''Dudleya'', commonly known as liveforevers ( Spanish: ''siemprevivas'') is a genus of

succulent In botany, succulent plants, also known as succulents, are plants with parts that are thickened, fleshy, and engorged, usually to retain water in arid climates or soil conditions. The word ''succulent'' comes from the Latin word ''sucus'', meani ...

plants in the stonecrop family, Crassulaceae, consisting of about 68 taxa in southwestern

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

and Guadalupe Island. The species come in multiple divergent forms, some large and evergreen, others Corm, cryptic and deciduous, but despite their dramatic variations in appearance, most species readily hybridize. The flowers of ''Dudleya'' have parts numbered in 5, with the petals arranged in Connation, tubular, star-shaped, and Campanulate, bell-shaped forms, and when fruiting are filled with tiny, ovoid to crescent-shaped seeds. The genus evolved as Neoendemism, neoendemics, from ancestors in the stonecrop genus, ''Sedum.'' The ancestors radiated southward from ''Sedum'' during the creation of the Mediterranean climate, dry summer climate in the California region 5 million years ago. Early botanists classified the larger species as ''Echeveria'' and ''Cotyledon'', while the cryptic species were placed as ''Sedum''. Taxonomic efforts started by Joseph Nelson Rose and Nathaniel Lord Britton created three genera, which were all eventually subsumed into the ''Dudleya'' proper following Reid Venable Moran, Reid Moran's investigations into the genus. Phylogenetics, Phylogenetic research is still at an early stage in the genus, and is complicated by the fact that many species are becoming Endangered species, endangered. ''Dudleya'' is a relatively obscure genus in comparison to other more widely-cultivated succulents, but converging interests by succulent collectors, Native species, native plant enthusiasts and gardeners have led to cultivation of many species as ornamental plants. In the wild, many species of ''Dudleya'' are vulnerable, as land development and Poaching, poachers threaten often Ecological niche, niche populations of plants. Poached plants are often shipped to East Asia, especially South Korea. Conservation movement, Conservationists, Plant nursery, nurseries and governments combat ''Dudleya'' poaching through propagation programs and protection laws.

Description

Characteristics and subgenera

This genus is the only taxon of the Sedeae tribe to have evolved sympodial branching. The genus is traditionally divided into three subgenera, two of which were formerly their own genera. The subgenera consist of ''Dudleya, Stylophyllum'', and ''Hasseanthus''.

Epicuticular wax

One of the most famous features of some ''Dudleya'' are their waxy coating. Numerous species have their foliage covered in an epicuticular wax, or farina. This waxy coating is usually white, chalky, and mealy, and is the namesake in many epithets, like Dudleya pulverulenta, chalk dudleya, Dudleya farinosa, powdery liveforever, and Dudleya brittonii, giant chalk dudleya. The wax on the giant chalk dudleya is a surface with some of the highest ultraviolet reflectivity ever discovered in plants. When exposed to water, the wax may coat drops on leaves, preventing their evaporation. The farina is mostly composed of pentacyclic triterpenoids. Other members, such as ''Dudleya viscida, D. viscida'' and ''Dudleya anomala, D. anomala'', have a clear, sticky layer on their foliage.Dudleya anomala ''(Davidson) Moran''. Desert Plant Life. 14: 191. 1942. This adhesive layer ultimately helps the plant protect its leaves from the sun, much like ones with "white" wax. It accomplishes this solar protection by allowing dust to adhere to the sticky layer on the leaves, which coats the foliage with dust and debris, blocking solar radiation.

