Dudleya cymosa subsp. ovatifolia (Britton) Moran:
United States (North America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

Historic Range:
U.S.A. (CA)

Isotype for Dudleya ovatifolia Britton
Catalog Number: US 431312
Collection: Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Botany
Verification Degree: Card file verified by examination of alleged type specimen
Preparation: Pressed specimen
Collector(s): H. M. Hall
Year Collected: 1902
Locality: Collected in Santa Monica Mts., raised in botanical Garden, University of California., California, United States, North America

Comments: North-facing slopes and cliffs in chaparral communities. Also in deep canyon bottoms. Typically on sedimentary conglomerate rock (9/99 Recovery Plan). Note Nakai (1987) for ssp. agourensis vs. ssp. ovatifolia.

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: N2 - Imperiled

Rounded Global Status Rank: T2 - Imperiled

Reasons: Known from disjunct locations in the Santa Monica and Santa Ana mountains around the Los Angeles Basin in California, with fewer than 2000 individuals at 8 or fewer extant sites (including ssp. agourensis as a synonym). Populations are threatened by dense residential and commercial development, as well as recreational activities and road maintenance.

Current Listing Status Summary

Status: Threatened
Date Listed: 01/29/1997
Lead Region:   California/Nevada Region (Region 8) 
Where Listed:


Population detail:

Listing status: T

For most current information and documents related to the conservation status and management of Dudleya cymosa ovatifolia, see its USFWS Species Profile

Comments: Since Dudleya cymosa ssp. ovatifolia mostly occurs on rocky outcrops with little vegetative cover, it is only slightly threatened at this time by roadside scraping for weed control, fire suppression activities (such as brush clearing), horticultural collection, grazing, nonnative insects (Argentine ants) and plants (USFWS 2009). While in the past populations had been lost to urban (residential and commercial) development, newer development seems to be more accommodating to this taxon, leaving its habitat zoned as open space and promising protection (USFWS 2009). Yet, secondary effects of urbanization, such as recreational activities (like rock climbing and hiking), are becoming a more prominent threat. Since most of the habitat exists on private land, direct and indirect impacts from current and future development is always a threat (USFWS 2009). Climate change is a possible threat, the extent of which is not yet known (USFWS 2009).

Comments: Kartesz (1994, 1999) and the California Natural Diversity Database (8/2000) consider D. cymosa ssp. agourensis distinct, whereas it is considered a synonym of ssp. ovatifolia by the USFWS (1997, 1999); Bartel in Hickman (1993); and the California Native Plant Society (1994). Dudleya cymosa ssp. ovatifolia is generally recognized, e.g., by Kartesz (1994 checklist, 1999 synthesis); new Jepson manual (Hickman 1993); McAuley (1985); and the USFWS (1997, 1999). LEM 23Dec99 and BMacB 26Sep2000.