Scrutiny of online herbarium and social network images revealed at least three historical collections and one recent photograph of the recently described Cistanthe philhershkovitziana Hershk. (C. sect. Cistanthe). The herbarium specimens, dating to 1829, 1882, and 1905, corroborate, and extend slightly the species range estimated on the basis of unvouchered collections and observations C. grandiflora (Lindl.) Schlect.

Calandrinia speciosa Lehm. and Calandrinia spectabilis Otto & Dietr. are 1830s-vintage validly-published names of Chilean plant species evidently pertaining to taxa currently classified in Cistanthesect. Cistanthe (Montiaceae). The taxonomic status of both names is problematic, because they were not typified or illustrated, their precise Chilean provenance is unknown, and their diagnoses/descriptions might apply to more than one species. Both names have been and continue to be applied taxonomically haphazardly. The existence of two later conceptually heterotypic synonyms of C. speciosa Lehm, viz. C. speciosa Lindl. non Lehm. and C. speciosa Hook. non Lehm., has exacerbated the confusion. The present work summarizes the history of the application of these names in botanical taxonomy and horticulture. Both likely, but not unequivocally, refer to plants of the later-described, typified, and otherwise well-documented species Calandrinia laxiflora Phil. [≡ Cistanthe laxiflora (Phil.) Peralta & D.I. Ford]. But persistent ambiguities justify proposals to reject both C. speciosa and C. spectabilis.

Cistanthe subspeciosa Hershk. (Cistanthe Spach sect. Cistanthe; Montiaceae) here is described as a herbaceous to suffruticose perennial from the vicinity of Copiapó, Chile. Its epithet is juxtaposed with its rank in order to highlight its subspecific aesthetic. In particular, the specioid is infrequent, locally restricted, and lacks unique diagnostic traits. Rather, it is diagnosed by a combination of traits characteristic of different Cistanthe species from the region, none of which can be identified as the referential species to which Cs. subspeciosa might be considered subspecific. The intersection between species nomenclature and species ontology thus is discussed. I hypothesize that Cs. subspeciosa is irrigated primarily by mountain runoff rather than localized precipitation, and that it might be both resistant to and dependent upon high substrate metal concentrations characteristic of the Copiapó region. The ornamental value of this and other Cistanthe species is discussed. Finally, additional historical details pertaining to Calandrinia spectabilis Otto & Dietr. and Cistanthe philhershkovitziana are provided.

Montiaceae (Portulacineae) comprise a clade of at least 270 species primarily of western America and Australia. This work uses existing phylogenetic metadata to elaborate a new cladistic taxonomic synthesis, and clarifies morphological circumscriptions of several poorly known species. A total of 21 taxa are validated, seven new and 14 necessary nomenclatural recombinations). Hypotheses of Montiaceae historical biogeography and phenotypic evolution are evaluated in light of recent metadata.