Taxonomy

Taxonomic history

Early history

The earliest species of the genus described was ''Cotyledon caespitosa'', by Adrian Hardy Haworth in 1803, which would later be known as ''Dudleya caespitosa.'' The same species would later be described again as ''Sedum cotyledon'' by Joseph Franz von Jacquin in 1811, and in 1840 Thomas Nuttall described both ''Echeveria pulverulenta'' (''Dudleya pulverulenta'') and ''Echeveria lanceolata'' (''Dudleya lanceolata''). The differing generic placements of these early descriptions suggest that taxonomic disagreements over the genus had an early start, with some of these generic placements persisting even after the proper description of the genus by Britton and Rose. Nathaniel Lord Britton and Joseph Nelson Rose's revision of the North American Crassulaceae upended many of the early taxonomic classifications, with the newly-minted genus ''Dudleya'' containing 60 species, of which 41 were newly described by Britton and Rose. The two also defined the related genera ''Stylophyllum'', which contained 12 species, and ''Hasseanthus'', with 4 species. The primary differences between ''Dudleya'' and ''Stylophyllum'' were between the leaf shape, floral structure and petal orientation, whilst ''Hasseanthus'' was characterized by a different vegetative structure and more niche adaptations, primarily corm-like stems and deciduous leaves.Uhl, C. H., & Moran, R. (1953). The cytotaxonomy of Dudleya and Hasseanthus. ''American Journal of Botany'', 492-502. In the 1930s, Alwin Berger revised the status of ''Dudleya'' and ''Stylophyllum'' into a sectional ranking within ''Echeveria'', while merging the ''Hasseanthus'' genera into ''Sedum''. This was in part due to a belief that ''Dudleya'' had evolved from ''Echeveria'' radiating northward from Mexico, evidenced by the similar tubular corollas, while ''Hasseanthus'' possessed aesthetic similarities to ''Sedum'', primarily flowers with broadly-spreading petals. ''Stylophyllum'' was believed to occupy a transitory position between ''Dudleya'' and ''Hasseanthus''. These conclusions were widely accepted by botanists for the first half of the 20th century, until proper molecular and phylogenetic analyses began to appear.

Reid Moran, Charles H. Uhl and early phylogenetics

In 1942, Reid Venable Moran, Reid Moran, a botanist with a longstanding interest in the genera, offered a new revision of the taxa. Moran recognized ''Dudleya'' as being distinct from ''Echeveria'', and merged ''Stylophyllum'' as a subgenera along with ''Eududleya'' (which was changed to just subgenus ''Dudleya''). Moran still recognized ''Hasseanthus'' as a separate genus, but realized that it was closely related to ''Dudleya''. With assistance from cytologist Charles H. Uhl, Moran came to the conclusion that ''Dudleya'' and ''Hasseanthus'' were related closer to each other than they were to ''Echeveria'' or ''Sedum''. As Moran and Uhl conducted more cytological and taxonomic research on the genus, it became clear that ''Hasseanthus'' was also a subgenera of ''Dudleya'', citing the karyological uniformity and the formation of hybrids between the genera. In contrast, while ''Echeveria'' and ''Sedum'' freely hybridize within themselves and each other, all attempts at hybridizing ''Dudleya'' with ''Echeveria'' have failed. Uhl came to the conclusion that there are probably no intergeneric hybrids with ''Dudleya'', believing that ''Dudleya'' had split from ''Echeveria'' far enough that intergeneric reproductive success was unlikely. Despite Uhl's research, he still believed that ''Dudleya'' had evolved northward from Mexico with ''Echeveria'', probably some time before the formation of the summer-dry climate of California, making ''Dudleya'' a Paleoendemism, paleoendemic.

