Dudleya saxosa subsp. saxosa is a species of succulent perennial plant endemic only to the western Panamint Range of California. It is known commonly as the Panamint liveforever or Panamint dudleya. It is found on north-facing, granitic or limestone slopes and grows up to 20 cm wide. It is characterized by bright yellow, red tinged flowers, which bloom from May to June.
| Panamint dudleya | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Saxifragales |
| Family: | Crassulaceae |
| Genus: | Dudleya |
| Species: | |
| Subspecies: | D. s. subsp. saxosa
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| Trinomial name | |
| Dudleya saxosa subsp. saxosa | |
| Synonyms | |
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Description
editThis species grows from basal rosettes which emerge from a caudex. The caudex is 1 to 1.5 cm in diameter. There are 1 to 4 rosettes per plant, which can be 6 to 20 cm wide. The leaves are 3 to 9 cm long, 3 to 15 mm wide, and 1.5 to 3 mm thick, with the base 5 to 15 mm wide.[1]
The inflorescence emerges from a peduncle 5 to 20 cm tall, and 2 to 4 mm wide. The lower internodes are generally greater than 5 mm apart. There are 3 first degree branches, with the terminal branches (cincinni) not wavy, the terminal branches 1 to 4 cm long, 2 to 9 flowered. The pedicels are 5 to 10 mm long. The flower has petals that are 9 to 12 mm long, colored bright yellow, and generally tinged with red.[1][2]
Taxonomy
editThis species was described as Cotyledon saxosum by Marcus E. Jones, based on a plant he found growing in Panamint Canyon in 1897.[3] In their revision of North American Crassulaceae, Nathaniel Lord Britton and Joseph Nelson Rose placed this species as Dudleya saxosa.[4] It was reduced to an autonym, Dudleya saxosa subsp. saxosa with Reid Moran's subsequent changes to the taxonomy of Dudleya.[5]
The plant is a well-isolated polyploid compared to the other subspecies of Dudleya saxosa, differing in its smaller size. It has a chromosome number of 2n = 136 and 2n = 170.[1][2]
Distribution and habitat
editThis species is found growing on north-facing, granitic or limestone cliffs and rocky slopes. It is found only in the western Panamint Mountains of California.[1][2]
References
edit- ^ a b c d McCabe, Stephen Ward (2012). "Dudleya saxosa subsp. saxosa". Jepson eFlora. Jepson Flora Project. Archived from the original on 2017-08-29. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
- ^ a b c Moran, Reid. "Dudleya saxosa subsp. saxosa". Flora of North America. 8: 187.
- ^ Jones, Marcus E. (1898). "Cotyledon saxosum n. sp". Contributions to Western Botany. 8.
- ^ Rose, Joseph Nelson (1903). "New or noteworthy North American Crassulaceae". Bulletin of the New York Botanical Garden. 3 (9): 15.
- ^ Moran, Reid (1957). "Innovations in Dudleya". Madroño. 14 (3): 108.