calycinus, P. humilis, P. longipes, P. marginatus, P. mengesii, P. parviflorus, P. rugospermus, P. sediformis, P. spinescens, P. thompsonii, P. validulus
P. aurantiacus, P. brevicaulis, P. brevifolius, P. calcaricus, P. calycinus, P. humilis, P. longipes, P. marginatus, P. mengesii, P. parviflorus, P. rugospermus, P. sediformis, P. spinescens, P. teretifolius, P. thompsonii
Synonyms Talinum teretifolium, Claytonia teretifolia, Talinum ciliatum Talinum validulum
Name authority (Pursh) Rafinesque: Specchio Sci. 1: 86. (1814) (Greene) Kiger: Novon 11: 321. (2001)
Web links 
Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).



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