Modern classifications and phylogenetic research

Around 1993, one of the only literary treatments of the genus was written, Paul Thomson (botanist), Paul H. Thomson's ''Dudleya and Hasseanthus Handbook''. In the book, Thompson made numerous changes and adjustments to species, and described several new species. The book included a large number of photographs, extensive descriptions, and horticultural practices for the care of ''Dudleya,'' derived from a long interest growing, visiting and collecting the plants. However, he failed to follow the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants, International Code of Botanical Nomenclature guidelines for Species description, describing new taxa, forgoing designated Type (biology), type specimens, which invalidated his treatment. His treatment also contains extensive Pseudoscience, pseudoscientific material, including references to the lost continents of Atlantis, Lemuria and Mu (mythical lost continent), Mu, a belief that cosmic rays and Creationism, divine intervention directly induced the Ploidy, chromosome counts and evolution of ''Hasseanthus'' and ''Dudleya'', and criticism of Paleontology, paleontologists and the scientifically accepted Age of Earth, age of the Earth. Later research challenged the notion that ''Dudleya'' and ''Echeveria'' formed two distinct lineages within Echeverioideae. Joachim Thiede instead proposed that ''Dudleya'' evolved completely independently from ''Echeveria'', evolving from relatives within the ''Leucosedum'' clade like ''Sedum moranii''. This places ''Dudleya'' as a Neoendemism, neoendemic that evolved recently with the formation of the summer-dry climate in California. This was evidenced by the similarities of seed-surface ornamentation between ''Dudleya'' and ''Sedum'', which is unlike ''Echeveria'', and the reproductive isolation between ''Echeveria'' and ''Dudleya''.Thiede, J., & Eggli, U. (2007). Crassulaceae. In ''Flowering Plants· Eudicots'' (pp. 83-118). Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. Chicago Research in the 21st century has supported the hypothesis of ''Dudleya'''s relation to ''Sedum''. Phylogenetic analysis has given weight to this hypothesis, concluding that ''Dudleya'' is much closer to North American members of Sempervivoideae, Sedoideae than to Echeverioideae. The plant ''Sedum spathulifolium'', which co-exists with ''Dudleya'' in Oregon and California, has been show in multiple phylogenetic reconstructions to be a sister taxon to ''Dudleya'', although it may not be the true sister taxon, as larger samplings are needed. Berger's hypothesis of a relationship between ''Hasseanthus'' and ''Sedum'' may still prove true, as in addition to morphological similarities, the ''Hasseanthus''-type taxa could be basal to the genus. However, no truly conclusive evidence of significant divergence within ''Dudleya'' exists, and it remains unclear which groups are basal or derived.

