Calandrinia ciliata
Encyclopedia
Calandrinia ciliata is a species of flowering plant in the purslane family
known by the common name fringed redmaids. It is native to western North America from British Columbia
to New Mexico
, where it is widespread and common. It can also be found in parts of Central and South America. This is an annual herb which varies greatly in size from a small patch a few centimeters wide to an erect form approaching 40 centimeters tall. The linear or lance-shaped leaves are one to ten centimeters long and slightly succulent in texture. The inflorescence
is a raceme
bearing flowers on short pedicels
. The flower has usually five deep pink to red petals, each up to 1.5 centimeters in length. There are two sepal
s at the base beneath the petals. This is a hardy plant well adapted to many habitat and climate types which is known as a minor weed.
Portulacaceae
Portulacaceae are a family of flowering plants, comprising about 20 genera with about 500 species, ranging from herbaceous plants to shrubs. The family has been recognised by most taxonomists, and is also known as the purslane family; it has a cosmopolitan distribution, with the highest diversity...
known by the common name fringed redmaids. It is native to western North America from British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
to New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, where it is widespread and common. It can also be found in parts of Central and South America. This is an annual herb which varies greatly in size from a small patch a few centimeters wide to an erect form approaching 40 centimeters tall. The linear or lance-shaped leaves are one to ten centimeters long and slightly succulent in texture. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
is a raceme
Raceme
A raceme is a type of inflorescence that is unbranched and indeterminate and bears pedicellate flowers — flowers having short floral stalks called pedicels — along the axis. In botany, axis means a shoot, in this case one bearing the flowers. In a raceme, the oldest flowers are borne...
bearing flowers on short pedicels
Pedicel (botany)
A pedicel is a stem that attaches single flowers to the main stem of the inflorescence. It is the branches or stalks that hold each flower in an inflorescence that contains more than one flower....
. The flower has usually five deep pink to red petals, each up to 1.5 centimeters in length. There are two sepal
Sepal
A sepal is a part of the flower of angiosperms . Collectively the sepals form the calyx, which is the outermost whorl of parts that form a flower. Usually green, sepals have the typical function of protecting the petals when the flower is in bud...
s at the base beneath the petals. This is a hardy plant well adapted to many habitat and climate types which is known as a minor weed.