Showy stonecrop

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Showy stonecrop flowers

Showy stonecrop flowers

Showy stonecrop

Showy stonecrop habit

Showy stonecrop flowers

Showy stonecrop flower

Showy stonecrop flowers

Showy stonecrop habit

Showy stonecrop leaves and flowers

Morphology

Stem

Plants pale green or yellowish green, succulent. Stem erect or ascending.

Leaves

Alternate, thick, often round in cross section, sessile; blade linear-oblong to spatulate (especially basal leaves in juvenile forms), 1/5 to 1 1/5 inch long, 1/16 to 1/5 inch wide.

Inflorescence

Usually cymes, sometimes spikes or thyrses, usually secund, with 2--7 radiating, plus or minus horizontal branches.

Flower

Sepals 4-7, green, oblong to long-triangular, 1/12 to 1/4 inch long, to 1/16 inch wide; petals 4-7, pink or purple to white, narrowly lanceolate to lanceolate or elliptic, 1/6 to 1/3 inch, distinct or slightly connate basally; stamens 8(--14), those directly in front of petals usually fused to bases of petals; anthers dark red or purple; pistils 4-7, distinct.

Fruit

Follicles, spreading somewhat but not perpendicular to pedicel at maturity, 1/6 to 2/5 inch; style 1/25 to 1/8 inch; seeds few, ellipsoid, tiny.

Ecology

Habitat

Shallow soil over limestone, sandstone, or chert in woods, glades, prairies, and on cliffs.

Distribution

South 1/2 of the east 1/4 of Kansas

Additional Notes