FARINOSUM  Lowe, 1831

Synonym : Oreosedum farinosum (Lowe) Grulich (1984)

Distribution : Endemic to the mountain peaks of central Madeira, 1600 - 2000 m.

Description (by 't Hart & Bleij in IHSP 2003) :

Glabrous strongly pruinose perennial herbs with creeping and rooting or ascending, laxly branched non-flowering stems, often reddish, sometimes basally slightly woody.

Leaves alternate, laxly imbricate, sessile with a short broad basal spur, ovoid to oblong, 3 - 6 mm, obtuse, semiterete, strongly pruinose, dark grey-green to whitish.

Inflorescences : flowering branches ascending, to 8 cm tall, inflorescences small cymes with 2 - 4 cincinni, bracts 2 per flower.

FIowers 5-merous, sessile, sepals basally free, spurred, unequal, oblong, to ±  4 mm, obtuse or subacute, pruinose, petals free, oblong, to 7 mm, acuminate, white, outside sometimes tinged red, filament white, anthers oblong, red.

Cytology: 2n = ± 384.

Closely related to Ser. Anglica 't Hart.

See also S. anglicum and S. arenarium

See also : The Crassulaceae of Madeira, by Marco Cristini