Talinum confertiflorum Greene
Family: Portulacaceae
Vernacular Name: New Mexico fameflower
Description: Stems mostly reddish; sepals acute, often with puple coloring,
persistent in fruit; petals white to pale pink, five; stamens
yellowish or matching petal color, 5 (rarely to 10); flowers open
in afternoon; fruit are pointed apically and three-angled, not
affected by internal pressure from seeds, self dehiscent with
valves persistent until disturbed; seeds nearly smooth; only vary
rarely over calcareus substrates, then in organic accumulations.
Similar Species: It differs from T. parviflorum in having narrower, more pointed fruit which
self dehisce (in T. parviflorum near globose, with dehiscence
as in T. longipes), persistent acute sepals (blunt and early
deciduous in T. parviflorum), and a usually much lighter flower color
(mostly deep pink to magenta in T. parviflorum, but sometimes lighter). The seeds
of T. parviflorum usually appear black, as the investing aril is very tight
fitting and adnate, while seeds of T. confertiflorum usually appear grey
or blue-gray. T. confertiflorum is tetrapoid and T. parviflorum
is diploid. Hybrids are possible, but apparently sterile.
Distribution: Talinum confertiflorum occurs from western North Dakota and
Montana to western Texas,
central Chihuahua, and northern Sonora. Talinum parviflorum is found east of
the Great Plains and west of the Appalachians from Minnesota to
central Texas and Arkansas. Talinum confertiflorum was found microsympatrically
with T. brevicaule (= T. pulchellum) near El Moro where T. brevicaule
occupied the calcareous substrate and T. conferiflorum was limited to organic
and adjacent non-calcareous material. No hybrids were found, but should be looked for.
Habitat: Found mostly over sandstone or igneus substrates, but not picky,
mostly in grasslands and well into Montane. Talinum confertiflorum and T.
longipes were found spacially microsympatrically over calcareus sandstone south of
San Ysidro, but T. confertiflorum was in organic pockets, while T. longipes
was much more common and in mineral soils. No hybrids were found.
Remarks: This name has been brought up as possibly a rare or endemic species;
however, it is not. This is the common species found statewide
which is usually incorrectly called T. parviflorum.
Information Compiled By: Dave J. Ferguson, 1998
