Pygmy Fameflower

Reports of Phemeranthus brevifolius from western Texas and southern New Mexico, where it does not actually occur, apparently have been based on misidentified specimens of P. brevicaulis.

Plants sometimes mat-forming, to 0.6 dm; roots elongate, woody. Stems spreading-ascending, branching, sometimes suf-frutescent. Leaves sessile; blade subterete, to 1.5 cm. Inflorescences cymulose or often only 1-flowered, usually slightly overtopping leaves; peduncle not scapelike, sometimes rudimentary, to 0.3 cm. Flowers: sepals deciduous, oval to orbiculate, to 4 mm; petals rose, lavender, or rarely white, obovate, to 10 mm; stamens 20-25; stigmas 3, sublinear. Capsules subglobose to ellipsoid, 3.5-4 mm. Seeds without arcuate ridges, 1 mm.

Ariz., N.Mex., Utah.

Flowering Jun-Oct.

Dry, rocky slopes and ledges in sand pockets; 1500-2200m.

Talinum brevifolium Torrey in L. Sitgreaves, Rep. Exped. Zuni Colorado Rivers, 156. 1853; T. brachypodum S. Watson

Talinum brevifolium Torr. in Sitgreaves, Rep. Exp. 156. 1853
Talinum brach podium S. Wats. Proc. Am. Acad. 20: 355. 1885. Claylonia brcvifolia Kuntze, Rev Gen. 57. 1891.
A fleshy herb, with spreading branches and deep root; leaves crowded, the blades subterete, narrowly spatulate, clavate, or linear, 4-9 mm. long, 1-1.8 mm. broad, obtuse at the apex; flowers solitary in the axils of the upper leaves, borne on pedicels about 3-3.5 mm. long; sepals oval to orbicular, 3-3.7 mm. long, 3.8-4.4 mm. broad; petals obovate, 8-10 mm. long, 4—5 mm. wide, rose; stamens about 18-20; style as long as the ovary, 3-cleft at the summit; capsule globose-ovoid or globose-ellipsoid, 3.5-3.7 mm. long, 3-3.2 mm. in diameter; seeds nearly smooth, 1-1.1 mm. broad, with grayish pellicle.
Type locality: On the Little Colorado. Arizona.
Distribution: Northern Arizona, New Mexico, western Texas (?). and southern Utah.