CANTABRICUM J.A.Huber, 1934
Synonyms :
*Sempervivum vicentei Wale (1941)
Distribution : North-western Spain.
Description (according to IHSP, 2003) :
Rosette open, 2 - 5 cm in diameter, stolons stout, to 6 cm.
Leaves oblong-obovate, mucronate, dark green with red tip, 20 - 35 x ± 10 mm, sparsely to densely pubescent.
Flowering branches to 16 cm.
Inflorescence many-flowered (15 - 30 flowers).
FIowers 9- to 12-merous, to 1.8 cm in diameter, sepals obtuse, petals red, pink or white, 9 - 10 x ± 2 mm, filaments red, anthers red.
Cytology : 2n = 72
The subspecies are geographically separated but show morphological overlap. The type locality of S. vicentei Wale is uncertain and can not be assigned to any of the 3 subspecies. Many authors consider S. vicentei Pau as the correct name for S. cantabricum. According to Smith (1981) S. vicentei Pau, which was described from the Picos de Urbión, has glabrous leaves and is identical in all aspects to S. tectorum from the Pyrenees as well as to a similar plant collected from the Picos de Urbión. S. vicentei Pau is therefore regarded as synonymous with S. tectorum.
The heterotypic subspecies are both unfortunately invalid, since the types were cultivated plants. The subspecies are the result of a very thorough study of the variation of the sempervivums of Spain and in our opinion, the names, though invalid, should be retained for a proper understanding of this group.
Three subspecies :
Sempervivum cantabricum ssp. cantabricum
Sempervivum cantabricum ssp. guadarramense M.C.Smith, 1981 nom. inval.
Sempervivum cantabricum ssp. urbionense M.C.Smith, 1981 nom. inval.
See also Alan C. Smith, The Genus Sempervivum and Jovibarba, 1980
* See also : Alan Smith, The Genus Sempervivum and Jovibarba, 1980