SEMPERVIVUM SPECIES:

S. albidum cdw127
S. altum cdw344

 


S. andreanum cdw39

 


S. arachnoideum  var. arachnoideum cdw2

S. arachnoideum var. arachnoideum fr. Alps Rhetiques (Monte Tonale) cdw780

S. arachnoideum var. arachnoideum fr. Bellach cdw1295

S. arachnoideum var. arachnoideum fr. Colle di Finestra cdw796

S. arachnoideum var. arachnoideum fr. Engadin cdw1297

S. arachnoideum var. arachnoideum fr. Fuldera, Val Müstair  cdw1298

S. arachnoideum var. arachnoideum fr. Gardasee, Italie  cdw1299

S. arachnoideum var. arachnoideum fr. Gorges du Valais  cdw1300

S. arachnoideum var. arachnoideum fr. Lago Sambucco cdw1301

S. arachnoideum var. arachnoideum fr. Latsch, Albula-tal  cdw1302

S. arachnoideum var. arachnoideum fr. Liddes, Val d’Entrement  cdw1303

S. arachnoideum var. arachnoideum fr. Lötschental, Fafleralp  cdw1304

S. arachnoideum var. arachnoideum fr. Maltatal (Oostenrijk) cdw798

S. arachnoideum var. arachnoideum fr. Martell-tal, Bozen (It)  cdw1305

S. arachnoideum var. arachnoideum fr. Monte Cervino, Piemonte  cdw1306

S. arachnoideum var. arachnoideum fr. Piatra Cariulu, Königsstein (Roemenie) cdw1307

S. arachnoideum var. arachnoideum fr. Pina bei Maloja (Zwit.)  cdw1308

S. arachnoideum var. arachnoideum fr. Pustertal, Osttirol (Oost.)  cdw1309

S. arachnoideum var. arachnoideum fr. Queyras cdw1310

S. arachnoideum var. arachnoideum fr. Slamat  cdw1296

S. arachnoideum var. arachnoideum fr. Weppen  cdw1311

S. arachnoideum var. arachnoideum fr. Zinal-Rothorn (Zwit.) cdw1312

 


S. arachnoideum 'Minor' cdw28

S. arachnoideum ‘Albiflorum’ cdw1229
S. arachnoideum 'Albion' cdw131

 

 

S. arachnoideum ‘Album Roseum’ cdw1231

S. arachnoideum ‘Aureum cdw858

S. arachnoideum 'Glabrum' cdw129

 


S. arachnoideum 'Gnaphalum' cdw130

S. arachnoideum ‘Minutum’ cdw1315

 

S. arachnoideum ‘Sargentii’ cdw1275

S. arachnoideum ‘Stansfieldii’ cdw1284

S, arachnoideum ‘Timofejeva’ cdw1287
S. arachnoideum fr. Kl. Scheidigg cdw165

 


S. arachnoideum fr. Fextal cdw430

 


S. arachnoideum fr. Palliviflora cdw160
S. arachnoideum var. brioides cdw128
S. arachnoideum var. doellianum cdw438

 


S. arachnoideum var. glabrescens cdw208

S. arachnoideum var. glabrescens hetrichum cdw1313

S. arachnoideum var. Moggridgei  cdw1314
S. arachnoideum var. sanguineum cdw476
S. arachnoideum var. tomentosum cdw26

S. arachnoideum var. tomentosum fr. Alteschgebiet, Wallis  cdw1316

S. arachnoideum var. tomentosum fr. Col Bayard  cdw1317

S. arachnoideum var. tomentosum fr. Glenic (Centraal Massief) cdw804

S. arachnoideum var. tomentosum fr. Pierlas cdw792

S. arachnoideum var. tomentosum fr. Sion  cdw1318

S. arachnoideum var. tomentosum fr. St. Marien cdw801
S. arachnoideum var. tomentosum fr. Coll. Vallee du Fournel cdw757

 

S. arachnoideum x calcareum cdw520
S. arachnoideum x montanum cdw
S. arachnoideum x nevadense cdw514
S. arachnoideum x pittonii cdw62

 


S. atlanticum fr. Mount Atlas cdw556
S. atlanticum fr. Auikamaden cdw183

 


S. atlanticum 'Edward Balls' cdw41

 


S. balcanicum cdw345

 


S. ballsii fr. Smolika cdw211
S. ballsii fr. Tschumba Petzii cdw212
S. x barbulatum cdw527

 


S. x barbulatum nm. hookeri cdw52

 


S. borissovae cdw217

 


S. x calcaratum cdw65

 


S. calcareum cdw25

S. calcareum fr. Cheiron, Alpes Maritimes  cdw1319

 


S. calcareum fr. Col de Bayard cdw166

S. calcareum fr. Col de Cante cdw1226

 


S. calcareum fr. Gleize cdw489

 


S. calcareum fr. Guillaumes cdw557

 


S. calcareum fr. George du Cians cdw220

S. calcareum fr. La Colle St. Michel (Alpes de Haute Provence)  cdw1320

S. calcareum fr. La Tour-sur-Tinee  cdw786

S. calcareum fr. La Vanoise (Savoie)  cdw1321

S. calcareum fr. Malaucéne   cdw1322

S. calcareum fr. Mont Viso  cdw1227

 


S. calcareum fr. Mont Ventoux cdw222
S. calcareum fr. Petite Ceuse cdw756

S. calcareum fr. Pierlas cdw788

S. calcareum fr. Route d’Annot  cdw1323

 

S. calcareum fr. Triora cdw490

S. calcareum fr. Utelle cdw793

 


S. cantabricum cdw43

S. cantabricum subsp. Cantabricum fr. Coll Bulnes nr. 1 cdw761

S. cantabricum subsp. Cantabricum fr. Coll Bulnes nr. 2 cdw758

S. cantabricum subsp. Cantabricum fr. Jou Bajo cdw759

S. cantabricum subsp. Cantabricum fr Pena de Llesba cdw762

S. cantabricum subsp. Cantabricum fr. Picos de Europa  cdw765

S. cantabricum subsp. Cantabricum fr.Portilla de la Reina 1300m  cdw805

 


S. cantabricum subsp. guadarramense fr. Lobo nr 2 cdw224

S. cantabricum subsp. Guadarramense fr. Collado de las Zorras cdw785

S. cantabricum subsp. Guadarramense fr. Collado de las Zorras cdw790

S. cantabricum subsp. Guadarramense fr. Pico Maliciosa cdw807

 


S. cantabricum fr. Lieteregos cdw558
S. cantabricum fr. Logo de Ecol nr 1 cdw525
S. cantabricum fr. Navafria cdw225

S. cantabricum subsp. Urbionense fr. Coll El Gaton 2000m  cdw766

S. cantabricum subsp. Urbionense fr. Coll El Gaton 1950 m zuidwestelijk  cdw767

S. cantabricum subsp. Urbionense fr. Laguna negra de Urbion  cdw768

S. cantabricum subsp. Urbionense fr. Puerto de Piqueras  cdw771

 


S. cantabricum subsp. urboniense fr. Valvanera cdw526

S. cantabricum subsp. (Gredos) fr. Callejon des los Lobos  cdw808

S. cantabricum subsp. (Gredos) fr. Coll. Portilla del Rey (oostelijk) cdw769

S. cantabricum subsp. (Gredos) fr. Coll. Portilla del Rey (westelijk) cdw770

 


S. caucasicum cdw227

S. caucasicum fr. Ordzonikidze (Georgie)  cdw1325

 


S. x christii cdw228

S. x christii fr. Piamprato (It.)  cdw784

S. x christii fr. Valtournenche  cdw772
S. charadzeae cdw347 en 1327 (Wills)

S. charadzeae  cdw1326 (Gmeinder)

S. charadzeae  cdw 1328 (Zeppelin)
S. ciliosum fr. Ali Botusch cdw723

 

    
S. ciliosum var. borisii cdw44
S. ciliosum var. galicicum fr. Mali Hat cdw724
S. ciliosum x marmoreum cdw521
S. davisii cdw440

S. davisii  fr. Nemrut Dag near Malatya (Turkije) cdw1329

S. degenianum fr. Domokos  cdw1341
S. dolomiticum cdw441

S. dolomiticum fr. Rifugio Biella nr. 1  cdw774

S. dolomiticum fr. Rifugio Biella nr. 3  cdw773

 


S. dolomiticum x montanum cdw236
S. dzhavachischvili cdw348

S. erythraeum (Dillmann)  cdw1337

S. erythraeum var. blandum (Schara)  cdw1338

S. erythraeum fr. Pirin  cdw1339

S. erythraeum fr. Rila  cdw1340
S. x fauconnetti cdw240

 


S. x fauconnetti nm thompsonii cdw68

 


S. x funckii cdw45
S. giuseppii cdw46

S. giuseppii fr. Coll Coriscao cdw763

S. giuseppii fr. Vega de Liordes oostelijk (Picos de Europa) cdw760

S. giuseppii fr. Vega de Liordes westelijk cdw764

 


S. grandiflorum cdw247

S. grandiflorum fr. Piamprato  cdw795

S. grandiflorum  fr. Coll. Valtournenche (It.) cdw782

S. grandiflorum ‘Album’  cdw1333

 

S. grandiflorum 'Fasciatum' cdw248
S. grandiflorum 'Keston' cdw249

S. x hayekii (grandiflora x tectorum) fr. Breuil-Cervinia) cdw778

 


S. ingwersenii cdw258
S. ispartae cdw349
S. italicum fr. Monti Lepida cdw350 en 1343
S. kindingeri cdw524

S. kindingeri (Bot. Gart. Akureyri) cdw1336

 


S. kosaninii cdw54
S. kosaninii fr. Koprovnik cdw523

S. leucanthum (Bot. Gart. Munchen)  cdw1334

S. leucanthum fr. Rila (Bulg.) cdw1335

 


S. macedonicum cdw269

 


