Red maids

Talinum ciliatum Ruiz & Pavón, Syst. Veg. Fl. Peruv. Chil., 116. 1798; Calandrinia caulescens Kunth; C. ciliata var. menziesii (Hooker) J. F. Macbride; C. micrantha Schlechtendal

Stems prostrate to ascending, spreading, 3-40 cm. Leaf blades linear to oblanceolate, 1-10 cm, glabrous or with elongate, 1-cellular hairs. Flowers: sepals 2.5-8 mm; petals 4-15 mm; stamens 3-15; pedicel ± straight in fruit, 0.4-2.5 cm. Capsules usually not exceeding calyx by 3+ mm. Seeds 10-20, 1-2.5 mm wide, finely reticulate at 30×. 2n = 24.

Flowering spring. Sandy to loamy soils, grassy areas, cultivated fields; 10-1900 m; B.C.; Ariz., Calif., N.Mex., Oreg., Wash.; w Mexico; Central America (Guatemala); nw South America.

Calandrina ciliata is highly variable vegetatively, especially in size, but is uniform in flower, fruit, and seed. It is very similar to C. breweri (see discussion above).