FORMOSA Moran, 1950

Subgenus Stylophyllum

Distribution : Mexico (Baja California: locally at the Rio Guadalajara), north-exposed cliffs.

Description (according to IHSP, 2003) :

Stems pendent, > 50 x 0.5 - 2.5 cm.

Rosettes 4 - 13 cm in diameter, with 10 - 20 (-30) leaves, rather flat, laxly cushion-forming, sometimes several 100 rosettes together.

Leaves oblong to oblong-obovate, acute to obtuse but usually mucronate, 2 - 8 x 1 - 3 cm, bright green or red-tipped, not glaucous.

Inflorescence : Scape 4 - 15 (-19) cm, red, inflorescence dense, semiglobose or somewhat flat-topped, 2 - 6 (-9) cm in diameter, usually with 3 - 7 1x (to 2x) branched scorpioid branches, these to 2 cm, with 2 – 6 fIowers, pedicels 1 - 3 mm.

Flowers : Calyx 2 - 3 mm, sepals triangular, acute, 1 - 2 mm, petals elliptic, divaricate from the middle, acute, white, rose-tinged, or with red keel, tube 1 - 1.5 mm.

Flowering time : May to June.

Cytology : n = 17

Differs from aIl other species of subgenus Stylophyllum by the short broad leaves and the combination of dense inflorescences, stout pedicels, smaIl sepals, divaricate rose-coloured petals and widely spreading fruits (Moran 1951a).

At Santa Barbara Botanical Garden, CA, USA :

Photos Michael Wisnev