Dudleya lanceolata
Dudleya gnoma
lance-leaf dudleya, lanceleaf liveforever, Southern California dudleya
munchkin dudleya, munchkin liveforever
simple or apically branched and cespitose, 1–5 × 1–3 cm, axillary branches absent.
branching apically, (cespitose), 0.5–2.6 × (0.1–)1.2–2 cm, axillary branches absent.
rosettes 1–7, not in clumps, 10–25(–30)-leaved, 3–25 cm diam.;
blade green, oblong-lanceolate, 4–30 × 0.5–4 cm, 1.5–6 mm thick, base 1–3 cm wide, apex acute to acuminate, surfaces not farinose, sometimes glaucous.
rosettes 1–60, in clumps, 8–20-leaved, 0.8–5.1 cm diam.;
blade green, becoming reddish, triangular-ovate, (0.6–)0.9–2 × 0.5–1.3 cm, 2–4 mm thick, base 0.7–1.5 cm wide, apex acute, surfaces farinose, heavily glaucous.
cyme mostly 2–3-branched, obpyramidal;
branches not twisted (flowers on topside), simple or 1-times bifurcate, (5–16 cm diam.);
cincinni 2–3, 2–20-flowered, circinate, 2–15(–25) cm;
floral shoots 15–90(–120) × 0.3–1.2 cm;
leaves 18–40, spreading to ascending, triangular-lanceolate to -ovate, 10–30(–50) × 3–18 mm, apex acute, in age straight and erect to spreading.
cyme 2-branched, broadly obpyramidal or flat-topped;
branches not twisted (flowers on topside), simple or 1 times bifurcate, (0.3–0.6 cm diam.);
cincinni 2–6, 3–7-flowered, circinate, 1–3 cm;
floral shoots 2.5–13 × 0.3–0.5 cm;
leaves 6–15, spreading, triangular-ovate, 5–10 × 4–6 mm, apex acute.
erect, not bent in fruit, 2–6(–12) mm.
erect, not bent in fruit, 1–3 mm.
calyx 4–7 × 5–8 mm;
petals connate 1–2 mm, bright yellow or usually red or red-flushed or -marked abaxially, greenish to orange-yellow adaxially, 10–16 × 2.5–5 mm, apex acute, tips slightly outcurved;
pistils connivent, erect.
calyx 3–4 × 4–5 mm;
petals connate 1–1.5 mm, pale to medium yellow, 9–10 × 2–3 mm, apex acute, tips slightly outcurved;
pistils connivent, erect.
follicles erect.
follicles erect.
= 68.
= 68.
Dudleya lanceolata
Dudleya gnoma
Dudleya lanceolata is wide-ranging, from Monterey and western Kern counties southward through San Diego County, variable, and ill-defined. It varies locally in size of parts and in flower color but does not seem easily divisible into smaller units. N. L. Britton and J. N. Rose (1903, 1905) proposed seven additional species of southern California or of unstated origin that seem best included here. On the basis of 18 or more well-scattered collections, it is tetraploid; it seems best defined partly on that basis. Similar plants from Aliso Canyon, Orange County, are octoploid (C. H. Uhl and R. V. Moran 1953, as D. sp. aff. D. lanceolata); this is one of several scattered coastal populations with the caudex elongate. Another is D. elongata Rose, from near San Pedro, of which later collections are tetraploid.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Of conservation concern.
Dudleya gnoma is known from near East Point on Santa Rosa Island and is considered seriously endangered (California Native Plant Society, http://cnps.web.aplus.net/cgi-bin/inv/inventory.cgi). McCabe estimated the total number of plants at 3200. It is like a diminutive form of D. greenei, which grows on the same island. In nature, it is uniformly small and strikingly distinct, and although somewhat larger in cultivation, it remains distinct. It has the same chromosome number as some plants of D. greenei on the same island (C. H. Uhl and R. V. Moran 1953) and doubtless would be interfertile with them. The best taxonomic treatment is uncertain. It is often grown and makes an attractive plant. In gardens it has been known by the illegitimate name D. nana and is called “White Sprite.”
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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