''Phemeranthus spinescens'' is a North American perennial plant in the

Montiaceae Montiaceae are a family of flowering plants, comprising about 14 genera with about 230 known species, ranging from small herbaceous plants to shrubs. The family has a cosmopolitan distribution. The family Montiaceae was newly adopted in the APG ...

family, with the common name spiny fameflower.

Description

''Phemeranthus spinescens'' is a small ground-hugging plant with succulent sausage-shaped leaves up to 2.5 cm long, growing in tight clusters at the ends of multiple crown branches. The leaves are green and usually shiny, sometimes tinged with red, and often turn bright red in late summer or autumn. When the leaves wither the central leaf mid-rib often remains to form a short spine, from which the species name ''spinescens''. The magenta flowers with yellow anthers are 2 to 3 cm in width and form on a branched raceme. Each flower opens only briefly but multiple buds on a raceme may open over a period several days. Hitchcock, C.L. and Cronquist, A. 2018. Flora of the Pacific Northwest, 2nd Edition, p. 376. University of Washington Press, Seattle.

Range and habitat

''Phemeranthus spinescens'' occurs on the Columbia Plateau of central Washington and north central Oregon. It is typically found in dry very rocky soil with sparse vegetation.

Gallery

Image:Phemeranthus spinescens JHT iNat-3.jpg, Flower Image:Phemeranthus spinescens JHT iNat-216192567.2.jpg, Habitat Image:Phemeranthus spinescens JHT iNat-243899126.jpg, Spines and red leaves

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q17246183 Flora of Washington (state) Flora of Oregon Montiaceae