Selected species

*''Dudleya abramsii'' **Dudleya abramsii subsp. abramsii, ''Dudleya abramsii'' subsp. ''abramsii'' – Abrams' liveforever **Dudleya abramsii subsp. affinis, ''Dudleya abramsii'' subsp. ''affinis'' – San Bernardino Mountains liveforever **Dudleya abramsii subsp. bettinae, ''Dudleya abramsii'' subsp. ''bettinae'' – Betty's dudleya **Dudleya abramsii subsp. calcicola, ''Dudleya abramsii'' subsp. ''calcicola'' – limestone dudleya **Dudleya abramsii subsp. murina, ''Dudleya abramsii'' subsp. ''murina'' – Mouse-gray dudleya **Dudleya abramsii subsp. setchellii, ''Dudleya abramsii'' subsp. ''setchellii'' – Santa Clara Valley dudleya *''Dudleya acuminata'' – Vizcaino liveforever *''Dudleya albiflora''– White-flower liveforever *''Dudleya anomala'' – Todos Santos liveforever *''Dudleya anthonyi'' – Anthony's liveforever *''Dudleya attenuata'' – Orcutt's liveforever, tapertip liveforever *''Dudleya arizonica'' – Arizona chalk dudleya. Formerly a subspecies of ''Dudleya pulverulenta''. *''Dudleya blochmaniae'' – Blochman's liveforever, Blochman's dudleya *''Dudleya brevifolia'' – Short-leaved liveforever, short-leaved dudleya. Formerly a subspecies of ''D. blochmaniae''. *''Dudleya brittonii'' – Britton's dudleya, giant chalk dudleya *''Dudleya caespitosa'' – Coast dudleya, sea lettuce, sand lettuce *''Dudleya campanulata'' – Punta Banda liveforever *''Dudleya candelabrum'' – Candleholder liveforever *''Dudleya candida'' – Coronados liveforever *''Dudleya cedrosensis'' *''Dudleya crassifolia'' – Thick-leaf dudleyaDodero, M. W. and M. G. Simpson. (2012)
"''Dudleya crassifolia'' (Crassulaceae), a new species from northern Baja California, Mexico"
''Madroño'' 59(4) 223–229. *''Dudleya cultrata'' – Knife-leaved liveforever, maritime succulent liveforever *''Dudleya cymosa'' – Canyon liveforever **Dudleya cymosa subsp. agourensis, ''Dudleya cymosa'' subsp. ''agourensis'' – Agoura Hills dudleya **Dudleya cymosa subsp. crebrifolia, ''Dudleya cymosa'' subsp. ''crebrifolia'' – San Gabriel River dudleya **Dudleya cymosa subsp. costatifolia, ''Dudleya cymosa'' subsp. ''costatifolia'' – Pierpoint Springs dudleya **Dudleya cymosa subsp. cymosa, ''Dudleya cymosa'' subsp. ''cymosa'' – Coast Range dudleya **Dudleya cymosa subsp. marcescens, ''Dudleya cymosa'' subsp. ''marcescens'' – Marcescent dudleya **Dudleya cymosa. subsp. ovatifolia, ''Dudleya cymosa.'' subsp. ''ovatifolia'' – Santa Monica Mountains dudleya **Dudleya cymosa subsp. paniculata, ''Dudleya cymosa'' subsp. ''paniculata'' – Diablo range dudleya **Dudleya cymosa subsp. pumila, ''Dudleya cymosa'' subsp. ''pumila'' – Transverse ranges liveforever *''Dudleya densiflora'' – San Gabriel Mountains liveforever *''Dudleya edulis'' – Fingertips, lady fingers, San Diego dudleya *''Dudleya farinosa'' – Bluff lettuce, powdery liveforever, powdery dudleya *''Dudleya formosa'' – La Mision liveforever *''Dudleya gatesii'' – Gates' liveforever *''Dudleya gnoma'' – Munchkin dudleya *''Dudleya greenei'' – Greene's dudleya *''Dudleya guadalupensis'' – Guadalupe liveforever *''Dudleya ingens'' – Baja liveforever, rock liveforever *''Dudleya hendrixii'' – Hendrix's liveforever *''Dudleya lanceolata'' – Lanceleaf liveforever. *''Dudleya linearis'' – San Benito Island liveforever *''Dudleya multicaulis'' – Many-stemmed dudleya *''Dudleya nubigena'' – Cape liveforever *''Dudleya nesiotica'' – Santa Cruz Island liveforever *''Dudleya pachyphytum'' – Cedros Island dudleya *''Dudleya palmeri'' – Palmer's liveforever *''Dudleya parva'' – Conejo dudleya *''Dudleya pauciflora''– Few-flower liveforever *''Dudleya pulverulenta'' – Chalk lettuce, chalk dudleya, chalk liveforever *''Dudleya rigida'' – Sierra de la Laguna liveforever *''Dudleya rigidiflora'' – Playa Maria liveforever *''Dudleya rubens'' – Red flowering liveforever *''Dudleya saxosa'' – Panamint liveforever **Dudleya saxosa subsp. collomiae, ''Dudleya saxosa'' subsp. ''collomiae'' – Gila County liveforever **Dudleya saxosa subsp. aloides, ''Dudleya saxosa'' subsp. ''aloides'' – Desert liveforever **Dudleya saxosa subsp. saxosa, ''Dudleya saxosa'' subsp. ''saxosa'' – Panamint liveforever *''Dudleya stolonifera'' – Laguna Beach liveforever *''Dudleya traskiae'' – Santa Barbara Island liveforever *''Dudleya variegata'' – Variegated liveforever *''Dudleya verityi'' – Verity's liveforever *''Dudleya virens'' – Alabaster plant, Island liveforever *''Dudleya viridicata'' – Colonet liveforever *''Dudleya viridis'' *''Dudleya viscida'' – Sticky dudleya

Etymology

The genus is named after William Russel Dudley, the first head of the botany department at Stanford University. The term ''liveforever'' may refer to the longevity and hardiness of some plants in the wild. The name of the subgenera ''Stylophyllum'' is an allusion to the pencil-shaped leaves of the type species, ''Stylophyllum edule'', now known as ''Dudleya edulis''. The name of the subgenera ''Hasseanthus'' was in honor of Dr. Hermann Edward Hasse, Hermann E. Hasse, a surgeon and collector of California flora. Dudleya virens, ''Dudleya virens'' subsp. ''hassei'' is also named after him.