S. marmoreum cdw55
S. marmoreum fr. Kanzan Gorge cdw274
S. marmoreum fr. Monte Tirone cdw275
S. marmoreum fr. Okol cdw276
S. marmoreum var. dinaricum cdw522
S. minus cdw599
S. montanum fr. Anchisis cdw486
S. montanum fr. L'Arbizon cdw492
S. montanum fr. Windachtal cdw491

 


S. montanum var. burnatii cdw283

 


S. montanum var. stiriacum cdw58
S. montanum var. stiriacum fr. Mauterndorf cdw515

 


S. montanum var. stiriacum 'Lloyd Praeger' cdw516
S. nevadense cdw427

S. nevadense fr. Coll.Calar de Santa Barbara cdw777

S. nevadense fr. El Chullo  cdw781

S. nevadense fr. Coll. Peniones de San Francisco nr. 1 cdw776

S. nevadense fr. Coll. Peniones de San Francisco nr. 2 cdw775

 


S. nevadense 'Hirtellum' cdw59

 


S. octopodes var. apetalum cdw60
S. ossetiense cdw285

 


S. patens cdw428

S. x piliferum n-subsp. Pomelii fr. Roc Orque (Fr.)  cdw791

 


S. pittonii cdw342
S. pumilum fr. Adyl Su nr 1 cdw297
S. pumilum fr. Adyl Su nr 2 cdw298
S. pumilum fr. Armchi cdw299
S. pumilum fr. Elbruz nr 1 cdw300
S. pumilum fr. Elbruz nr 2 cdw301

S. pumilum fr. Tazbegi-Terek Valley (Georgië) cdw1342
S. reginae-amaliae fr. Kambeecho nr 2 cdw305

 


S. reginae-amaliae fr. Mavri Petri cdw306
S. reginae-amaliae fr. Peristeria cdw307

 


S. reginae-amaliae fr. Sarpun cdw308
S. reginae-amaliae fr. Vardusa cdw518
S. x roseum cdw517

S. x roseum fr. Monte Padon (It.)  cdw779

 


S. x roseum 'Fimbriatum' cdw63

S. x rupicolum (montanum x wulfenii) fr. Monte Padon (It.)  cdw783
S. ruthenicum cdw442

 


S. sosnowski cdw351

 


S. tectorum  cdw3

S. tectorum ‘Album’ cdw1359

S. tectorum fr. Mont Ventoux cdw787

 


S. tectorum fr. Sierra del Cadi cdw318

 


S. tectorum subsp. alpinum cdw67

S. tectorum subsp. alpinum fr Sion cdw1344

S. tectorum subsp. aureggii  cdw1345

 


S. tectorum subsp. glaucum cdw317

S. tectorum subsp. boutignyanum fr. Pla de la Barraca (Spanje) cdw789

S. tectorum subsp. boutignyanum fr. Roc, St. Bertrand  cdw1346

S. tectorum subsp. clusianum  cdw1347

S. tectorum subsp. corymbosum cdw1348

S. tectorum subsp. lamottei  cdw1349

S. tectorum subsp. murale fr. Coll. Corneaux-Neufchatel  cdw1350

S. tectorum subsp. rhenanum  cdw1351

S. tectorum subsp. rupestre  cdw1352

S. tectorum subsp. tectorum fr. Alubula-tal  cdw1353
S. tectorum subsp. tectorum fr. Champex  cdw1354

S. tectorum subsp. tectorum fr. Conflans cdw1228

S. tectorum subsp. tectorum fr  Liddes, Val d’Entrement cdw1355

S. tectorum subsp. tectorum fr. Mala Mojstrovika (Slowakije)  cdw1356

S. tectorum subsp. tectorum fr. Mont Blanc  cdw1357

S. tectorum subsp. tectorum fr. Val Bordolo (Zwit)  cdw1358

S. thompsonianum  cdw1360

S. transcaucasicum cdw69

S. x vaccari cdw324

 


S. vicentei fr. Gaton cdw122
S. x widderi cdw327

S. wulfenii (Gmeinder)  cdw1361

S. wulfenii (Dillmann)  cdw1362

S. wulfenii subsp. juvanii  cdw1363

 

 


Sempervivum  species, the descriptions

 

The description of all the species is the work of  Mr. Alan C. Smith, who collected more than 50 years Sempervivums and Jovibarbas. His collection won lots of awards at the Chelsea Show and R.H.S. Halls.

He liked to make a book with descriptions of all the species and hybrids with photos of them all. The photos he didn’t succeed, because that would raise the price of the book too much.

When I told him I was making a homepage my collection of Sempervivums and Jovibarbas with photos, he was pleased to give me permission to use his descriptions of the species. So thanks to Alan C. Smith (Keston, GB).

 

 

S. altum (Turrill).

This species was first collected by Dr. P.L. Giuseppi on Mount Armchi in the Caucasus in 1935. The original description was published in 1936 in the Bull. Soc. Bot. Bulg. Vol. 7 page 124. Rather lax rosettes 2,5 to 4 cm in diameter with light green glandular pubescent leaves on upper and lower surfaces. On exposure the outer leaves develop red tips. The flowers are red-purple having yellow anthers. Offsets are produced on stolons 8 to 12 cm long. Not one of the easiest species under cultivation as it dislikes winter damp.

 

S. andreanum (Wale).

Collected in 1935 by Mrs. Andrea Giuseppi in the Sierra Cani, north Spain and described in the Quart. Bull. Alp. Gard. Soc. Vol. 9 page 116 (1941). A distinct species with rosettes 1,5 to 4 cm in diameter, the outer leaves forming a tight, conical bud similar to that of S. wulfenii (Hoppe). The stolons carrying the new rosettes are short and consequently tend to form close clumps of rosettes. The flowers have pale pink petals deepening to a light red at the base; yellow anthers. Easy under cultivation and increases quickly.

 

S. arachnoideum (Linn). ‘Cobweb Houseleek’.

One of the best-known and most delightful species of the genus, first described by Linnaeus in 1753 Sp. Plant. 465. This species has a very wide distribution: Pyrenees, Alps, Apennines, Carpathians. It is a very variable species as to size of rosettes and the development of the ‘cobweb’, it may be so dense as to form a snowy mass which completely hides the leaves or may be quite thin and almost disappears completely in winter. The colour of the rosette leaves may be deep red or shades of green. The flowers are very attractive being of a bright rose-red colour. All the forms are easy to grow and produce offsets freely. This species hybridises readily with other Sempervivums, producing fertile plants which will cross back with the parents and give rise to an infinity of forms.

The following varieties are only extreme forms of the species and are connected with the type by countless intermediates.

 

S. arachnoideum var. arachnoideum.

Rosettes not usually more than 2 cm in diameter, ovoid or globose; arachnoid hairs variable.

Form No. 1. A clone with ball-shaped rosettes densely covered with white woolly hairs. Rosettes about 1,5 cm in diameter.

Form No. 2. Rosettes 1,5 to 2 cm , yellow-green with less arachnoid hair. Rosettes tinted with orange and red in summer.

 

S. arachnoideum var. arachnoideum ‘Fasciatum’.

A curiosity that is only a deformity, the fasciation is not very stable. The form  No. 2 often produce these abnormal growths.

 

S. arachnoideum var. glabrescens (Willkomm).

Syn S. doellianum (C.B. Lehmann ). Rather flattish rosettes bearing only a small amount of cobweb, even in mid-summer. Rosettes do not usually exceed 1,5 cm in diameter,

 

S. arachnoideum var glabrescens ‘Album’ .

An exceedingly rare form with white flowers.

 

S. arachnoideum var. tomentosum (Lehm. & Schnittsp).

Syn. S. webbianum (HORT.) ,S. laggeri.

Flattish rosettes with very dense white cobweb, much larger rosettes than the var. arachnoideum, up to 4 cm in diameter. This var. has very fine red-coloured rosettes in spring and early summer.

 

S. armenum (Boiss & Huet).

A rare species first described and named in 1856. Not known under cultivation until introduced by E. K. Balls in 1934 from Gumush Hane in northern Turkey; reference in Quart.Bull. Alp. Gard. Soc. Vol. 10 page 233 (1942). Note that in this reference the plant collected from Vavuk Dagh, to quote: ‘provisionally identified with S. armenum’, is now S. glabrifolium; Ref., R.B.G.E. Vol. 29 No. 1 (Jan. 1969).

S. armenum has rosettes 4 to 6 cm in diameter, in appearance similar to some forms of S. tectorum (Linn). Rosette leaves green, glabrous, ciliate, with dark purple apex. Stolons are few, and the young rosettes, glandular at first, soon becoming glabrous. Flowers greenish-yellow with purple base, filaments purple with yellow anthers. A slow-growing species that is apt to damp off with the winter wet.

 

S. atlanticum (Ball).

This is the only representative of the genus to be found in the African Continent; Great Atlas mountains of Morocco. When it was first collected in 1871 by J.D. Hooker, Maw and Ball, it only bears a superfical likeness. The rosettes are 4 to 8 cm in diameter, suberect, often lop-sided and asymmetrical, pale green. Flushed red when grown fully exposed to sun. The rosette leaves are pubescent on both faces and abruptly contracted at the tips. Offsets are produced freely on very short stolons so that the plant forms a regular hump of rosettes. Flower-stems are 15 to 25 cm high, having the tendency to produce flower-buds in the upper leaf-axils. Cauline leaves usually coloured bronze-red. Petals pale pink with a deep pink median band; filaments are crimson, anthers dull green. The flowers are rarely produced under cultivation. Easy species to cultivate although not too hardy in the severest winters.

 

S. ballsii(Wale).

Collected by E.K. Balls in 1937 and described in the Kew Bulletin 1940 page 141; details were also published in the Quart. Bull. Alp. Gard. Soc. Vol. 8 page 204 (1940). The type plant is the form collected from the Greek Epirus. Mount Tschumba Petzi, Grammos range (typus in Herb. Kew). In 1937 plants were also found in three other localities in north-west Greece. The following describtion is of the type form: Rosettes quite densely-leaved, about 3 cm in diameter, sub-globular, inner leaves closed with the outer leaves more open and erect, glabrous at maturity except for a few marginal cilia. The rosette-colouring is a uniform green with a bronze to red tinge on the outer leaves. The new offsets are produced on short, stout stems. The flowers are dull pink, filaments crimson. An easy species to grow but not too free in the production of rosettes.

