Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Aug 7, 2026

Talinum

Talinum is a genus of herbaceous succulent plants in the family Talinaceae whose common names include fameflower. It includes 27 species native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas, sub-Saharan Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, Indian subcontinent, and Myanmar. Several species bear edible leaves, and Talinum fruticosum is widely grown in tropical regions as a leaf vegetable. Talinum paniculatum is grown as an ornamental plant.

Last revised

Aug 7, 2026

Read time

≈ 2 min

Length

415 w

Citations

7

Source

Talinum

Talinum fruticosum
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Embryophytes
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Order:	Caryophyllales
Family:	Talinaceae
Genus:	Talinum Adans. (1763)
Species¹
27; See text
Synonyms¹
Anacampseros P.Browne (1756), nom. illeg. Chromanthus Phil. (1870) Eutmon Raf. (1833) Helianthemoides Medik. (1789) Orygia Forssk. (1775) Sabouraea Leandri (1962) Talinella Baill. (1886) Talinium Raf. (1818)

Talinum is a genus of herbaceous succulent plants in the family Talinaceae (formerly in the family Portulacaceae) whose common names include fameflower. It includes 27 species native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas, sub-Saharan Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, Indian subcontinent, and Myanmar.¹ Several species bear edible leaves, and Talinum fruticosum is widely grown in tropical regions as a leaf vegetable. Talinum paniculatum is grown as an ornamental plant.

Species

27 species are accepted.¹

Talinum albiflorum (Appleq.) Christenh. & Byng
Talinum ankaranense (Appleq.) Christenh. & Byng
Talinum arnotii Hook.f.
Talinum aurantiacum Engelm.²
Talinum boivinianum (Baill.) Christenh. & Byng
Talinum bosseri (Appleq.) Christenh. & Byng
Talinum afrum (Thunb.) Eckl. & Zeyh.³
Talinum crispatulum Dinter
Talinum dauphinense (Scott Elliot) Christenh. & Byng
Talinum domingense Urb. & Ekman
Talinum fruticosum (L.) Juss.
Talinum grevei (Danguy) Christenh. & Byng
Talinum humbertii (Appleq.) Christenh. & Byng
Talinum latifolium (Appleq.) Christenh. & Byng
Talinum lineare Kunth
Talinum microphyllum (Eggli) Christenh. & Byng
Talinum nocturnum Bacig.
Talinum pachypodum (Eggli) Christenh. & Byng
Talinum paniculatum (Jacq.) Gaertn.⁴
Talinum polygaloides Gillies ex Arn.
Talinum porphyreum M.Mend. & J.R.I.Wood
Talinum portulacifolium (Forssk.) Asch. ex Schweinf.
Talinum sonorae D.J.Ferguson
Talinum tenuissimum Dinter
Talinum tsitondroinense (Appleq.) Christenh. & Byng
Talinum tuberosum (Benth.) P.Wilson
Talinum xerophilum (Appleq.) Christenh. & Byng

Formerly placed here

Calandrinia ciliata (Ruiz & Pav.) DC. (as T. ciliatum Ruiz & Pav)
Phemeranthus calcaricus (S. Ware)
Phemeranthus mengesii (W.Wolf) Kiger (as T. mengesii W.Wolf)
Phemeranthus parviflorus (Nutt.) Kiger (as T. parviflorum Nutt.)
Lewisia pygmaea (A.Gray) B.L.Rob. (as T. pygmaeum A.Gray)
Phemeranthus rugospermus (Holz.) Kiger (as T. rugospermum Holz.)
Phemeranthus spinescens (Torr.) Hershk. (as T. spinescens Torr.)
Montiopsis umbellata (Ruiz & Pav.) D.I.Ford (as T. umbellatum Ruiz & Pav.)

Gallery

Talinum aurantiacum
Talinum caffrum
Talinum fruticosum
Talinum napiforme
Talinum paniculatum
Talinum patens
Talinum portulacifolium
Talinum polygaloides
Talinum tenuissimum

References

References

Talinum Adans. Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
"urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:249148-2". Boston J. Nat. Hist. 6: 153 (1850). IPNI. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
"urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:699483-1". Enum. Pl. Afric. Austral. [Ecklon & Zeyher]. IPNI. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
"Species Records of Talinum ". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 19 June 2010.