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Walker, Colin
(2021).
Abstract
Sedum is a very large genus of Crassulaceae with maybe 500 species. For the collector, the greatest concentration of desirable non-hardy species is found in Mexico, home to perhaps 100 species. These exhibit a wide range of diversity, ranging from small creeping plants typical of the genus (i.e. stonecrops), to large atypical very woody shrubs 3 m or more tall.
Sedum lucidum is a woody Mexican species belonging to the Pachysedum group. It has basally well-branched stems up to 45 cm long that are sprawling to pendulous. The rounded leaves are lustrous green tinged with red (as lucidus means 'shining').
The plant illustrated here is a handsome clone collected by Alfred Lau in 1971 on north-facing granite outcrops south of Acultzingo, Veracruz, Mexico. It has been distributed in cultivation as ISI 1497. This had the invalid cultivar name of 'Obesum', which is here revised to 'Obese' for its fattish leaves.