 

S. ballsii from Tschumba Petzi. (described above).

 

S. ballsii from Skrutsch. The rosettes of this form assume a light chocolate colour in summer.

 

S. ballsii from Smolika. Has slightly flatter rosettes than the type with rather more ciliate hair on the rosette leaves.

 

S. borissovae (Wale).

Named after the botanist Mme A. Borissova. Found in the Caucasus in 1935 by W.E.Th. Ingwersen; collected from the upper end of the Adyl Su valley, growing plentifully in large clumps in thin turf between rocks. Dr. R.S. Wale made a ful Latin description that is published in the Bull. Alp. Gard. Soc. Vol. 10 page 95 (1942). Rosettes are rather flat, semi-open and about 3 cm in diameter; leaves strongly ciliate, otherwise glabrous A nice feature on this species is the strongly coloured rosettes, red-brown in the upper half and green at the base. Attractive flowers with rose-red petals which are distinctive, having slightly irregular serrated edges. At certain seasons of the year this species resembles S. marmoreum var. dinaricum. Easy of culture and increases offsets freely.

 

S. calcareum (Jordan).

Syn. S. tectorum L. var. calcareum (Jordan) Cariot & St. Lager. A species recorded in 1849 by Jordan, but is regarded by many authorities as a variety of S. tectorum, the first recorded case of this was in the year 1854, hence the above synonym. In regard to botanical status we have accepted the authority of Flora Europaea Vol. 1 (1964). S. calcareum is a native of the French Alps growing on calcareus rocks. It has large grey-green rosettes 6 cm in diameter or more across with glabrous leaves conspicuously tipped with purple on the both sides of the leaves. Flowers are pale pink, but seldom produced. It is an easy species to grow and a very good garden plant.

 

S. cantabricum (Huber).

This species was described by Huber, Feddes Repert. 33: 364 (1934). Information was taken from a specimen plant growing in the garden of Sundermann at Lindau which had been collected on Picos de Europa, north Spain by Haag in 1910. In 1934 Dr. P.L. Giuseppi found this species growing on Picos de Europa, this plant being indistinguishable in rosette and flower from Sundermann’s specimen apart from the tendency of the outer rosette leaves to assume a reddish colour on full exposure to sun.

Many diverse forms of this species have been collected in recent years. The description is as follows:

Rosettes about 5 to 6 cm in diameter, half open. Leaves a deep green with well-marked dark purple tips, both sides of the leaf surfaces being pubescent. The flowers are deep carmine with purple filaments. Offsets tend to be few and borne on leafy, stout and rather stiff stems. This is a very fine species, reasonably easy to grow, apt to suffer from winter wet but soon makes a good recovery in spring.

 

S. caucasicum (Ruprecht).

Originally described in 1872. Dr. Praeger had not succeeded in seeing either living or dried specimens of this species when he wrote his monograph on the genus in 1932. However, Praeger does make an interesting reference on page 76 under S. caucasicum, to quote:” Boissier, who transcribed from Ruprecht’s MS. (Ruprecht made the original description from living material which he collected), remarks that from badly dried specimens seen by him he finds little in which the plant differs from S. tectorum except its few-flowerde corymb and rather longer petals.” In 1935 this species was collected by Dr. Giuseppi and W.E.Th. Ingwersen in the Caucasus from an unspecified mountain above the Georgian Highway in the region of Mount Kasbek. The  type specimen of S. caucasicum was collected in Daghestan by Ruprecht, and in many respects the specimen collected in 1935 corresponds with the description of Ruprecht and the observation made by Boissier. After all this said, there still remains some doubt concerning the plants under cultivation as the type specimen did have somewhat pubescent leaves, and until it is possible to see living material from the original locality, namely Daghestan, this point cannot be finally settled.

The plant under cultivation has rather few-leaved rosettes, about 2 to 3,5 cm in diameter. Rosette leaves spathulate, abruptly contracted, mucronate with dark brown apex and edged with short cilia, and just a very few hairs on back surface, otherwise glabrous. Offsets are numerous and carried on long stolons. The flowers are red.

 

S. ciliosum (Craib).

First described in the Kew Bulletin, December 1914, page 379. A very attractive and distinct species that is found in quite a number of diverse forms.  The distribution is mainly Bulgaria but is also found in what was called Yugoslavia. Not a difficult species to grow although it does benefit from protection against winter damp.

 

S. ciliosum from Ali Botusch. A form with rather shorter-haired rosettes than the type; develops a nice red shade in summer. Bulgaria.

 

S. ciliosum var. cilosum. This type plant has rosettes 3,5 to 5 cm in diameter, flattened-globose, usually wholly or half closed with outer leaves tinged red. Leaves are oblong-oblanceolate, acute, strongly incurved, pubescent. Due to the very long marginal cilia, the leaves take on a grey appearance. Flower-stems are about 10 cm high, quite stout and clad with imbricate leaves. Flowers large, about 23 mm in diameter, petals are pale yellow; filaments whitish. Offsets multiply freely on strong, hairy stolons.

 

S. ciliosum var. borisii (Degen & Urumov).

Globular rosettes that are densely-haired, this giving a very attractive, white-icy-appearance. The flower-stem and inflorescence are almost identical to the type. Original habitat is Pancerevo near Sofia.

 

S. ciliosum var. galicicum (A.C. Smith).

A variety, well distinguished from the type by its smaller, more compact rosettes, not more than 2,5 cm in diameter, having incurld leaves with relatively short hairs and cilia. The leaves are coloured a deep plum. Stolons; very long and slender, up to 9 cm. Flower-stems are about 8 cm high and slender. Inflorescence is compact and much smaller than in the type. Holotype: Mount Mali Hat, part of the Galicica mountain range, between Lakes Orchid and Presba in south-west Macedonia. Collected by Dr. L. Seligman in the 1930’s

 

S. dolomiticum (Facchini).

Described in Zeitschr. Ferdinand. Tirol ser. 3, 5, 56 (1855). A rare species under cultivation although described so long ago. In the wild found only very local in the eastern Alps growing on rocks rich in lime. Rosettes are semi-open, subglobular, 2 to 4 cm in diameter; somewhat similar to some small forms of S. montanum but differing by the denser and more pointed, upright leaves. The rosette leaves are strongly ciliate, bright green with the outside of the older leaves suffused scarlet. Offsets are numerous on slender stolons. Flowers are a deep reddish-pink and borne on thin stems bearing a few leaves. Not a very easy species to grow and resents our winter damp.

 

S. erythraeum (Velenovsky).

Described in Flora Bulgarica Suppl. Page 111 (1898). A very nice species that is only found in Bulgaria. Generally growing on limestone rock formations although the very distinct form from El Tepe in the Pirin mountains was found on granite. This beautiful species derives its name by reference to the red-tinted rosette leaves, but this is not a constant feature in all the different forms. However, a distinctive and constant feature of this plant is the presence of a dense indumentum on the rosette leaves, the hairs generally visible only under a magnifying glass. The rosettes vary in size from 2 to 5 cm in diameter, rather flat and wide open. Leaves obovate-spathulate, apiculate and ciliate on edges with hairs of unequal lenght. Offsets are always on short stolons so that the plant forms a compact tuft. Petals are narrow, deep pink with a purplish-red median strip. Filaments are purplish-red.

 

S. erythraeum from Rila. The rosettes of this form produce a rather deeper tint of red. Bulgaria.

 

S. erythraeum from Pirin (El Tepe). A distinct form with wholly green rosettes which are rather smaller than the type.

 

S. giuseppii (Wale).

Described in the Quart. Bull. Alp. Gard. Soc. Vol. 9 page 115 (1941). Collected in 1935 by Dr. P.L. Giuseppi from the Pena Espiguete, North-West Spain, growing on limestone rock. Recent finds have been made by Dr. M.C. Smith of the Botany Dept., Bristol University, these conclude not only collections from Pena Espiguete, but also Picos de Europa, at Ijan and Pena Prieta; localities in N.W. Spain. It is a good species having rosettes 2,5 to 3,5 cm in diameter with rosette leaves ovate, mucronate, pale green with a small brown patch at the apex and densely pubescent with long stiff marginal ciliation. Offsets are numerous, given on short stolons. Flowers are rose-red. An extremely easy species to grow and soon forms a dense clump.

 

S. glabrifolium (Borissova).

Published in Fl. URSS 9: 22, 471 (1939). This species was collected in 1934 by E.K. Balls from Vavuk Dagh, North-East Turkey and misidentified as S. armenum auct.: Wale in Bull. Alp. Gard. Soc. Vol. 10 : 106, 234 (1942): -Ref. R.B.G.E. Vol. 29 No. 1 (Jan. 1969). S. glabrifolium described in Flora URSS was from the Artvin district of Turkish Armenia. Although S. glabrifolium is clearly allied to S. armenum and also the Caucasian S. sosnowskyi – all three species have glabrous rosette leaves when mature but with the juventile leaves more or less glandular. S. glabrifolium is distinguished from the other two species by its smaller rosettes about 2,5 cm in diameter, olive-green and heavily marked with purple at the apices or in the whole of the upper half of the leaves. Rosette leaves alsp have a fringe of marginal ciliation. Flowers are pale greenish-yellow in the petals with filaments white and anthers yellow. Rather a difficult species under cultivation and inclined to damp off in summer and winter.

 

S. grandiflorum (Haworth).

Synonyms are S. globiferum (Gaudin) and S. gaudini (Christ). First described by Haworth in Revis. Pl. Succ. 66 (1821). This species is found in southern Switzerland and northern Italy; in nature avoiding limestone formations. A variable species as to size of rosettes, they can be from 2 to 10 cm in diameter, rather lax and flat with dull green leaves, oblanceolate-cuneate or almost strap-shaped, cuspidate at apex and often with small brown apex. Leaves are also densely pubescent and quite sticky to the touch, having a strong resinous odour. This pungent and rather unpleasant odour is sometimes referred to as a ‘goaty’ smell and readily identifies this species. The offsets are produced on long leafy stolons. The flowers are large, petals yellow or greenish-yellow, tinged purple at the base.

