National Collection of Imperiled Plants

CPC National Collection Plant Profile

Photographer:

Brian Parsons

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CPC National Collection Plant Profile

Talinum rugospermum

Family:	Portulacaceae
Common Names:	flameflower, flower-of-an-hour, prairie fame-flower, rough seeded fame-flower
Author:	Holz.
Growth Habit:	Forb/herb
CPC Number:	4192

Distribution
Protection
Conservation
References

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Photographer: Brian Parsons
bparsons[at]holdenarb.org

Talinum rugospermum is Not Sponsored

Primary custodian for this plant in the CPC National Collection of Endangered Plants is:

The Holden Arboretum

Lindsey Parsons contributed to this Plant Profile.

Talinum rugospermum

This species is of conservation interest as much because it is part of the Karner Blue Butterfly habitat as it is due to its own rarity. This flameflower is thought to be part of the flora of the Great Plains having spread by long distance post-Pleistocene dispersal to become disjunct in the Midwest in the distribution we see today. It can produce flowers any time between June and August depending on where the plant is within its range with each pink flower opening one day only and strictly in the afternoon. These flowers are attractive enough that gardeners use them in rock gardens despite their ephemeral nature. This species is unusual among threatened plants in that it appears to benefit from minor forms of anthropogenic forms of disturbance. Vehicular and foot traffic can sometimes replace the natural disturbances of fire and erosion that humans now suppress. This is a rosette forming species, that has less than a dozen pink flowers. Pink flowers open on only one day in July or August, and strictly in the afternoon. They require light to germinate. Seedlings can emerge from up to 72mm of sand covering the seeds, and grow slowly. Doesn't colonize old fields or roadsides if other prairie or weedy species are present. Plant is shade intolerant and cannot survive in canopy conditions.

Distribution & Occurrence

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State Range

Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Louisiana
Minnesota
Nebraska
Texas
Wisconsin

Habitat

Found in open, Exposed sites with minimal competition from other species. Likes xeric prairies, sand barrens, rocky outcrops, gravel river terraces, old fields, trail edges, openings in sandy woods, and margins of sand blows. Also inhabits black oak or jack pine barrens with shifting sand dunes along the Mississippi River. Prefers sand dunes, sandy bluffs, sand blowouts, the sides and tops of dunes, and sparsely vegetated flat areas.

Distribution

Kansas, Nebraska, and Texas, eastern Minnesota and Iowa to northern and central Illinois, southern Wisconsin, and northwestern Indiana (WIS 2002)

Number Left

39 populations in 12 counties in IL

Protection

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Global Rank:	G3G4	6/14/2000	Guide to Global Ranks
Federal Status:	SC	1/19/1996	Guide to Federal Status
Recovery Plan:	No

State/Area Protection

State/Area	Rank	Status	Date
Illinois	S2?	E	7/14/1987
Indiana	S1	SE	10/5/1990
Iowa	S1	E	2/29/1988
Kansas	S1	R	12/14/1987
Minnesota	S1	E	7/1/1996
Nebraska	S1	SC	2/24/1988
Texas	S1		2/20/1992
Wisconsin	S3S4	NONE	6/23/1992

Conservation, Ecology & Research

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Ecological Relationships

Associated species in sand prairie and barrens in Wisconsin are Andropogon scoparius, Selaginella rupestris, Opuntia compressa, and Panicum virgatum. S. Rupestris is a good indicator species for fameflower as are Allium stellatum, Isanthus brachiatus, Hedyotis longifolia, and Ambrosia a77rtemisiifolia (Judziewicz, 1994). Species that may co-occur as well, on dry prairies of sandstone bedrock or outcrop are Tephrosia virginiana, Hedeoma hispida, and Gnaphalium obtusifolium (Cochrane, 1993). Asclepias amplexicaulis, clasping milkweed, and Hudsonia tomentosa, beach heath, occur with rough-seeded fameflower in Minnesota (Coffin and Pfanmuller, 1988). In Kansas, prairie fameflower, Talinum parviflorum, co-occurs with this rare species. (WI DNR site 2002)