Nomenclature

* English language, English: ''Dudleya, liveforever'' * Spanish: s''iempreviva, mezcalito'' * Tiipai language, Tiipai: ''milhka’mey'' (wide-leaf); ''milh kajmila'' (narrow-leaf) * Paipai language, Paipai: ''awi mielh''

Reproductive biology

Pollinators and flower morphology

The pollinators of ''Dudleya'' are mostly hummingbirds and bees, although this has been inferred in some species only from flower morphology. The genus exhibits a wide array of diverse flower varieties, even within species complexes. The flowers are mostly Hermaphroditic (botany), hermaphroditic, although some individuals may have sterile anthers. Plants with long, tubular, reddish flowers, mostly in the subgenus ''Dudleya'', are adapted towards pollination via hummingbirds, while short, spreading, yellow flowers favor pollination by insects. Despite the evolution of long flowers towards hummingbirds, the long flowers also show no performance disadvantage in pollination environments exclusively composed of insects. While the long flowers may provide an evolutionary advantage for more effective pollination, more energy is required to produce the larger amounts of floral tissue. The flower morphology of ''Dudleya'' also corresponds with the aforementioned groups of ''Hasseanthus'', ''Stylophyllum'', and ''Dudleya''. The flowers in ''Hasseanthus'' and ''Stylophyllum'' are broad, white to yellow, and spreading, with bumblebees and bees as primary pollinators, and hummingbirds as occasional pollinators. As these species grade towards the subgenus ''Dudleya'', the petals begin to fuse at the base, with the flowers becoming tubular and red, due to an association with hummingbird pollinators. This shift in pollinators corresponds to larger nectar volumes and higher energy contents in accordance with the demands of hummingbird pollinators.

Seeds

Seed morphology also differs between ''Dudleya''. Larger ''Dudleya'' have noticeably smaller seeds; this is likely a result of an evolutionary tradeoff. The investment in growing large allows plants to retain moisture in periods of drought, at the cost of energy placed into reproduction. Other reasons for smaller seeds may also be due to allocation of resources into vegetative reproduction via pup rosettes, instead of sexual reproduction. In contrast, the small, inconspicuous, ''Hasseanthus''-type members produce the largest seeds in the genus. These larger seeds are not distributed very far, which contributes to the restricted ranges of the ''Hasseanthus'' subgenus.Amoroso, D. M., & Wilson, P. (2018). Ten Cases of Divergence in the Seedling Ecology of Dudleya (Crassulaceae). ''Systematic Botany'', ''43''(4), 889-900. File:2017-06-17-14.05.23 ZS PMax Dudleya caespitosa-1 - Flickr - John Rusk.jpg, subg. ' — The flowers of ''Dudleya caespitosa'' File:2017-08-19-13.55.44 ZS PMax Dudleya anthonyi—1—DxO (36281178490).jpg, subg. ' — The flowers of ''Dudleya anthonyi'' File:Dudleyaedulis.jpg, subg. ' — The flowers of ''Dudleya edulis'' File:Dudleya virens hassei.jpg, subg. ' — The flowers of ''Dudleya virens'' subsp. ''hassei'' File:Dudleyablochmaniae.jpg, subg. ' — The flowers of ''Dudleya blochmaniae'' File:Dudleya variegata 186339494.jpg, subg. ' - The flowers of ''Dudleya variegata''

Distribution and habitat

''Dudleya'' species are widespread and diverse in their range, but are typically found in rock outcroppings, cliff faces, or road cuts, where their leaves help them store water in a setting too dry for most types of plants. Most are small and inconspicuous when not in bloom. The two predominant habitats where plants of this genera may be found are by the coast or mountains. Dudleya favor moderate temperatures, summer dormancy, winter precipitation, and rocky habitats, which means they may be found in diverse, disjunct locales from oceanic bluffs on the California coast to sky islands in Arizona. Joedecruyenaere - 35745252185

