Basic Literatur

86. Echeveria viridissima sp. nov.

"Pertinens Ser. Australes; glabra, caulescens, ramosa, ad 30 cm. alta; foliis subrosulatis, obovato-cuneatis, mucronatis, ad 9 cm. longis, 4-5 cm. latis, viridibus, saepe rubro-tinctis; inflorescentiis racemosis vel subpaniculatis, ad 20 cm. longis; pedunculis validis; bracteis obovatis, 35 mm. longis; pedicellis 2-3-floribus basi, 1-floribus apice, 2-3-bracteolatis; sepalis adscendentibus vel recurvatis, lineari-lanceolatis, acutis, subaequalibus, 2 cm. longis; corollis 16 mm. longis, 13 mm. diametro, rubris."

Holotype: CAS-409883, T. MacDougall #51/B-134; Isotype: UC.; Clonotype: University of California Botanic Garden 56.805-1.

Occurrence: Mexico, Oaxaca; Dist. Miahuatlan, San Pedro Mixtepec, "Guish-gal." 10.000 ft.; between and on scattered rocks, in nearly full light or partial shade from scattered oaks, madronas, etc., accompanied by Villadia sp., a fern with "20-leaflets", etc.

Description: (From living material obtained from UCBG.) Glabrous subshrub with numerous ascending to spreading branches, to 20 cm. tall or more; leaves subrosulate, ascending to spreading, obovate to cuneate, shortly mucronate, flat or shallowly concave above, faintly keeled beneath, to 10 cm. long and 6 cm. broad; inflorescences 1 or more, arising from below the leaves, erect above, racemose to subspicatc in upper portion, subpaniculate in lower part; peduncle stout, 8 to 12 mm. thick at base; bracts numerous broadly ovate, mucronate, 35 mm long, ascending to strongly recurved; some of the lowermost pedicels with 2 or more flowers, uppermost single-flowered, 4 to 8 mm. long, subangular, with 2-3 bracelets, these recurved; sepals subequal, ascending to recurved, linear-lanceolate, aristate-acuminate, scarcely united at base, longest to 20 mm long, faintly keeled beneath; corolla pentagonal, bi-gibbose, to 16 mm. long and 10-13 mm in diameter; petals sharply keeled, deeply hollowed within at base, at apex slightly spreading, acuminate; nectaries transversely-reniform, to 2.5 mm. wide. Fls. IV-XI.

Fig. 11. Echeveria viridissima

a. side-view of corolla x 2

b. base of calyx x 2

c. inside of petal x 2

d. petal-tip x 8

e. carpels x 2

f. nectary, front-view x 8

g. nectary, side-view x 8

h. leaf x 0.4

i. bract x 0.4

ii. upper bract x 2

Color: Leaves biscay-green, in sun tinged indian-red at edges, apex and on lower surface; peduncle to spectrum-red in sun, bracts as the leaves; sepals biscay-green, tinged morocco-red at tips in sun; corolla spectrum-red; petals light-orange-yellow inside; carpels clear dull-green-yellow; styles morocco-red; nectaries apricot-yellow.

Remarks: Notable in its exceptionally bright, deep green foliage which often assumes brilliant red tints in the sun, and its bright red flowers, this novelty promises to become popular in gardens, especially if its promise of hardiness, inferred from its high-mountain origin, is realized. In habit, foliage and inflorescence this new species recalls E. bicolor and E. montana, both of which have much paler foliage and less brightly colored flowers, nor do these normally bear more than a solitary flower on the lowermost pseudo-pedicels.

"Guish-gal" is Zapotec for "Fern-twenty", the reference being to a fern with approximately twenty leaflets found at the particular locality (as stated by Mr. T. MacDougall in a letter). An attempt to coin a specific name from this Zapotec word was considered, but abandoned as inadvisable.

Fig. 12 Echeveria viridissima. Upper left, flowering branch. Upper right, flowers. Lower, foliage. (Material courtesy of Mr. P. C. Hutchison.)