Threats

Gopher digging
Disturbance of soil by ATV and tanks
Trampling
Fire suppression (WDNR 1999)
Insect herbivory (ILDNR 2002)
Shading by Black Locust (ILDNR 2002)

Current Research Summary

� Maxwell and Givnish (1994) found that disturbance on small scales can benefit this species. In plots disturbed by soil preparation and herbiciding for subsequent planting of lupine, fameflower was found to occur in much higher densities within the plots than without.
� At a site in Illinois, the presence of Talinum rugospermum increased after wildfire (Cochrane 1993).
� Pavlovic has found that the adults are tolerant of fire, though seedlings are more vulnerable (1995). Plants have been observed to be killed by fire, presumable because the buds of next year's growth are at the soil surface (Pavlovic 1989).
(all above references from an article at (WIDNR 1999))

Current Management Summary

Research Management Needs

Research into the response of the species to soil compaction and timing and intensity of fire, and the proximity to soil disturbance of a seed source for colonization would be most valuable to generate further informed land management decisions concerning Talinum rugospermum. (WIDNR 1999)

Ex Situ Needs

References

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Books (Sections)

Kartesz, J.T. 1999. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the U.S., Canada, and Greenland. In: Kartesz, J.T.; Meacham, C.A., editors. Synthesis of the North American Flora, Version 1.0. North Carolina Botanical Garden. Chapel Hill, NC.

Pavlovic, N.B. 1994. Disturbance-dependent persistence of rare plants: anthropogenic impacts and restoration implications. In: Bowles, M.L.; Whelan, C., editors. Recovery and Restoration of Endangered Species. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge. p 159-193.

Electronic Sources

ILDNR. (2002). Plant species biology summaries. Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Division of Natural Heritage, Botany Program. http://dnr.state.il.us/conservation/naturalheritage/botany/botany.htm. Accessed: 2002.

WIS. (2002). Wisconsin Vascular Plants--on species, including maps and photos. Wisconsin State Herbarium: University of Wisconsin - Madison (WIS). http://www.botany.wisc.edu/wisflora/. Accessed: 2002.

Journal Articles

Bowles, M.L.; DeMauro, M.M.; Pavlovic, N.; Hiebert, R.D. 1990. Effects of anthropogenic disturbances on endangered and threatened plants at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. Natural Areas Journal. 10: 187-200.

Cochrane, T.S. 1993. Status and distribution of Talinum rugospermum Holz. (Portulacaceae). Natural Areas Journal. 13, 1: 33-41.

Macroberts M.H.; Macroberts B.R. 1997. Talinum rugospermum Holz., new to Louisiana with notes on terete-leaved Talinum in Louisiana. Phytologia. 82, 2: 86-93.

Pavlovic, N.B. 1995. Habitat, Disturbance, Density Dependence and the Abundance of Fame Flower (Talinum rugospermum). Dissertation Abstracts International. 56-06, Section B: 2980.

Pusateri, W.P.; Roosa, D.M.; Farrar, D.R. 1993. Habitat and distribution of plants special to Iowa's Driftless Area. Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science. 100, 2: 29-53.

Schwegman, J.E. 1988. Illinoensis. Newsletter of the Illinois Native Plant Conservation Program. 4, 1: 4?.

Singhurst, J.R. 1996. The Status of Nine Endangered Plants of East Texas: Historical, Ecological, and Phytogeographical Notes. Masters Abstracts International. 35-01: 0150.

Reports

Robertson, K.R.; Phillippe, L.R.; Gehlhausen, S.M. 1993. The current status of Talinum rugospermum Holzinger in Illinois. Springfield, Illinois: Illinois Department of Conservation, Division of Natural Heritage. p.27.

WIDNR. 1999. Wisconsin Statewide Karner Blue Butterfly Habitat Conservation Plan and Environmental Impact Statement--Appendix B. Species Associated with the Karner Blue Butterfly and its Habitat. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

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This profile was updated on 3/4/2010