Regions where ''Dudleya'' can be found include The Californias, Arizona, coastal Sonora and Oregon, and southern Utah and Nevada.Thiede, J. (2004). The genus Dudleya Britton & Rose (Crassulaceae): its systematics and biology. ''Cactus and Succulent Journal (US)'', ''76'', 224-231. The diversity of species of ''Dudleya'' is centered in Southern California and northern Baja California. Dudleya albiflora 2

Horticulture

Watering

In horticulture, ''Dudleya'' should be planted at an angle. This allows accumulated water to drain from the nestlike center of the plant, thus preventing microbial decay. ''Dudleya'' should not be watered from directly above, as this may damage their chalky coating known as farina, which is present on numerous species. Dudleya candida IMG 2268

During the late fall to early spring period of growing, watering should be done frequently in order to promote good growth and flower development. Plants grown with exposure to rainfall, provided they are in a Mediterranean climate, they may obtain optimum moisture. In contrast, plants grown indoors or in greenhouses should be watered to ensure that the plant maximizes growth. During the dormant period, from late spring to fall, watering should be limited to bi-weekly intervals, but not completely cut out. In nature, plants may completely desiccate themselves during the dormant period. Deciduous members of the genus in the ''Hasseanthus'' grouping should not be watered at all during dormancy.

Growing medium

Growing mediums should attempt to imitate the preferred soil of each species in nature. The most essential element for the medium is good drainage. Good drainage is important, as ''Dudleya'' are very susceptible to mold and fungi. How quickly the medium drains should be determined by the amount of shade in the location, which affects the rate of evaporation that the soil will go through. Thus, well-shaded ''Dudleya'' must have excellent drainage. Fertilizers may be used to maintain good color and growth, but they should be diluted. Clay is preferable to plastic pots when growing the plants due to the advantages with water drainage. Plastic pots may also kill the plants by overheating the roots. Mealybugs and aphids are main pests of ''Dudleya''. Erysiphe, Powdery mildew has also been recorded in cultivated ''Dudleya''.

Shade

The amount of shade a species of ''Dudleya'' requires is dependent on the location. Plants growing in coastal regions may require little shade at all, whilst plants growing in the deserts, inland valleys and mountains will require shade. The majority of plants in the genus will appreciate north-facing sites and shade during the heat of the day. During the summer months, 50% shade may be beneficial for plants. If a cold-tolerant ''Dudleya'' is grown during a freeze or snow, it should be shaded as not to damage the plant, as a quick thaw may be detrimental.

Propagation

Unlike their related genera ''Echeveria'', many ''Dudleya'' cannot be propagated through leaf cuttings. Propagation is mostly achieved via Offset (botany), offsets, germination by seed, or in nurseries, plant tissue culture. Variegata 3

Sexual reproduction

''Dudleya'' seeds are crescent shaped and near-microscopic, and can be collected by taking the dried flower buds and crushing the ovules inside, which can contain hundreds of seeds. Seeds can be sown into a soilless medium, such as pumice or vermiculite, after which germination can occur within a week to 10 days.

Asexual reproduction

Vegetative reproduction may occur in multiple ways: # The rosette of the plant divides into two, eventually branching off to develop two separate rosettes. # Plantlets will form in the axillary buds of old leaves around the primary rosettes, forming as many as 10 new rosettes. # After a wildfire, when the plant has its main rosettes burned off, new ones will emerge from either the stem or the roots, forming a new plant within a single growing season. # Rosettes emerge out of a long, horizontal root. This is commonplace when the plant has been decapitated on a cliff face, leaving only the long roots, which send out rosettes. # Plants multiply via Stolon, stoloniferous growth. Many ''Dudleya'' may send out stoloniferous rosettes, but they do not root. Only does the Dudleya stolonifera, Laguna Beach Liveforever (''Dudleya stolonifera'') sprout roots out of stoloniferous plantlets, yet this can be difficult or impossible to induce in captivity. # When the underground portion of the plant is lost to root rot, but the rosette and part of the caudex survive, the parts above the decayed roots can be removed cleanly, and planted provided they send out roots. Conversely, should the top of the rosette die but the lower stem still live, the deceased portion may be removed, a depression will remain in the caudex where the decayed rosette was removed, and at the edges new buds will sprout. # Propagation via leaves. Only certain species, like those of the ''Hasseanthus'' subgenus and others like ''Dudleya parva'', will root. Most ''Dudleya'' will not reproduce from leaves, with the leaves simply dying after being severed. # Plant tissue culture methods are also available, and becoming more advanced. Currently, plant tissue culture is used for ''Dudleya'' propagation in commercial and conservation settings.

