Sedum

NUDUM  Aiton, 1789

Synonym : Sedum suffruticosum  Solander ms. (s.a.)

 

Distribution : Endemic to the southern and eastern coastal regions of Madeira; 0 - 500 m, usually in dry places on rocks exposed to the south.

 

 

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

 

Glabrous subshrubs 6 - 10 (-20) cm tall, with much-branched shoots ascending from a woody stout basal stem or with suberect shoots ascending from a diffuse somewhat woody sympodial base, young branches usually mamillate, scabrous.

 

Leaves alternate, sessile, crowded at the shoot tips, narrowly linear to oblong, 3 - 6 (-9) mm, obtuse to rounded, terete to subterete, bright green or yellowish, often tinged with red.

 

Inflorescences : Flowering branches erect or ascending, 5-10 cm, inflorescences few-flowered cymes with 2 - 3 often lax cincinni, bracts 2 per flower.

 

FIowers 5-merous, subsessile or shortly pedicellate, sepals basally free, spurred, unequal, ovate, ± 2 mm, obtuse to rounded, petals basally slightly connate, narrowly oblong-elliptic, 3 - 4 mm, acute, yellow, often tinged red in bud, filaments yellow, anthers yellow.

 

Cytology: 2n = 26.

 

Closely resembling S. brissemoretii, but differing by narrower bright green leaves, smaller flowers with narrower, somewhat paler petals and stems distinctly woody at the base. Moreover it occurs in much dryer habitats (rocks exposed to the south) and belongs to the comparium of Ser. Macaronesia Fröderström.

 

See also : The Crassulaceae of Madeira, by Marco Cristini

 

At Moledos :

At Machico :

Photos Marco Cristini

Sedum nudum Pico do Facho : 

Photos Ray Stephenson

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