1. Talinum paniculatum (Jacq.) Gaertn. (pink baby breath, jewels of Opar)

Map 2316

Plants perennial herbs (subshrubs elsewhere), with tuberous-thickened roots. Stems 25–90 cm long, loosely to strongly ascending, not or only slightly fleshy, glabrous. Leaves alternate and well-spaced along the stems (basal leaves sometimes also present at flowering), mostly short-petiolate. Leaf blades 2–12 cm long (those near the inflorescences abruptly smaller than those lower on the stem), strongly flattened and only slightly succulent, elliptic, somewhat rhombic, or obovate, rounded or tapered at the base, broadly angled or tapered abruptly to a bluntly or sharply pointed tip, glabrous. Stipules absent. Inflorescences terminal and sometimes also appearing axillary, diffuse, often elongate panicles. Flowers long-stalked, hypogynous. Sepals 2–4 mm long, not overlapping, occasionally persistent during flowering (then strongly reflexed and shed as the fruit matures), but more commonly shed as the flower opens. Petals 5(6), 3–6 mm long, bright pink or less commonly red, shed quickly after the flower opens. Stamens 15–20, the anthers yellow to orangish yellow. Ovary superior, the style often very short, 3-branched. Fruits 3–5 mm long globose or nearly so, with often tardy longitudinal dehiscence, the valves usually becoming detached. Seeds 0.9–1.2 mm long, broadly kidney-shaped, the surface smooth or occasionally with faint lines or tubercles, black, shiny. 2n=24. June–October.

Introduced, known thus far only from the city of St. Louis (native of the southwestern U.S. south to South America; introduced sporadically in Missouri and the southeastern U.S.; also Asia, Africa). Open, disturbed areas.

The St. Louis record is based on a specimen collected by the author in October 2002 on a large pile of fill-dirt at a vacant lot. Plants flowered and fruited for several years before the area was graded and converted to a lawn. Because the species is sometimes cultivated in the state as an annual bedding plant and thus might reappear in Missouri in the future, it is given a full treatment in the present account.