Easily grown species that does appreciate a rich soil.

 

S. grandiflorum ‘Fasciatum’. A curiously congested form.

 

S. ingwersenii (Wale).

Collected by W.E.Th. Ingwersen in 1935 in the Adyl Su valley at the foot of Mount Dongus Orun, Caucasus (typus in Herb. Kew). Described in the Quart. Bull. Alp. Gard. Soc. Vol. 10 pages 90-92 (1942). This species is not unlike S. altum (Turrill) and S. ossetiense (Wale) in habit, but distinguished by the pea-green colour of its rosettes and rather smaller flowers in a more compact inflorescence. Rosettes 3 to 4 cm in diameter, very compact and flattish with a very dense and fine pubescence on the leaves with only a small brown apex, also sparingly ciliate; rosette leaf shape is obovate, narrowed towards the base, acute apex. Offsets are numerous on long reddish stolons. Flowers are rarely produced, they have red petals with narrow white margins. Easy under cultivation and a vigourous grower.

 

S. iranicum (Bornm. & Gauba).

Published in Fedde Repert:49: 257 (1940). The only Iranian species so far recorded, it comes from the Elbruz Mountains, north Iran. This species was collected by Admiral J.P. Furse in 1960. The following description is based on the field collection from P.F. 2531:- rosettes open, dull green flushed red, 3 to 5 cm in diameter; rosette leaves are narrow-obovate, apiculate, ciliate on margins and just a few hairs on back of leaves, otherwise the leaves are glabrous (some forms collected in 1960 do have a fine pubescence). Offsets are on very short stolons, Flower-petals are rose-pink with narrow white margins, filaments are rose, anthers brownish-pink. Not a difficult species to grow although best protected from winter wet.

 

S. kindingeri (Adamovic).

Denkschrift Akad. Wiss. Math.-Nat. Kl.(Wien) 74,  page 125 (1904). A species first found by Kindinger in rock-fissures between Veles and Zelenikovo in Macedonia. The rosettes are 4 to 6 cm in diameter, flattish, open with few leaves and short-stemmed offsets. Leaves of rosettes are cuneate-oblong, glandular-hairy with conspicuous marginal cilia, pale green in colour with a purplish flush at the tips. Flowers have pale yellow petals tinged with pink at the base, filaments purplish, anthers yellow. A beautiful species that is rather intolerant of winter damp and best provided with some form of protection.

 

S. kosaninii (Praeger).

First described in Bull. Inst. Bot. Univ. Belgrade 1; 210 (1930).This species was first described by Praeger from a specimen collected by Prof. N. Kosanin in 1925 from Mount Osljak (Scardus), above Prizren in S.W. Yugoslavia and growing on Triassic limestone. A lovely species with rosettes 4 to 8 cm in diameter, open, dense and flattish with leaves oblanceolate, shortly acuminate, glandular-hairy on face and back, cilia about twice as long as the other hairs; colour of rosettes is dark green with a red apex. Offsets are on strong, leafy stems sometimes up to 12 cm long. The flower-stems are stout, clad with linear-lanceolate loosely imbricate leaves; compact inflorescence of many reddish-pink flowers, the petals of which are greenish on the back and have white margins, filaments purple, anthers light red. Quite easy to grow and increases fairly freely.

 

S. kosaninii fr. Koprivnik. A distinct form, much smaller than the type, not more than 3 cm in diameter and with denser rosettes of a lighter green, especially so in spring. Montenegro

 

S. kosaninii fr. Visitor. Rosettes are a little smaller than the type plant, with much less glandular-hair on face and back of leaves and only a smaller amount of purple lipping on rosette leaves. Montenegro.

 

S. leucanthum (Pancic).

Elem. Fl. Bulg. 30 (1883). This species was first collected and described from specimens found in the Rila Mountains, Bulgaria. The distribution of this species is apparently limited to the Rila Mountains where it has been re-collected a number of times in the 1930’s. The following is a general description: rosettes 2,5 to 5 cm in diameter, flattish with the inner leaves closed and the outer ones more or less erect. Leaves of rosettes are elongate-cuneate, widest near apex and finely pubescent on both faces, ciliate on edges with hairs of unequal lenght, colour of leaves can vary from pale yellow-green to dark green with a dark pronounced apex; this in some forms almost nonexistent.

Stolons are stout, about 5 to 8 cm in lenght. Lower stems are tall and quite slender with a small inflorescence, petals greenish-yellow, filaments vary from white to purple in individual forms, anthers yellow. This species is quite similar to S. kindingeri (Adamovic), the difference, although S. leucanthum is variable, is that the rosettes are less open and with many more leaves, also much longer stolons. In spite of the hairy nature of its rosettes, S. leucanthum is not a difficult species to grow, but it remains rather rare under cultivation as it increases slowly and is inclined to flower too much.

 

S. macedonicum (Praeger).

Bull. Inst. Bot. Univ. Belgrade 1. Page 212 (1930). This species was recorded by Praeger from material collected from a number of locations in south-west Yugoslavia (in that time). Small rosettes about 2 to 4 cm in diameter, dense, flat and open in habit except for the central leaves which are rather closed. Rosette leaves are broadly oblanceolate, shortly acuminate at apex, densely but minutely pubescent: similar to that of S. erythraeum (Velenovsky), but it has a very different habit owing to its long-stemmed offsets, S. erythraeum forming a close tuft, while S. macedonicum forms a loose mat.

The leaves of S. macedonicum are rather dull green, often flushed red near apex, but not purple tipped. Leaves also have marginal cilia.

Flower-stems are short, very leafy, displaying a compact inflorescence with flower petals of a dull red-purple, filaments are lilac. An easy species to cultivate, increases rapidly, but rather shy in producing flowers.

 

S. macedonicum fr. Ljubotin.

A distinct form having flatter, lighter green rosettes with the inner leaves rather more closed. S.W. Yugoslavia.

 

S. macedonicum fr. Pasina Glava.

Has rather more globular rosettes with wider leaves than the type. S.W. Yugoslavia.

 

S. marmoreum (Griseb.).

Synonym S. schlehanii (Schott). The name S. marmoreum (Griseb.) supersedes S. schlehanii (Schott) on the grounds of priority, this conclusion being made after examination of material from the original locality. (Turril. Bull. Bulg. Bot. Soc. 7: page 124 (1936)). Grisebach’s  description of this species is in Spicil. Fl. Rumel. 1: page 329 (1843), this is 10 years before the name S. schlehanii (Schott) was given to this species.

In nature S. marmoreum is found with a wide-spread distribution in the Balkans and eastern Europe. It is represented by a wide range of polymorphic forms as to shape, size and colouration, much resembling S. tectorum (L.). his species can well be described as the S. tectorum of the Balkans with very similar general range of variation, but with the juvenile leaves at least hairy to some extent and in all its forms tends to be a neater plant.

Description of the typical form: Rosettes are approximately 6 cm in diameter, open in habit, green sometimes with a darker apex or woth the leaves flushed with red over face and back. Rosette leaves are obovate-spathulate to oblong, mostly broader in upper part and abruptly mucronate, flat on face and convex on back, glabrous at maturity except for the stout deflexed marginal cilia. Offsets are on thick stolons about 2 cm in lenght. Flower stems are stout; flower-petals are crimson or rose with a distinct white margin (not paler red as in forms of S. tectorum). Quite an easy species to grow , but in the typical form does not increase so rapidly as S. tectorum and also flowers frequently. The selected form from Durmitor form No. 1 is considered to represent the type form of this species.

 

S. marmoreum fr. Durmitor form No. 1.

Particularly colourful rosettes heavily tinted reddish-brown.

 

S. marmoreum fr. Durmitor form No. 2.

Bright green, medium sized rosettes.

 

S. marmoreum fr. Monte Tirone.

This is a particularly interseting plant because it was collected in the year 1935 from Southern Italy by Dr. R. Seligman, far away from this species normal habitat: Ref. Quart. Bull. Alp. Gard. Soc. Vol. 6, page 359, also Vol. 8, page 303. A very distinct plant with compact or sub-compact rosettes up to 5 cm in diameter with leaves having extra strong cilia on margins with a few hairs on back surface of leaves. The apex of the leaves is strongly marked brown-purple. The leaves are rather more pubescent than the type plant and may well place this form with affinity to the species S. italicum (Ricci), Ann. Bot. (Roma) 27 page 7 (1961), a species with leaves densely pubescent on both surfaces. S. italicum really requires further investigation as to whether it is a distinct species.

 

S. marmoreum fr. Sveta Peta.

Large, pale green flattish rosettes.

 

S. marmoreum fr. Okol.

An extreme variant from the type which was found in northern Albania and was diagnosed by Dr. R.S. Wale in 1938 as S. marmoreum (Griseb.). We have always considered this plant as a separate species, although it obviously has affinity to S. marmoreum and may prove only of varietal status. The main distinction is that the leaves are much thicker than the typical form of S. marmoreum and are convex on leaf face instead of flat. Rosettes are sub-globular, deep green with a pubescence on back of leaves even on matured rosettes and cilia of irregular lenght on margins included to a lesser extent on the back surfaces of leaves.

 

S. marmoreum var. dinaricum (Becker).

This is a distinct varietal form, which derives its name from the Dinaric Alps, Yugoslavia. It is characterized by having small rosettes about 1 to 2,5 cm in diameter with acuminate leaves and smaller flower heads with narrow petals. The rosette leaves are heavily marked dark red-brown near the apex: very attractive.

 

S. marmoreum var. dinaricum (Becker) fr. Karawanken.

A form much the same as above, but with light red-brown colouring on leaf apices.

 

S. marmoreum ‘Brunneifolium’.

A compact growing form with rosettes of a uniform brown colour, turning red in winter; mature rosette leaves glabrous. We assume that this plant was first found growing in nature and is not of garden origin, as Preager does state that Dr. Degen sent him a plant from Trikule near Svinitza in southern Hungary.