Ethnobotany

Kumeyaay and Paipai

The indigenous peoples of the Kumeyaay and Paipai people, Paipai region utilized the genus for both Medicinal plants, medicinal and Agriculture, agricultural purposes. The tender,

leaves were chewed on to alleviate thirst, or used to treat calluses and Corn (pathology), corns. The budding inflorescences, in their early stages, were used as food, with a sweet flavor and juicy texture. The roots were pounded up and soaked in water, used as an astringent to "tighten the gums." The roots were also boiled whole as a decoction for asthma.Wilken, Michael A. (2012) ''An Ethnobotany of Baja California's Kumeyaay Indians.'' Retrieved 13 October 2021

Conservation

Several species of ''Dudleya'' are threatened by urban development in Coastal California and Mexico, and Climate change, anthropogenic-induced wildfires. However, one of the most critical threats to ''Dudleya'' species is poaching, partially caused by a demand from East Asian

Plant collecting, collectors paying lucrative prices for certain ''Dudleya'' species. Dudleya farinosa 113414618

The population of Dudleya verityi, Verity's liveforever (''Dudleya verityi''), which was nearly wiped out during the 2013 Springs Fire, was targeted by poachers. The Dudleya pachyphytum, Cedros Island liveforever (''Dudleya pachyphytum'') is a rare and extremely specialized ''Dudleya'' endemic to Cedros Island. In 2016, Korean nationals began moving to Bahia Tortugas, a locality in Baja California Sur, to facilitate the poaching and shipping of the plants. The species was seriously threatened after Mexican soldiers discovered poachers taking nearly 5,000 rosettes in a tractor-trailer. It was suspected the poachers rappelled onto the succulent's location via helicopter, as ''D. pachyphytum'' occupies a nearly inaccessible habitat. In 2019, the deaths and injuries of several fishermen from Bahía Tortugas Airfield, Bahía Tortugas who were on Cedros Island was allegedly the result of ''Dudleya'' trafficking, a conflict with the Sinaloa Cartel, or both. In 2020, the Mexican Navy in the Pacific Naval Force, Second Naval Region revealed that two fishermen were killed after a dispute emerged over the trafficking of the rare plant. Dudleya farinosa, Bluff lettuce (''Dudleya farinosa'') was also targeted by poachers in numerous large-scale operations. Although not particularly rare, the size of the poaching operation pose a serious ecological threat. Starting in 2017, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, along with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, discovered large amounts of ''D.'' ''farinosa'' being shipped out of the country. South Korean and China, Chinese nationals have both been arrested in the smuggling of ''D. farinosa.'' According to nursery owners responsible for legally exporting ''Dudleya'', buyers in Asia desired plants directly from the wild, owing to the Ornamental plant, aesthetic quality of their long caudices and weathered leaves. The Dudleya candelabrum, candleholder dudleya (''Dudleya candelabrum''), native to the northern Channel Islands (California), Channel Islands, was reported to have been poached, with the thieves shipping plants to South Korea. In response to the poaching of ''Dudleya,'' California State Assembly member Chris Ward (American politician), Chris Ward proposed Bil
AB-223
sponsored by the California Native Plant Society, which would make it illegal to poach ''Dudleya'' from state or private lands without a permit. The California Native Plant Society and conservationists have also initiated propagation programs to Flooding the market, oversaturate the market as a means to deter poachers. On September 28, 2021, governor Gavin Newsom signed AB-223 into law.