SEDUM RUBENS

Family:- CRASSULACEAE

Common Names:- Red stonecrop

Synonyms:- Aithales rubens, Crassula rubens.

Meaning:- Sedum (L) A name used by the Roman naturalist and philosopher

Pliny, reference to the plants habit of ''sitting'' on rocks etc.

Rubens (L) Blushed with red, ruddy, blushing.

General description:- Erect annual

Stem:-

1) Simple, 2-15 cm long, rarely branched from the base, glandular-pubescent

especially in upper parts, usually glaucous, reddish.

Leaves:-

1) Lower, In whorls of 4,

2) Upper, alternate, 10-20 mm long, linear to ellipic, obtuse or rounded, semi-terete.

Flowers:-

1) Inflorescence a bracteate cyme with 2 or 3 branches.

2) Flowers sessile, 5-merous.

3) Petals c. 5 mm, acuminate, keeled, white or sometimes pinkish; midvein red

beneath.

4) Stamens usually 5.

5) anthers small (c. 0.5 mm), globose.

6) Styles very short.

Fruit:-

1) Ripe follicles brown, divergent from the base and suberect in the upper part,

glandular-pubescent, tuberculate.

2) Seeds ovoid, costate, shiny dark brown to black.

Key features:-

1) Stems simple, usually glaucous.

2) Leaves in whorls of 4.

3) Stamens 5.

4) Anthers small (c. 0.5 mm), globose.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Dry exposed habitats, rock crevices, on gravel and bare patches in open

vegetation, 0-800 m, occasionally higher (especially on Crete).

Distribution:- Throughout Greece, common in most areas. Widespread and

common throughout the Mediterranean area, extending to W Europe (N France),

the Canary Islands, and the Near East. Widespread and common on Crete.

Flowering time:- Late Mar to May(-June).

Photos by:- Steve Lenton

Native to:
Albania, Algeria, Baleares, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canary Is., Corse, Cyprus, East Aegean Is., Eritrea, France, Germany, Greece, Iran, Italy, Kriti, Krym, Lebanon-Syria, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Portugal, Romania, Sardegna, Sicilia, Spain, Switzerland, Transcaucasus, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkey-in-Europe, Turkmenistan, Yugoslavia

Introduced into:
Poland