 

S. marmoreum ‘Brunneifolium’ (Dark form).

This plant is re-named as only one clone is permissible to occupt a single ‘Cultivar Name’. The new name for this form is Sempervivum marmoreum ‘Chocolate’.

 A very fine plant having slightly less compact rosettes than ‘Brunneifolium’ with dark chocolate coloured rosettes. Mr. Hugh Miller verbally mentioned that he received this form from Preager under S. marmoreum f. brunneifolium no. 2.

 

S. marmoreum ’Rubrifolium’.

This form is also found in gardens under the name S. rubicundum HORT. The origin is obscure, as so far, no native station has been found for it, therefore, we assume that it must be of garden origin. It is a very handsome form with deep red leaves except for the tips and margins which are green.

 

S. marmoreum ‘Ornatum’.

This plant has handsome, large ruby-red rosettes with apple green tips. Unfortunately this rich colouring is inclined to be of short seasonal duration – Mai to August.

This is the S. ornatum of Selwyn Duruz in Gardening Illustrated 52, 325 (1930); not of Correvon in Joubarbes (1924). The origin of this plant is not known, but very unlikely to have been found in nature; suggested parentage is S. marmoreum ‘Rubrifolium’ x S. tectorum var. tectorum.

 

S. minus (Turrill).

Hooker’s Icones Plantarium t. 3401 (1940). Translation of the original description is in Quart. Bull. Alp. Gard. Soc. Vol. 10 page 234 (1942). A distinct little species collected in 1934 by E.K. Balls on the Haldizan Dag, Anatolia, northern Turkey. It is a very attractive plant but unfortunately rather rare under cultivation as it is slow to increase its offsets and has the tendency to be over floriferous. In habit it forms a tight hump of tiny globular rosettes of 1 to 2,5 cm in diameter, they are well characterized by their dull olive-green colour, often becoming bronzed on the outermost leaves when fully exposed to hot sun. The central leaves are closed and outer leaves vary from closed to open; rosette leaves are oblanceolate-elliptical with an acute apex and also having a very short pubescence on face and back of leaves with Marginal cilia a little longer than pubescence.

A characteristic to distinguish this species which was omitted in the original description by Turrill, is that the base of the rosette leaves is coloured purple. The offsets are produced on very short stolons. Flower-stems are slender and clad with elliptical, fleshy leaves; inflorescence compact, with few comparatively large flowers; buds ovoid-globular.

Petals pale yellow-green, anthers yellow. At some seasons of the yaer S. minus can resemble S. pumilum in general appearance, but the yellow flowers of S. minus always makes distinction easy.

 

S. minus var. glabrum (Wale).

This variety was collected in 1934 by E.K. Balls on the Haldizan Dagh, on  the same expedition that the type form was found. Dr. R.S. Wale described this variety along with the type plant in 1940. It has slightly larger rosettes, rather more open in habit than the type during summer months. Rosette leaves are a deep green hue becoming bronze on exposure, base purple; innermost leaves lightly pubescent, glabrous when mature. Apart from the glabrous leaves this variety differs from the type by having a taller stouter flower-stem and a greater number of leaves in rosettes. This variety is no longer under cultivation, but we hope that it will be once again introduced back into cultivation from its original location.

 

S. minus var glabrum ‘Viridifolium’ (Wale).

This form was also collected in 1934 by E. K. Balls; found growing on Djemil Dagh. Dr. R. S. Wale described this plant at the same time as S. minus typicum and the var. glabrum, in doing so, he designated it as forma viridifolium. We, in uniformity with our stated practice – se “Taxonomy and Nomenclature”, have treated this forma epithet as a ‘cultivar’. The main distinctive feature that separates this form from the type are – rosette leaves narrow, broadly lanceolate and much less fleshy with quite strong marginal cilia, otherwise glabrous except the very juvenile leaves. Unlike the type and var. glabrum, rosette leaves are not purple at the base.

In dry weather the leaves become thin and papery in texture. The floral characteristics are the same as the var. glabrum.

A few years ago we had this plant under cultivation, but alas, we lost it; killed with the first hard frost; we assume this is the reason why this form is now lost to cultivation in this country. The viridifolium form is exceedingly interesting and we would welcome it back under cultivation.

S. montanum (Linn).

First described by Linnaeus in Sp. Pl. 465 (1753).this is a very variable species with a wide distribution: Pyrenees, Alps, Appennines, Carpathians and Corsica. Through the years many names have been applied to this species by botanists and horticulturists, the following is a shortened list of names covering S. montanum: S. debile, S. alpestre, S. frigidum. S. monticolum, S. minimum, S. thomasii, S. macranthum, S. pygmaeum, S. anomalum, S. hispidulum, S. pauciflorum, S. candollei and S. subalpinum. This synonymy obviously is due to this species wide range of polymorphic forms occuring naturally with such a wide geographical distribution. Confusion is also apt to arise owing to its readiness to cross with other species in nature, these are S. arachnoideum, S. grandiflorum, S. nevadense, S. tectorum and S. wulfenii. Also in gardens S. montanum interbreeds with other species of Sempervivum, producing an endless range of hybrids, varieties, and forms.

Cultivation of most forms of S. montanum is easy, growing well in most soils, although in nature the species tends to be calcifuge.

 

S. montanum var. montanum.

This variety representing the type is found growing throughout most of the natural localities in which the species is found. The rosettes are not more than 2 cm in diameter with leaves wholly dull green, oblanceolate, rather acute without a red-brown tip (which is present in some small forms). Leaves also have a finely and densely viscid-pubescence on both face and back of leaves, marginal cilia scarcely longer than pubescence. The flower-stems are short and leafy bearing a few rather large flowers with long and narrow petals of a violet-purple colour. Offsets are numerous and borne on slender leafy stems 1 to 3 cm long, soon forming a dense mat of rosettes.

 

S. montanum var. burnatii.

A very large S. montanum with light green rosettes usually open, up to 8 cm in diameter, leaves obovate-cuneate, up to 6 mm wide. The offsets are produced on long, strong stems; flower-stem twice as tall as in the var. montanum and flowers of a lighter purple. The whole plant can look very similar to some forms of S. grandiflorum, but lacks the strong odour of that species. It is a native of the south-western Alps and Pyrenees.

 

S. montanum var. stiriacum.

A variety with rosettes 2 to 4,5 cm in diameter, more open than the type varietas. Leaves are oblanceolate, cospicuously tipped (in the summer) with dark red-brown. The marginal cilia is distinctly longer than hairs on leaf-surface. Its flowers are larger than the type and often of a deeper colour.

This varietas occurs locally in the eastern Alps.

The following clones are common in cultivation:

 

S. montanum var. stiriacum from Mauterndorf.

Slightly smaller rosettes than the above with narrow leaves, apex colouring not so heavy.

 

S. montanum var. stiriacum ‘Lloyd Praeger’.

This cultivar has somewhat flattish rosettes, leaves heavily tipped with dark red-brown.

 

S. montanum ‘Rubrum’.

A colourful form with medium-sized rosettes of mahogany-red during the summer months. Origin of this form not known.

 

S. nevadense (Wale).

First described by Dr. R. S. Wale in the Quart. Bull. Alp. Gard. Soc. Vol. 9 page 109 (1941). This species was collected in Sierra Nevada, southern Spain by Dr. P. L. Giuseppi in 1935 (typus in Herb. Kew). The rosettes are 2,5 to 3,5 cm in diameter, flattish, many-leaved and compact; leaves fleshy and incurving, obovate, mucronate with stout, short, curved cilia on leaf edges, otherwise the leaves are glabrous. The offsets are given off on short stolons, the plant soon forming a congested hummock.

Flower-stems are clad with many imbricate, fleshy overlapping leaves; flowers are in a compact inflorescence, petals reddish-pink and filaments dark red.

This is a very distinct and beautiful species having the outer leaves of its rosettes coloured scarlet in winter and pinkish-bronze at flowering time. It is an extremely easy plant to grow and increases rapidly.

 

S. nevadense ‘Hirtellum’.

Under this name Dr. R. S. Wale separated this extremely distinct form which should warrant varietal status, but unfortunately he died in 1952 before arranging publication of the Latin description. Dr. Wale’s typewriten manuscript is depositedin the Kew Herbarium. This cultivar is quite different from the type in that it has larger rosettes with the leaf-margins densely ciliate, also the leaves are less incurving in habit and not showing the red colouring on the back of the leaves to any extent. Indeed, it looks like a different species due to its hairy leaves, providing a silvery-grey appearance during the summer months. All the floral details are identical with those of the type plant.

Culture is easy and soon forms a dense hummock. Like the type plant this cultivar was collected in the Sierra Nevada.

 

S. octopodes (Turrill).

Garden Chron. Ser. 3, 102 : 303 (1937). Dr. R. S. Wale made a translation of the original description and this is to be found in the Bull. Alp. Gard. Soc. Vol. 6 page 98 (1938). This is a very rare species both in nature and under cultivation. It was originally discovered by Dr. R. Seligman in 1929 growing in crevices on an outcrop of volcanic rock above a little tarn on the way up to the summit of Mt. Peristeri in south-west Yugoslavia. We know of no record of Sempervivum octopodes ever being found again since Dr. Seligman’s find in 1929. vegetatively this species is closely allied to the Balkan species S. ciliosum var. galicicum and S. thompsonianum, although S. octopodes is readily distinguishable by its reddish-brown apex to the rosette leaves. The rosettes of S. octopodes are incurved or semi-open and about 1 to 2 cm in diameter with fleshy leaves which are oblanceolate or obovate, sub-obtuse, shortly acuminate. Rosette leaves are densely pubescent on face and back of leaves, margins with glandular cilia becoming longer towards the reddish-brown apices. The offsets are on long, slender brown stolons up to 7 cm in length. Flower-stems are slender, 9 cm high and the inflorescence is few-flowered and compact; sepals reddish-purple, petals yellow with pale red spot at the base; filaments reddish-purple, anthers yellow.

