Sedum wrightii
Smithsonian Contr. Knowl. 3(5): 76. 1852,.
Herbs, perennial, tufted, glabrous. Stems erect or decumbent, branched from base, bearing shoots with rosettes axillary to proximal leaves. Leaves (immediately deciduous), alternate, erect to spreading, sessile; blade green or yellow-green, not glaucous, elliptic or oblanceolate-oblong, terete, 5–12 × 3–5 mm, base not spurred, not scarious, apex widely rounded, (surfaces minutely papillose marginally). Flowering shoots erect, simple, 6–15 cm; leaf-blades elliptic or oblanceolate-oblong, base not spurred; offsets not formed. Inflorescences cymes, 2–30-flowered, or flowers solitary, monochasially 1–2-branched; branches erect or recurved, sometimes forked; bracts similar to leaves, smaller. Pedicels to 3.7 mm. Flowers (with pungent, musky scent unique to this species), 4–7-merous; sepals divergent or erect, distinct, green, elliptic or lanceolate-oblong, unequal, 4–9 × 3.5 mm, apex acute to apiculate; petals erect in proximal 1/3, curved outward sharply 2/3 from base (distal 1/3 divergent), distinct, white, oblanceolate-oblong, not carinate, 5–9 mm, apex abruptly acute with mucronate appendage; filaments white; anthers red or yellow; nectar scales yellow, stipitate-reniform. Carpels erect in fruit, connate basally, pale-brown. 2n = 24, 30–33, 48, 49, 61–77, 72, 96, 120, 144.
Distribution
N.Mex., Tex., n Mexico
Discussion
Varieties 3 (2 in the flora).
Variety densiflorum (R. T. Clausen) H. Ohba occurs in northern Mexico.
Selected References
None.
Key
| 1 | Leaf blades of flowering shoots 10+ mm; sepals 4-9 mm; petals 5-9 mm. | Sedum wrightii var. wrightii |
| 1 | Leaf blades of flowering shoots 6-9 mm; sepals ca. 4 mm; petals 5-6 mm. | Sedum wrightii var. priscum |