Dudleya cymosa subsp. agourensis

Caudices simple or mostly cespitosely 1-5-branched, 0.5-1 cm diam. Leaves: rosettes 5-18-leaved; blade blue-gray, elliptic to oblong, 3-10 × 1-1.5 cm, apex acute to subacuminate, surfaces not farinose, glaucous. Inflorescences: floral shoots 12-25-leaved, 10-20 cm; cincinni 3+, 3-9-flowered, 1-3 cm. Petals bright yellow, 10-12 × 3-4.5 mm. 2n = 34.

Flowering late spring. North-facing slopes and roadcuts; of conservation concern; 200-500 m; Calif.

Subspecies agourensis is found in the Santa Monica Mountains; it is considered fairly threatened (California Native Plant Society, http://cnps.web.aplus.net/cgi-bin/inv/inventory.cgi). The various forms of Dudleya cymosa found scattered in the Santa Monica Mountains have so far been sorted out as three subspecies--although here, as usual, they don´t sort neatly, and we are left wondering what will turn up next.