Plants to 1 dm; roots fusiform, fleshily woody. Stems spreading-ascending, branching, sometimes suffrutescent. Leaves sessile; blade to 2.5 cm, distal terete or subterete, proximal flatter, broader, somewhat shorter. Inflorescences cymulose or 1-flowered, slightly to distinctly overtopping leaves; peduncle not scapelike, to 1.5 cm. Flowers: sepals persistent, ovate to elliptic-lanceolate, to 8 mm; petals light rose to purplish red, obovate, to 16 mm; stamens usually 20; stigma 1, subcapitate. Capsules ellipsoid, 4-6 mm. Seeds without arcuate ridges, 1 mm. 2n = 24. Flowering Apr-Sep. Dry woodlands on rocky slopes, ridges, and crests, in limestone and igneous soils; 1600-3000 m; Ariz., N.Mex., Tex.; n Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila). Within the flora area Phemeranthus brevicaulis has been known most generally as Talinum pulchellum, which was based on a collection from Queen, New Mexico. However, P. brevicaule, which was described earlier (as T. brevicaule) from the Santa Eulalia Mountains in Chihuahua, Mexico, differs in no significant respect, and that epithet has priority when the two entities are merged.

PLANT: Herbs to ca. 6 cm tall. ROOTS: fusiform, somewhat woody. STEMS: branching, spreading-ascending, sometimes suffrutescent. LEAVES: sessile, to 25 mm long, the upper terete or subterete, the lower flatter, wider, somewhat shorter. INFLORESCENCE: terminal cymes or cymules, sometimes from very short sub-branches and appearing lateral, sometimes only 1-flowered, slightly to distinctly overtopping the leaves; peduncles to ca. 15 mm long. FLOWERS: sepals ovate to elliptic-lanceolate, 5-8 mm long, persistent beyond capsule dehiscence, equaling or exceeding mature capsules; petals obovate, 9-16 mm long, light rose to purplish-red; stamens usually 20 or more; stigma 1, subcapitate. CAPSULES: ellipsoid, 4-6 mm long. SEEDS: smooth, ca. 1 mm long. SYNONYMS: [Talinum brevicaule S. Wats.; T. pulchellum Wooton & Standl.]. NOTES: Dry woodlands on rocky canyon slopes: mts of sw Cochise Co.; ca. 1900 m (ca. 6200 ft); May-Sep; NM, w TX; Chih., Coah., Mex. REFERENCES: Allison Bair, Marissa Howe, Daniela Roth, Robin Taylor, Tina Ayers, and Robert W. Kiger., 2006, Vascular Plants of Arizona: Portulacaceae. CANOTIA 2(1): 1-22.