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Phemeranthus spinescens

(Torr.) Hershkovitz

Spiny Flameflower

G3Vulnerable Found in 1 roadless area NatureServe Explorer →
G3VulnerableGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.128515
Element CodePDPOR080J0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderCaryophyllales
FamilyMontiaceae
GenusPhemeranthus
Synonyms
Talinum spinescensTorr.
Other Common Names
spiny fameflower (EN)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Taxonomic Comments
FNA (vol. 4) treats Talinum spinescens as Phemeranthus spinescens.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-05-22
Change Date2025-05-22
Edition Date2025-05-22
Edition AuthorsBroaddus, Lynn, rev. N. Ventrella (2025)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent20,000-200,000 square km (about 8000-80,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences21 - 80
Rank Reasons
Phemeranthus spinescens is a perennial succulent occurring in shallow soils over basalt outcrops, cliffs, and scablands in sagebrush deserts of Oregon and Washington in the United States. There are an estimated 48 occurrences of this species rangewide, which are threatened by wildfire, invasive species, livestock grazing, road construction and maintenance, climate change, renewabale energy development, and off-road vehicles. There are over 20,000 estimated individuals of this species in Oregon, though very little is known about threats, trends, and habitat quality of Phemeranthus spinescens in Washington, where the bulk of occurrences are located.
Range Extent Comments
Phemeranthus spinescens occurs in western North America, in Washington and Oregon in the United States (FNA 2003). Range extent was estimated using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data collected between 1994 and 2025 (CPNWH 2025, GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025, it is estimated that there are 48 occurrences rangewide (CPNWH 2025, GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).
Threat Impact Comments
Phemeranthus spinescens is threatened by wildfire, invasive species, livestock grazing, road construction and maintenance, climate change, renewable energy, and off-road vehicles, in at least parts of its range (NatureServe 2025). Many occurrences in Oregon are located in places which have experienced wildfires (Wildland Fire Management Research, Development, and Application Program 2025). Notably, one large population was partially burned in the Rattlesnake Fire of 2021, and plants were also impacted by fire retardant dropped on the site, off-road vehicle use associated with fire management activities, and the blading and upgrading of a two-track road (NatureServe 2025). These disturbances impacted some plants in the population, but others were intact and flowering during a monitoring visit that same year. Invasive species such as Bromus tectorum and Taeniatherum caput-medusae can outcompete this species and increase the fire risk. Threats to this species in Washington are largely unknown, though several occurrences are located within the Quilomene Wind Farm Conservation Easement, which is managed for multiple uses (USGS 2024). The Oregon Biodiversity Information Center (2020) assessed this species as "moderately vulnerable" to climate change, and expects Phemeranthus spinescens abundance and range extent to decrease by 2050.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Phemeranthus spinescens occurs on fine shallow soils on basaltic outcrops, cliffs, ledges, and scablands in sagebrush deserts from 700-1100 m in elevation (Hitchcock and Cronquist 1973, Price 2012, FNA 2003).

Reproduction

Phemeranthus spinescens produces flowers from May through September (Giblin 2025).
Terrestrial Habitats
DesertCliff
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN3
ProvinceRankNative
WashingtonSNRYes
OregonS2Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
2 - Agriculture & aquacultureUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
2.3 - Livestock farming & ranchingUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
2.3.4 - Scale unknown/unrecordedUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
3 - Energy production & miningUnknownUnknownUnknown
3.3 - Renewable energyUnknownUnknownUnknown
4 - Transportation & service corridorsUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
4.1 - Roads & railroadsUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
6 - Human intrusions & disturbanceUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
6.1 - Recreational activitiesUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
7 - Natural system modificationsUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
7.1 - Fire & fire suppressionUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
7.1.1 - Increase in fire frequency/intensityUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseasesUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseasesUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
8.1.1 - Unspecified speciesUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
11 - Climate change & severe weatherUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
11.2 - DroughtsUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)

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Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (1)
Washington (1)
AreaForestAcres
Blue SlideWenatchee National Forest17,505
References (14)
  1. Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria (CPNWH). 2025. Online database of vascular plant specimens from the Pacific Northwest. Online. Available: http://www.pnwherbaria.org/index.php (accessed 2025).
  2. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2003b. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 4, Magnoliophyta: Caryophyllidae, part 1. Oxford University Press, New York. xxiv + 559 pp.
  3. Giblin, D. 2025. <i>Phemeranthus spinescens</i>. Burke Museum Herbarium, University of Washington. Online. Available: https://burkeherbarium.org/imagecollection/taxon.php?Taxon=Phemeranthus%20spinescens (Accessed 2025).
  4. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2025. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2025).
  5. Hitchcock, C.L., and A. Cronquist. 1973. Flora of the Pacific Northwest: An Illustrated Manual. University of Washington Press, Seattle, Washington. 730 pp.
  6. iNaturalist. 2025. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2025).
  7. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  8. NatureServe. 2025. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  9. Oregon Biodiversity Information Center. 2020. Climate Change Vulnerability Index assessment for Spiny flame flower (<i>Phemeranthus spinescens</i>). Institute for Natural Resources, Portland State University, Portland, OR. 2 pp.
  10. <p>NatureServe's Rapid Analysis of Rarity and Endangerment Conservation Assessment Tool (RARECAT). 2025. Version: 2.1.1 (released April 04, 2025).</p>
  11. Price, T.M. 2012. Phylogeny and evolution of <i>Phemeranthus</i> (Montiaceae) in North American xeric habitats. Ph.D. dissertation. Washington University in St. Louis, MO. 188 pp.
  12. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2025. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2025).
  13. U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). 2024. Gap Analysis Project (GAP) Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US) 4.0: U.S. Geological Survey data release. Online. Available: https://doi.org/10.5066/P96WBCHS (accessed 2025).
  14. Wildland Fire Management Research, Development, & Application Program. 2025. InterAgencyFirePerimeterHistory All Years (1900-2023) [data set]. National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC). https://data-nifc.opendata.arcgis.com/datasets/e02b85c0ea784ce7bd8add7ae3d293d0_0/explore