Crassula argentea |
Crassula connata |
|
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jade plant |
erect pigmyweed, erect pygmyweed, pygmy stonecrop, pygmy-weed, sand pygmy weed |
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Habit | Plants terrestrial, perennial. | Plants terrestrial, annual. |
Stems | erect, silvery in age, moderately branched, 30–50 cm. |
erect, red in age, simple or bushy-branching, 2–6(–10) cm. |
Leaf | blades obovate, 20–70 mm, apex obtuse to retuse. |
blades ovate to oblong, 1–3(–6) mm, apex acute to rounded. |
Inflorescences | compact, flowers 2 per node. |
often compact; flowers (1–)2 per node. |
Pedicels | 8–12 mm. |
0.2–6 mm. |
Flowers | 4-merous; sepals (erect), triangular, 0.5 mm, apex acute; petals oblong-lanceolate, ca. 10 mm. |
(3–)4[–5]-merous; sepals lanceolate, 0.5–2 mm, apex acute to acuminate; petals narrow-triangular, 0.6–1.5 mm. |
Seeds | not seen. |
ellipsoid, 0.3–0.6 × 0.1–0.3 mm, not papillate, dull, rugulose. |
Follicles | erect, seed number not known, ovoid; old follicles erect, boat-shaped. |
ascending, 1–2-seeded, ovoid; old follicles ascending, boat-shaped. |
2n | = ca. 16. |
|
Crassula argentea |
Crassula connata |
|
Phenology | Flowering Mar–Jun. | Flowering spring. |
Habitat | Edges of lagoons, sand dunes, disturbed areas | Open, gravelly places, on mossy rocks |
Elevation | 0-100 m (0-300 ft) | 0-1500 m (0-4900 ft) |
Distribution |
CA; s Africa [Introduced in North America] |
AZ; CA; OR; TX; WA; BC; Mexico; Central America (Guatemala); South America (Argentina, Chile, Uruguay)
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Discussion | Crassula argentea is reported from Los Angeles and San Diego counties. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
M. Bywater and G. E. Wickens (1984) proposed five varieties, four partly in the flora area, where they have largely overlapping ranges and overlapping characteristics. Further, some supposed differences probably result from local and year-to-year rainfall differences. Although probably having some genetic basis, these varieties seem too poorly defined to be useful (R. V. Moran 1992b). S. L. Hatch et al. (1990) were first to report Crassula connata in Texas, from a 1968 collection (F. B. Jones 7292), suggesting that it may be a recent arrival there. It was first discovered in British Columbia and Washington in 1977 (A. Ceska and O. Ceska 1980) and is treated as a rare native species by the heritage program in British Columbia and the Washington Natural Heritage Program, where it has a habitat typical of other southern disjunct natives (A. Ceska, pers. comm.). (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 8, p. 155. | FNA vol. 8, p. 152. |
Parent taxa | Crassulaceae > Crassula | Crassulaceae > Crassula |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Tillaea connata, C. connata var. erectoides, C. connata var. eremica, C. connata var. subsimplex, C. erecta, Tillaea erecta, Tillaea leptopetala | |
Name authority | Thunberg: Nova Acta Phys.-Med. Acad. Caes. Leop.-Carol. Nat. Cur. 6: 329, 337. 1778 , | (Ruiz & Pavón) A. Berger et al.: in H. G. A. Engler, Nat. Pflanzenfam. ed. 2, 18a: 389. (1930) |
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