Although a very desirable species to grow, it is far from easy to cultivate as it dislikes both excessive wet in winter and the summer months and equally resentful of drought at any time of the year. Greenfly readily attack this plant.

 

S. octopodes var. apetalum (Turrill).

This variety was described by Dr. Turrill along with the type form in 1937. Collected by the Rev. And Mrs. H.P. Thompson in the early 1930’s when they paid a visit to Mount Peristeri, growing close to the original find of the type plant. This variety differs from the type mainly by the absence of petals and stamens, also having more numerous sepals. The rosettes are generally larger than those of the type and can reach between 2,5 and 3 cm in diameter and having more leaves to the rosettes, but they are less fleshy and of a lighter green with a less well defied brown marking on apices. Offsets are very freely produced on even longer stolons than the type, up to 9 cm in lenght. Unlike the type, this plant withstands the winter damp well and is very easy of culture.

 

S. ossetiense (Wale).

In 1935 this species was collected by W.E.Th. Ingwersen and later described in the Quart. Bull. Alp. Gard. Soc. Vol.  10 page 101 (1942). (typus in Herb. Kew). An interesting species found on the Ossetian military highway in the Caucasus, growing on barren limestone cliffs. It has osettes that are about 3 cm in diameter, quite dense with few leaves which are oblanceolate to oblong-oblanceolate, very fleshy-swollen to the extent that the ratio of width to thickness being less than perhaps any other species of Sempervivum yet discouvered. Also the rosette leaves are denseely covered with a short pubescence with cilia a little longer than hairs; colour of leaves is a pea green with a small brown apex. Offsets are produced on stout stolons 5 to 8 cm in length. The flower-stems are 8 to 10 cm high, inflorescence is small and few-flowered with large individual flowers, the petals have a midian band of purple with broad white margins, filaments purple and anthers a deep red.

A very distinctive feature of this species and apparently unknown in any other species of Sempervivumm is the mucro at the apex of the anther- this feature readily distinguish S. ossetiense from S. altum and S. ingwersenii, the only two species with which it might be confused. S. ossetiense is particularly distinct in the spring months when the rosettes are more open with the outer leaves erect.

We have never found this species easy to grow, being liable to damp off in winter, also slow in the production of offsets and not free-flowering.

 

S. pittonii(Schott, Nyman & Kotschy).

Analect. Bot, 19 (1854). This is a rare species which is restricted to Styria: Murtal near Kraubath, growing on serpentine rocks at low elevations, and probably not above 1500 m.  Although this species has been under cultivation for a great many years and frequently under its correct name, it remains rather rare in gardens undoubtedly because it is not a vigorous grower and tends to produce flowers abundantly, thus reducing its number of rosettes. S. pittonii is a very pretty species forming a very neat plant with dense, many-leaved, flattish rosettes 1,5 to 3 cm in diameter. Rosette leaves are incurved, linear-oblanceolate, acute at apex, glandular-hairy on face and back of leaves, ciliate on edges.

The leaf colouring is a sombre grey-green with a very small but distinctive purple tip. Offsets are short-stemmed, so that the plant forms a very close tufted habit. Flower-stems are 12 to 15 cm high, slender and clad with overlapping narrow leaves; inflorescence is comparatively small with quite large individual flowers 2 to 2,5 cm across, petals wholly yellow, filaments greenish-yellow, anthers yellow.

The Sempervivum most closely resembling S. pittonii is S. leucanthum but the offsets provide a good distinguishing feature, being in S. pittonii very short-stemmed, resulting in a tufted plant, while in S. leucanthum – long stemmed, thus a loose matted plant.

Cultivation is not difficult although it will not stand too much winter wet.

 

S. pumilum (M. Bieb).

Described by Marschall von Bieberstein, Flora Taurico-Caucasica 1, 381 (1808). This species virtually remained unknown to cultivation until the year 1935 when Dr. P.L. Giuseppi led a plant collecting expedition to the Caucasus. Plants of S. pumilum were found in three widely separated localities, each from having very distinct vegetive characteristics, but with floral characters remaining fairly constant small inflorescence, individual flowers large and of a distinctive purplish-blue colour.

The following description is based on that given by Dr. Lloyd Praeger which agreees closely with that of the type form described in the Russian Flora: Rosettes are globular, about 1 to 2 cm in diameter with leaves lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, acute or shortly acuminate, wholly green, flattish on face, convex on back, glandular-pubescent on face and back, ciliate with hairs about twice as long as pubescence. Offsets are abundant on very slender stolons about 1 cm long. Flower-stems 5 to 8 cm high, inflorescence small  about 4 to 8 relatively large flowers, petals rosy purple with pale margins; filaments purple, anthers red-purple.

In describing the forms of S. pumilum listed below we have dealt with the main distinguishing characteristics where they differ from the type plant.

 

S. pumilum from Adyl Su nr. 1.

This form is very similar to that described by Praeger. The rosettes are not more than 1,5 cm in diameter, pubescent, cilia stout with longer terminal hairs. In summer the rosette leaves are erect or half open and of a bright green with the outer leaves flushed yellow-green on exposure; in winter they are a dull olive-green. Culturally this is fairly easy to grow and offsets increase freely.

 

S. pumilum from Adyl Su nr. 2.

Rosettes much the same size as the nr. 1 form, but differing by their more ovate, blunt and very fleshy leaves that bear a denser pubescence with longer cilia. The rosettes are bright green in summer, only turning slightly pink on the fullest exposure. Culturally, not an easy plant, tends to have a weak constitution with only a few offsets given off each year, also added to this, flowers are freely produced.

 

S. pumilum from Armchi.

This form was collected in the northern Caucasus, S.W. of Ordzhonikidze; growing in large numbers on volcanic rock. The rosettes are apple green and larger than the type, up to 3 cm in diameter when in full growth during the summer months, but in autumn, in common with other forms of S. pumilum, the rosettes shrink down in size and change colour to a uniform brown. In summer the rosettes assume a pinkish tinge to the outer leaves on exposure, the inner leaves remaining tightly closed and the outer ones erect standing. The rosette leaves are pubescent with longer hairs on the midrib and margins, also a tuft of hairs at the apices. Flower-stems are stout, up to 10 cm high and cothed with large imbricate leaves; inflorescence usually contains 8 to 12 large flowers. Very easy of culture and multiplies freely.

 

S. pumilum from El Bruz nr. 1.

A very distinct form collected by Dr. Giuseppi at 3000 metres on Mount Elbruz. It is a charming plant with rosettes about the same as those of the Adyl Su forms. The rosettes are distinctly globular with very fleshy incurved leaves (even in summer), oblanceolate and glabrous except for a few scattered hairs on midrib, margins and apex. The rosettes are a deep green with the outer leaves becomming stained with light red especially so on the apex. Quite a notable feature of this form is the persistent stolons that often grow outward beneath the ground, forming new rosettes quite some way from the parent plant. The inflorescence tends to be smaller than the type with flower petals of a paler colour. Despite being collected at such a great altitude it is quite easy to grow and increases well.

 

S. pumilum from El Bruz nr. 2.

This form we received from Hugh F.R. Miller with the assurance that it was a plant collected by Dr. P.L. Giuseppi on Mount El Bruz.  Dr. R.S. Wale made no reference to this form when describing the various forms of S. pumilum collected in 1935 on the Caucasian expedition: Ref. Quart. Bull. Alp. Gard. Soc. Vol. 10 page 86. It is of interest to note the information in Dr. Gíuseppi’s article, “A Journey to the Caucasus” published in the Bull. Alp. Gard. Soc. Vol. 4 page 105-124; the author when making reference to S. pumilum states it varied considerably—see page 109 which appears to be quite different from any forms described by Dr. Wale.

The main characteristics are: Rosettes sub-globular, dense-leaved and of a dull green colour, the leaves are pubescent with strong marginal cilia. A notable feature is that the leaves are not incurved, but erect or half open, tight set in the rosettes with the inside leaves only a little shorter than the outside ones. The offsets are numerous and carried on short and quite stout almost decumbent stolons. Inflorescence is much smaller than the type and very few-flowered, petals are a rich purple. Cultivation is easy.

 

S. reginae-amaliae (Heldr. &Guicc.).

Ex Halacsy, Consp. Fl. Greece. 1 : 580 (1901). This species only came into cuktivation in the 1930’s when members of the Alpine Garden Society visited the Balken Peninsula on plant hunting expeditions, resulting in finds of abundant plant material of this species being collected in Greece and southern Albania. These collected forms with their stated geographical localities are recorded in the Quart. Bull. Alp. Gard. Soc. Vol. 8 page 203 (1940). Frequently the name S. reginae-amaliae is wrongly applied to a colourful dark-tipped form of Jovibarba heuffelii.  J.B. Baker in error used S. reginae-amaliae for J. Heuffelii: Ref. Gard. Chron. 1877, ii, 230 Dr. Lloyd Praeger submerged S. reginae-amaliae Heldr. & Sarnthein ex Boissier under S. schlehanii Schott.

S. reginae-amaliae isa very variable species, particularly in its colouration, size and compactness of rosette. The floral characteristics of all the forms are very similar. The general features common to all forms are:  Rosettes 2 to 4 cm in diameter, usually dense-leaved and compact; stolons are short and few. Rosette leaves are thick, spathulate-obovate, acute, juvenile and adult leaves are always evenly puberulous on face and back with longer marginal cilia.

Flower-stems are 9 to 12 cm high, wide at the base, gradually narrowing to the top and clothed with overlapping ovate to oblong-ovate leaves which are usually flushed with rose to red. Inflorescence is 2 to 3 branched; petals have a clearly defined crimson median band with white margins; filaments are crimson, anthers buff, sometimes violet. Most of the forms are easy of culture but are rather slow in providing offsets.

 

S. reginae-amaliae from Kambeecho  Nr. 1.

Rosettes very fleshy, up to 5 cm in diameter, very few-leaved and of a dull green colour. Collected by E.K. Balls, nesr Denisko, Greek Epirus.

