rough-seeded fameflower

not listed

N3N4 - Vulnerable to Apparently Secure

S2 - Imperiled

Threatened

Rough-seeded fameflower is a small, often overlooked, early summer wildflower. It occurs in the United States from Wisconsin, Indiana, and Louisiana west to Minnesota, Nebraska, and Texas. It is spotty and localized throughout its range. It is rare in Minnesota, where it is mostly restricted to the southeast and the southern Metro regions. There is a single record from Watonwan County reported on BONAP, and an historical record from Chisago County where it may no longer occur. It is found in dry, open areas with little competition from other plants, including on cliffs, rock outcrops, sand dunes, riverbanks, and prairies. It grows under full sun in sandy soil. In Minnesota it blooms from mid-June to mid-July. When not in bloom the plant is inconspicuous and easily overlooked.

Rough-seeded fameflower is a 4″ to 10″ (10 to 25 cm) tall, erect, perennial forb that rises on a single short stem from a short taproot and more or less fleshy roots. The taproot is unbranched but with age develops additional crowns, and one stem will rise from each crown.

The stem is erect, succulent, and hairless. It is unbranched below the middle, sometimes branched above.

Numerous alternate, stalkless leaves are crowded at the base of the stem, sometimes appearing like a rosette. The blades are succulent, almost round in cross section, and 1¼″ to 2⅜″ (3 to 6 cm) long.

The inflorescence is a branched, flat-topped cluster (cyme) of several flowers at the end of the stem. The cyme is 4″ to 8″ (1 to 2 dm) long, including the leafless, scape-like stalk (peduncle) that is up to 6″ (15 cm) long. The branches of the cyme have opposite pairs of tiny, lance-shaped, modified leaves (bracts).

Each flower is about ½″ (12 mm) wide. There are 2 outer floral leaves (sepals), 5 petals, 12 to 28 stamens, and 1 style. The sepals light green, egg-shaped, and ⅛″ (4 mm) long. The petals are pink to magenta, egg-shaped to inversely egg-shaped, and ¼″ to 5⁄16″ (6 to 8 mm) long. The upper third or half of the style is divided into 3 linear, widely spreading stigmas. Each flower lasts just a single day, and is open for only a few hours in the late afternoon.

The fruit is a globe-shaped, ⅛″ to 3 ⁄16″ (4 to 5 mm) long, one-chambered capsule with many seeds. The seeds are 1⁄32″ (1.2 mm) in diameter, minutely roughened, and strongly wrinkled. This is the feature that gives the plant its common name.

4″ to 10″ (10 to 25 cm)

Pink to magenta

Dry, open areas with little competition from other plants. Cliffs, rock outcrops, sand dunes, riverbanks, and prairies. Full sun. Sandy soil.

mid-June to mid-July

Sources

2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 24, 28, 29, 30.

Native

Rare and local

cartway by cottonwood dump

Location: Kellogg Weaver Dunes SNA, Weaver Dunes Unit

cartway by cottonwood dump