Sedum Sedum, A.DC Sedum Sedum, L. Sedum Sedum, L. Sedum Sedum subsp. fabaria, (Koch) Kirschleger Sedum Sedum subsp. maximum, (L.) Krocker

1. S. praealtum A.DC View in CoL . in DC. & A.DC., Not. Pl. Rar. Bot. Jard. Genève 10; 21 (1847).

Bushy, evergreen, glabrous shrub up to 75 cm. Stems thick, terete, green above, grey and woody below. Leaves c. 6 x 1-5 cm, oblanceolate, obtuse, thick but flattened. Flowers 5-merous, subsessile, in large, terminal panicles. Petals 6-9 mm, lanceolate, acute, bright yellow; stamens

10; follicles suberect, yellowish. Cultivatedfor ornament in parts o f the Mediterranean region, and naturalized on coastal rocks in S.E. France and N. W. Italy. [Ga It.] (Mexico.)

2. S. aizoon L. View in CoL , Sp. Pl. 430 (1753).

Perennial; stems 30-40 cm, few, erect. Leaves 5-8 cm, alternate, lanceolate-cuneate, subacute, unequally serrate or dentate. Flowers 5-merous, in dense, compound, terminal cymes, subtended by leaves. Sepals tapered to a subulate apex. Petals 7-10 mm, acuminate, golden-yellow. Stamens 10. Locally naturalizedfrom gardens in N. & C. Europe. [Cz Fe G a Ge N o Su.] (N. Asia.)

3. S. hybridum L. View in CoL , Sp. Pl. 431 (1753).

Perennial; stems woody, branched, creeping and rooting, with short non-flowering shoots and ascending flowering stems of 15-20 cm. Leaves 2-3 cm, oblong-cuneate, obtuse, obtusely dentate; teeth reddish. Flowers 5-merous, numerous, in lax, terminal corymbs. Sepals obtuse. Petals 6-9 mm, acute, golden-yellow. Stamens 10. Native in C. & S. Ural; naturalized from gardens elsewhere in N. & C. Europe. Rs (C) [Au Cz D a Fe G a Ge H u No Su]. (N. Asia.)

4. S. telephium L. View in CoL , Sp. P/. 430(1753).

Perennial, with tuberous roots. Stems 15-80 cm, usually simple. Leaves 2-7 cm, suborbicular to narrow-oblong. Flowers 5-merous, in large, dense, terminal corymbs. Petals 3-5 mm, ovate-lanceolate, acute. Stamens 10, equalling or slightly exceeding the petals. Follicles erect; styles rather short. 2n — 24, 36, 48 (other numbers reported from garden plants). Almost throughout Europe. All except Az BI Cr Fa?Gr Is Sb Si Tu.

A polymorphic complex which may be divided in Europe into 4 subspecies. Intermediates, some of them garden hybrids subsequently naturalized, are not uncommon, and the considerable confusion in taxonomy and nomenclature does not yet permit precise distributional data for the subspecies to be given. Typical members of subspp. (b), (c) and (d) infra appear to be characterized by chromosome numbers of 2«=24, 48, and 48 respectively, but no counts are available for plants with intermediate characters; counts of 36 and 48 have been reported for (a). A cytological study of intermediate plants might eventually provide a basis for the elevation of the subspecies to specific rank.

1 Leaves ±ovate, sessile, often amplexicaul, usually subentire; flowers usually greenish- or yellowish-white

2 Stems 30-80 cm, erect; leaves 5-10 cm, oblong-ovate, green or glaucous (c) subsp. maximum

2 Stems decumbent or procumbent, 15-40cm; leaves 2 -4 cm, suborbicular, pruinose-glaucous (d) subsp. ruprechtii

1 Leaves ± oblong, usually strongly dentate, not amplexicaul, the lower ones, at least, cuneate at the base; flowers usually purplish-red or lilac

3 Upper leaves truncate at the base, sessile; follicles dorsally grooved (a) subsp. telephium

3 Upper leaves cuneate at the base, sometimes stalked; follicles not grooved (b) subsp. fabaria

(a) Subsp. telephium ( S. purpurascens Koch ): Stems 25-60 cm, erect. Leaves 5-8 cm, narrowly ovate-oblong, irregularly dentate, the upper ones truncate, the lower cuneate; not glaucous, often red-spotted. Flowers purplish-red or lilac, rarely white. Carpels grooved on outer side. Chiefly in C. & E. Europe.

(b) Subsp. fabaria (Koch) Kirschleger View in CoL , FI. Alsace 1: 284(1852)

(5. fabaria Koch ):

Stems 20-40 cm, erect. Leaves 4-7 cm, oblong-lanceolate, dentate, cuneate, the lower ones stalked; not glaucous. Flowers purplish-red or lilac. Carpels not grooved. Chiefly in W. & C. Europe.

(c) Subsp. maximum (L.) Krocker View in CoL , FI. Siles. 2: 64 (1790)

( S. maximum Suter ):

Stems 30-80 cm, erect. Leaves 4-10 cm, ovate or broadly oblong, bluntly dentate or subentire, truncate or cordate-amplexicaul, alternate, opposite or whorled, sometimes glaucous. Flowers greenish- or yellowish-white, rarely purple. Most o f Europe, but local in the west.

(d) Subsp. ruprechtii Jalas View in CoL , Ann. Bot. Soc. Zool.-Bot. Fenn. Vanamo 26: 33 (1954)

( S. telephium sensu Borissova in Komarov):

Stems 15-40 cm, decumbent or procumbent. Leaves 2-5 cm, suborbicular, dentate or subentire, cordate-amplexicaul, opposite, glaucous-pruinose. Flowers whitish. N.E. Europe.