Rumicastrum granuliferum

Rumicastrum granuliferum (synonym Calandrinia granulifera) is an annual herb^[3] in the family Montiaceae, and is native to New South Wales, Tasmania, Western Australia, South Australia, and Victoria.^[2][4][1]

Rumicastrum granuliferum
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Order:	Caryophyllales
Family:	Montiaceae
Genus:	Rumicastrum
Species:	R. granuliferum
Binomial name
Rumicastrum granuliferum (Benth.) Carolin (2020)
Synonyms[1]
Calandrinia granulifera Benth. (1863) Calandrinia neesiana H.Eichler (1963) Calandrinia pygmaea F.Muell. (1859) nom. inval., nom. illeg., nom. nud.[2] Claytonia pygmaea (F.Muell.) F.Muell. in Native Pl. Victoria: 133 (1879) Claytonia granulifera (Benth.) F.Muell. (1882) Parakeelya granulifera (Benth.) Hershk. (1998 publ. 1999) Parakeelya nana (Nees) Hershk. (1998 publ. 1999) Talinum nanum Nees (1845)

Description

It is a succulent, erect to decumbent herb, flowering from September to November with white-pink flowers. It grows on sandy and gravelly soils on granite outcrops and slopes.^[3] The flowers are on pedicels (stems) which are 0.5–2 mm long and erect when in fruit. The bracts are alternate. The sepals are deciduous and 1.5–3 mm long. There are 5-7 petals, 5-10 stamens and 3 stigmas. The black capsule is almost spherical with three short valves which open at the apex only. The numerous, red-brown, shiny seeds are about 0.5 mm long and 0.4 mm wide.^[5] For an illustration of the colliculate seeds, see PlantNet.

Taxonomy

The species was first described as Calandrinia granulifera by George Bentham in 1863.^[2][6] The genus Calandrinia was discovered to be paraphyletic, and the Australasian species were moved to genus Rumicastrum in 2020.^[1][7]