Calandrinia ???

[Luc Gilgemyn]

I sowed this in January as "Calandrinia sp. orange" from a seed exchange.

One thing's certain : it is NOT orange.... ! 

1 en 2 : the flower is just a tiny bit darker than the picture shows and measures 1,5 cm diameter on a 15 cm stem.
3 and 4 : the leaves are abt 3-4 cm - greyish/green with a pink/purple backside.

Can anybody identify this for me ??
Thanks !

[David Nicholson]

Luc, is there a possibility that it is Calandrinia grandiflora?

http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=1970.195

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Seems quite possible David...  thanks !   Too bad it seems annual ..
Are your plants still alive ?
Maybe somebody could confirm??

[David Nicholson]

Luc, sadly not. They were consigned to the compost heap in an earlier "how can I grow all these things without the proper space" scenario. Still have some seed from them though so may have another go at some time.

[Lesley Cox]

It does look like C. grandiflora and I too found it to be reliably....annual! Nice while it lasted but lanky, leggy and in general, more trouble that it was worth.

[TheOnionMan]

For the comparative effect that annual Calandrinia delivers, you might do better with one of several perennial Talinum species, or Phemeranthus as most of the American species must now be called.

[fermi de Sousa]

Hi Luc,
it certainly looks like Calandrinia grandiflora which is now Cistanthe grandiflora. It grows as a self-sowing "weed" in our shade-house and each plant persists for 2 or 3 years unless it outlives its welcome and is hoicked out! We don't grow it outside but I doubt it would take any frost.
It's from South America - Chile apparently.
cheers
fermi

[TheOnionMan]

Hi Luc,
it certainly looks like Calandrinia grandiflora which is now Cistanthe grandiflora. It grows as a self-sowing "weed" in our shade-house and each plant persists for 2 or 3 years unless it outlives its welcome and is hoicked out! We don't grow it outside but I doubt it would take any frost.
It's from South America - Chile apparently.
cheers
fermi

This whole Cistanthe thing is an utter mess.  In the online Flora of North America, the genus Cistanthe is basically comprised of members of the genus Calyptridium, those delightful prostrate N. American Portulacaceae with fuzzy-looking congested flower heads that look like an everlasting or an Eriogonum, with barely any resemblance to either Calandrinia or Lewisia.  Here's a photo gallery link of Calyptridium umbellatum (now Cistanthe umbellata), and the second link to a photo of Calytridium on NARGS Forum.  Do you think these look anything like Calandrinia?
http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?where-genre=Plant&where-taxon=Calyptridium+umbellatum
http://nargs.org/smf/index.php?topic=373.msg3593#msg3593

Then it seems a few Cistanthe are the familiar single-flowered Calandrinia types, but not all of them by a long shot.  And the genus Cistanthe also includes, believe it or not, Lewisia tweedyi, as Cistanthe lewisii   I believe the American botanists are partaking of too much peyote cactus and now determine plant genus taxonomy by full hallucinogenic-induced methods.  To lump most former Calyptridium (with fuzzy pussypaw flowers), with a couple Calandinia (with single Talinum-like flowers), and one Lewisia, seems ludicrous.  Why not throw in a few Phemeranthus but not all (formerly Talinum), a sprinkling of Montia, a dash of Claytonia, for a true Cistanthe goulash stew.

Cistanthe in Flora of North America
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=107148

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cistanthe

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Thanks all !!
Think I'm gonna bin it !