 

S. reginae-amaliae from Kambeecho Nr. 2.

A very attractive form with purple-leaved rosettes up to 5 cm in diameter and comprising of rather few fleshy leaves. Collected by E.K. Balls, Greek Epirus.

 

S. reginae-amaliae from Kiona.

Small grey-green rosettes not more than 2 cm in diameter, many-leaved and globular in habit. Collected by Dr. P.L. Giuseppi, Greece.

 

S. reginae-amaliae from Mavri Petri.

Grey-green rosettes 2,5 to 4 cm in diameter and usually open in habit. Collected by E.K. Balls, Denisko to Grammos, Greek Epirus.

 

S. reginae-amaliae from Peristeria.

Green rosettes about 3 cm in diameter, of looser appearance than the other forms, also rosette leaves narrower and more pointed. Collected by E.K. Balls, Greek Epirus.

 

S. reginae-amaliae from Sarpun.

A form with semi-globular, light green rosettes 2 to 2,5 cm in diameter. Collected by W.E.Th. Inwersen, Albania.

 

S. reginae-amaliae from Vardusa.

Small grey-green rosettes not more than 2,5 cm in diameter, many-leaved and flattish in habit. In the summer months the rosettes become tinted orange-brown, very attractive. Collected by E.K. Balls, Greece.

 

S. ruthenicum (Schnittspahn & Lehmann).

In Fl. 38: 5 (1855) Komarov, Flora U.R.S.S. 9: 21 (1939); Savulescu, Flora R.P.R. 4: 74 (1956). Syns: S. globiferum Linn. Emend. Koch; S ruthenicum Koch; S. braunii Led.).

In addition to the foregoing synonymy  S. ruthenicum has long been confused with S. zelebori Schott and S. armenum Boiss. & Huet. Theestablishment of S. ruthenicum as a recognized species is based on the clarification made by Miss C.W. Muirhead which was published in the Notes from Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh Vol. 26 nr.3.

This species comes from eastern Europe, notably the Ukraine and Romania. The rosettes are 5 to 8 cm in diameter, few-leaved and of a dull green colour, incurved and sometimes have a small reddish-brown apex, the rosette leaf-shape is oblong-lanceolate, acuminate with cilia on margins and finely pubescent on face and back surfaces. In winter the rosettes are incurved but are more open in summer. Stolons are 3 to 5 cm long. Flower-stems are tall up to 30 cm, stem-leaves are few, oblong, lossely imbricate; inflorescence is 3 to 4 branched with flowers about 2,5 cm in diameter, petals are a greenish-yellow without a crimson base; filaments green, anthers yellow. The characters which sepatate this species from S. zelebori are the rather larger rosettes with dull green incurved leaves which can be as much as 5 to 8 cm in lenght and an unusually tall inflorescence.

Quite easy to cultivate and increases well.

 

S. tectorum (Linn).

Sp. Plant. 464 (1753). This is an extremely variable species with a wide distribution in Europe, from the Pyrenees and central France to the Apennines and northern Balkan regions. The variation of this species has led botanists of former years to subdivide S. tectorum into subspecies, varietates and formae; one example: Rouy and Camus (Flore de France 7), subdivided the French tectorum ito 40 varietates and formae, grouped under three sub-species: S. rupestre, S. calcareum and S. arvernense. Much of this variation is purely phenotypic; of the genetically determined variations resulting from hybridization within its own forms, both in the wild and cultivated plants. All these forms of S. tectorum will hybridize with other species, the resulting offspring to a large extent being fertile, will often cross back with their parents and give rise to an  infinity of forms, a mongrel race. The four species of the Alpes that intercross with S. tectorum, as well as each other, are S. arachnoideum, S. montanum, S. grandiflorum and S. wulfenii. The diagnosis of the  species tectorum remains easy, even though it is quite futile to try to attempt naming the endless and indefinite forms and crosses. The general features common to most forms are: rosettes large and open, 3 to 8 cm in diameter, dark green occasionally pale green, sometimes red-brown or purple and frequently tipped at leaf apex with darker colouring. Leaves are oblong-lanceolate to obovate, sharply acuminate, very fleshy, red or white at base, glabrous on face and back (rarely pubescent), margins fringed with conspicuous white cilia. Stolons are stout up to 4 cm long. Flowering-stems stout, 20 to 40 cm high, very pubescent; lower stem-leaves glabrous apart from cilia, the upper ones are pubescent. Inflorescence is usually large and flattish, comprising of 40 to 100 flowers; petals dull pink or purple, anthers orange-brown.

We have restricted the varietates of S. tectorum to just the three out of the four varietates that Dr. Lloyd Praeger recognized as worthy of distinction; the fourth, namely S. tectorum var. calcareum (Jordan) Cariot & St. Lager, is now regarded as a separate species: Flora Europaea, 1 (1964).

 

S. tectorum var. tectorum (Linn. sensu stricto). Common Houseleek.

This is the best-known of the cultivated Sempervivums, having been extensively grown in most of Europe, especially on the roofs of cottages (originally as a charm against lightning). The origin is obscure as it is nowhere indigenous, but occasionally naturalized. Cultivation of this variety has been from early times – Greek ad Latin writers of botany knew it and it was illustrated in the manuscript of Dioscorides “Materia Medica”  (early sixth century). This Linnean type is distinguished by its very large, flattish rosettes up to 18 cm in diameter. The rosette leaves are obovate-lanceolate, glabrous and of a bright green, whitish (not red) at the base with apices usually well tipped purple-brown.

Flower-stems are 30 to 50 cm high. An unusual feature is that the inner whorl of stamens are mostly sterile, and often replaced by carpels.

 

S. tectorum var. alpinum (Griseb. & Schenk) Praeger.

(S. boutignyanum Billot & Grenier; S. arvernense form boutignyanum Rouy & Camus). This variety was originally described by Grisebach & Schenk in Linnaea 25, 600 (1852). It is a small and neat-growing plant of the mountains, found in the Pyrenees, and especially common in the northern and central Alps; Istria. Rosettes 2 to 6 cm in diameter with green leaves that are always reddish at the base, with or without a purple-brown leaf tips. Flower-stems 10 to 30 cm high, inflorescence is compact and flattish.

 

S. tectorum var. glaucum (Tenore) Praeger.

(S. acuminatum Schott; S. schottii Baker in Gard. Chron. 1874, ii, 103 (1874) not to be confused with the hybrid S. x schottii (montanum x tectorum) of Lehm. & Schnittsp. In Ber. Offenb. Verein Naturk. 1 (1860) 35, tab. 2.

The variety glaucum was described by Tenore in Index Seminum Hort. Neap. 1830, 13 (1830). In nature glaucum comes from the southern and eastern Alps; Istria. The rosettes are rather large 5 to 10 cm in diameter, leaves glaucous or subglaucus, whitish (not red) at base and without purple-brown tips.

Flower-stems up to 60 cm high. Although there appears to be many variations of glaucum in existence- we have a richly glaucus plant which answers very well to the description. (Tenore & Praeger).

 

S. thompsonianum (Wale).

Bull. Alp. Gard. Soc. 8:210 (1940). (typus in Herb. Kew). This species was originally collected by Dr. Lemperg 1938, found on Stogovo Planina, in southern Yugoslavia, growingin crevices of limestone roch at 2150 m. The rosettes are1.5 to2 cm in diameter, many-leaved, sub-globular with the outer leaves erect; rosette leaves are ovate-lanceolate, acute and pubescent with cilia of unequal lenght about three times as long as pubescence. Leaf colouring is a yellowish-green,the outside leaves are strongly flushed with red when grown fully exposed. Offsets are produced on rather slender brown stolons 5 to 8 cm long. Flowering stems are about 8 cm high, very slender and bearing a few narrow, lanceolate leaves. Inflorescence is few-flowered and compact; petals are yellow at the apex, white at margins with a median deep pink band; filaments purple, anthers yellow. The only species that resembles S. thompsonianum is S. macedonicum Preager, in having incurled central rosette leaves and similar leaf indumentum and ciliation. The sharply-pointed and more erect outer rosette leaves, flushed with red on the outside, readily distinguish S. thompsonianum from S. macedonicum.

Culture is quite easy and offsets increase well. It is shy in producing flowers.

 

S. transcaucasicum (Muirhead)

Notes R.B.G. Edinb. 26 No. 3,(1965). This species has been misidentified as S. globiferum auct.; Boiss., Flora Orientalis 2: 797 (1872) excl. Sun. P.p.; Komarov, Flora U.R.S.S. 9: 21 (1939) excl. Syn. P.p.; Wale. Quart. Bull. Alp. Gard. Soc. 10{ 106 (1942). The name S. globiferum Linn. Has been widely used in Russian and Turkish floras to cover most of the yellow-flowered species of Sempervivum occuring in the Caucasus and Turkey..

The species here described, S. transcaucasicum Muirhead, was collected by Dr. P.L. Giuseppi and his friends in 1935; growing in quantity on the low mountain sides above Tiflis, Caucasus. It was first introduced into cultivation by W.E.Th. Ingwersen in 1935; specimens also from Tiflis were collected in 1959 by Dr. P.H. Davis. This species is probably widespread in the Transcaucasus, is so far only been recorded once in north-eastern Turkey, Artvin.

The rosettes are 4 to 7 cm in diameter, semi-open, green to yellow-green, rosette leaves are obovate or oblanceolate, shortly mucronate, finely and densely pubescent on both surfaces and strongly ciliate; the upper half of the leaves tinged pink on full exposure. Only a few offsets are given off on short, stout stolons about 2 cm long. Flower-stems are 15 to 18 cm high with many imbricate, oblong-lanceolate leaves flushed pink on outer surfaces. Inflorescence is dense and compact, buds obtuse; flowers are 2,5 cm in diameter, calyx lobes lanceolate with recurved tips; petals are a greenish-yellow, tinged purple at base; filaments pale purple, anthers yellow. Quite an easy species to grow, although it resents winter damp, but is shy-flowering.

 

S. vicentei (Pau).

Bull. Acad. Internat. De Geor. Bot. 206: 76 (1906). The original description of this Spanish species is a rather meagre one, making the exact identity not at all certain. It was originally collected on the Picos de Urbion, the description first given falls within the limits of S. tectorum Linn., and could well apply to a number of tectorum clones found in the Pyrenees. A point of interest has come to light from Dr. M.C. Smith, of the Botany Dept., Bristol University, who visited Picos de Urbion in 1971, the site from which Pau’s plant is purported to have been found. All the plants that Dr. M.C. Smith found differ from Pau’s description in one important respect, namely, pubescent-leaved rosettes, not glabrous-leaved as Pau’s description of S. vicentei states. Dr. M.C. Smith collected sampels of 50 clones from Pau’s original location and a further 290 plants from locations near Picos de Urbion; all these specimens have densely pubescent rosette leaves, except for just one specimen, resembling S. tectorum var. tectorum which was found 100 yards frm a monastery and could well be an escape from cultivation.

The following description is based on that given by Pau in 1906: Rosette leaves oblong-spathulate, mucronate, glabrous with margins ciliate. Cauline leaves oblong-lanceolate with longitudinal spots. The inflorescence is three-branched, with 3 to 4  flowers to each branch; petals twice as long as the calyx, linear, acuminate, pale with a purplish base; filaments glabrous, purple. Corollas are 23 mm in diameter. Rosettes are 2 cm in diameter, juvenile offsets are hairy. The flower-stems are 12 cm high.

Aplant we have under cultivation, being originally discovered by Dr. P.L. Giuseppi in 1935, on the Sierra Demanda may prove to be this species.

 

S. wulfenii (Hoppe ex Mert. & Koch).

Deutschl. Fl. Ed. 3, 3 : 386 (1831). This species is found in the eastern Alps, also occurring in  the central Alps where it is only locally present. By nature it is a calcifuge, growing  in rocky places at an altitude of 1700 to 2700 m. It is a slow-growing plant that only sparingly produce 2 or 3 offsets to each parent rosette in a season. As a point of interest, Dr. Lloyd Praegerrecorded a clump in the Bernina valley which was 38 cm across with more than 100 rosettes.

The rosettes are not unlike S. tectorum var. glaucum, but with the center leaves often closed to form a central bud. Rosette leaves are oblong-spathulate, grey-green, glabrous on face and back with cilia on edges; base of leaves purple and apices without darker colouring. Offsets are on thick stolons up to 10 cm long. Flower-stems are 15 to 25 cm high and bearing pubescent leaves that are slightly recurved at tips. The inflorescence is compact and flattish, usually comprising of 3 short branches; buds ovoid, pointed.

Flowers are 2,5 cm in diameter; petals are a lemon-yellow with a purple base;filaments purple, anthers yellow. This species is not always happy under cultivation, but may be helped if provided with some winter protection.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

S. zelebori (Schott).

Osterr.Bot. Wochenblatt 7: 245 (1857). Syn. S. ruthenicum Kock). This is a species that has suffered in past years from confusion of identity with the eastern European S. ruthenicum Scnittsp. & Lehm. and also from the confusion of synonymy which has always surrounded S. ruthenicum. A notable example of an author who submerged S. zelebori Schott and S. armenum Boiss. & Huet is found in Dr. Lloyd Praeger’s “Account of the Sempervivum Group”,p 80 (1932); he gave no explanation or reason in support of this view. The original description of S. zelebori Schott is a good one, though no more precise locality than “Serbia” is given. The true distribution is not fully known, but it is known to occur in south and eastern Bulgaria and southern Romania; growing on limestone rocks.

The rosettes are 3 to 4 cm in diameter, more or less globular and compact; densely pubescent almost velvety leaves, with or without a small dark apex, pale or grey-green with the outer leaves sometimes flushed with pink on exposure. Rosette leaves are oblong-obovate, shortly apiculate. Offsets are generally few on short stolons, resulting in a close clumb of rosettes. Flower-stems are 10 to 15 cm high with cauline leaves oblong-lanceolate, loosely divergent. Inflorescence is smallish with 4 to 5 short branches; calyx lobes ovate to ovate-lanceolate. Flowers are comparatively large, 2,5 cm in diameter, petals are yellow, usually with well-marked crimson base. Filaments crimson, anthers yellow.

The main distinguishing points which separate S. zelebori from S. ruthenicum are the incurved rosettes, short-stemmed stolons, clear yellow flowers with ovate colyx lobes and dark crimson filaments.

An attractive species, easy to cultivate and increases well.

 

Hybrids from nature.

 

S. x barbulatum Schott (1853) (S. arachnoideum x S. montanum)

Small compact green rosettes tipped with woolly hairs.

 

S. x barbulatum nm. Hookeri (Hort.)

Very tiny hairy rosettes of green and crimson forming a dense cushion.

 

S. x calcaratum (Baker).

A striking hybrid of uncertain origin. Very large rosettes up to 15 cm in diameter. Leaves are glaucous or a rich glaucous-purple, crimson at the base, glabrous, spathulate-oblanceolate, boldly acuminate, 7 cm long and 2 cm broad, flat on face, convex on back. Flowering stems are about 30 cm high. Flowers are a dull red-purple. Offsets are on stolons 5 cm long. Although of doubtful parentage, it is obvious that S. tectorum played a part in its origin. This giant-sized hybrid is a very fine garden plant, very easy of culture and increases freely.

 

S. x christii (Wolf) (1889) (S. grandiflorum x S. montanum).

This hybrid is found in Switzerland and northern Italy, where it occurs in differing forms, varying in size from that of one parent to that of the other. Rosettes usually deep gree, densely pubescent; flower colour can be variable, although the petals tend to be yellow or at least yellow near the tips.

 

S. x fauconnetti (Reuter) (1832) (S. arachnoideum x S. tectorum).

This hybrid has a widespread distribution throughout Europe. Small rosettes with a tuft of straggling white hairs at the leaf tips and on edges near the leaf tips. Inflorescence is mostly like S. arachnoideum, but the flowers are not so bright dull shade of purplish-pink. Many variations of this hybrid exist, some of which have been nemed.

 

S. x fauconnettii nm. Thompsonii (Lindsay) (1900).

Small, green rosettes lightly tipped with woolly hair.

 

S. x funckii (F. Braun) (1832).

A hybrid that is found in the Alps, Switzerland to Styria. The origin of this plant is obscure – reputed to be a triple hybrid- S. arachnoideum X S. montanum X S. tectorum also reputed to be introduced to its apparently natural stations.

The rosettes are compact, flattish, open, 2,5 to 4 cm in diameter, wholly a bright green, sometimes older leaves with a purplish tinge on tips. Rosette leaves obovate-lanceolate, shortly acuminate, white at base, slightly, but finely hairy on face and back of leaves, strongly ciliate on edges and tips with hairs of unequal lenght. Offsets are on short stems- very numerous so that a crowded tuft is formed. Flowe-stems about 20 cm high, glandular-hairy and clothed with erect, oblong-ovate leaves. Inflorescence is compact and flattish, 6 to 8 cm across with flowers of a dull purplish-red colour.

 

S. x hayekii (Rowley) (1957) (S. grandiflorum x S. tectorum).

Recorded by Hayek as S. gaudini x S. tectorum subsp. alpinum in Hegi Ill. Fl. Mitt.-Eur. 4, ii, 561 (1921). A rare hybrid in nature, first found in Switzerland. Praeger saw it in the Valtournanche area, northern Italy, we have not seen this plant ourselves, therefore we give Preager ‘s description: a large sub-glabrous or sparingly pubescent plant, leaves ciliate as in S. tectorum, flowers pale yellowish purple, smaller than in S. grandiflorum, larger than in the other parent.

 

S. x praegeri (Rowley) (1972) (S. ciliosum X S. erythraeum).

The published description: Praeger in Acc. Semp. Group, p. 90 (1932). In appearance this cross is intermediate between the parents. The rosettes are like those of S. erythraeum, smallish and open, but the leaves are densely glandular-pubescent with long and short hairs. Flower-petals are a greenish-yellow, flushed with red near apex.

This natural hybrid was first found by Praeger in the Rila Mountains, Bulgaria. Since Praeger recorded this hybrid, a number of botanists have expressed doubt about the parentage, stating that S. erytraeum x S. leucanthum as the more likely parentage. W. E. Th. Ingwersen stated: “I collected this hybrid near Rilo in 1934 and looked in vain for S.ciliosum but found S. leucanthum griwing freely nearby.”.

 

S. x roseum (Huter) (1878) (S. arachnoideum x S. wulfenii).

Neat rosettes of grey-green, glabrous leaves, sparingly tipped with woolly hairs. Flower colour is intermediate between the parents.

 

S. x roseum nm. Fimbriatum (Schott) (1921).

Small globular rosettes, the leaves tinted red and fringed with hairs. Compact habit.

 

S. x rupicolum (Kerner) (1870) (S. montanum x S. wulfenii).

A rather variable hybrid, some forms of which resemble one parent more than the other, especially in regard to size of rosettes and hairy covering of rosette leaves. Sempervivum ‘Correvon’s Hybrid’ may well be a form of this species.

 

S. x schottii (Lehm. & Schnittsp.) (1860) (S. montanum x S. tectorum).

A very variable hybrid, occuring wherever the parent species are present. Generally resembling a small S. tectorum, but rosettes are denser and the leaves more or less glandular-hairy and without a purple tip.

 

S. x vaccarii (Vaccari) (1905) (S. arachnoideum x S. grandiflorum).

A variable plant with rosettes much resembling S. grandiflorum but smaller and bearing a little white hair at the apex.

 

S. x versicolor (Velenovsky) (1903) (S. marmoreum x S. zelebori).

Very rare. Large rosettes of the appearance of S. tectorum of gardens. Seldom flowers, but when it does the flowers are pale yellow changing with age to pale lilac. Reported as growing on the roofs of houses in Bulgaria apparently not found in the wild state.

 

S. x widderi (Lehm. & Schnittsp.) (1860) (S. tectorum x S. wulfenii).

Many variations of this hybrid exist. We have a form which is fairly intermediate between the parent medium-sized, glaucous-green rosettes.

©black wizzard