Dudleya setchellii
Encyclopedia
Dudleya setchellii, the Santa Clara Valley Dudleya, is a member of the Dudleya
genus
of succulent
perennials, members of the family Crassulaceae
. The Santa Clara Valley Dudleya, endemic to the Santa Clara Valley
region in the southern San Francisco Bay Area
, was listed on February 3, 1995, as an endangered species
.
, mostly on rocky outcrops within serpentine
grasslands on Tulare Hill and Santa Teresa Hill west of Coyote Creek in south San Jose
and south of Metcalf Canyon east of Coyote Creek.
Dudleya
Dudleya is a genus of succulent perennials, consisting of about 45 species in southwest North America.Many plants in the Dudleya genus were formerly classified as Echeveria....
genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of succulent
Succulent plant
Succulent plants, also known as succulents or fat plants, are water-retaining plants adapted to arid climates or soil conditions. Succulent plants store water in their leaves, stems, and also in roots...
perennials, members of the family Crassulaceae
Crassulaceae
Crassulaceae, or the orpine family, are a family of dicotyledons. They store water in their succulent leaves. They are found worldwide, but mostly occur in the Northern Hemisphere and southern Africa, typically in dry and/or cold areas where water may be scarce...
. The Santa Clara Valley Dudleya, endemic to the Santa Clara Valley
Santa Clara Valley
The Santa Clara Valley is a valley just south of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California in the United States. Much of Santa Clara County and its county seat, San José, are in the Santa Clara Valley. The valley was originally known as the Valley of Heart’s Delight for its high concentration...
region in the southern San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
, was listed on February 3, 1995, as an endangered species
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
.
Description
The Dudleya setchellii plant blooms in the spring, with pale yellow flowers on vertical stems about a foot high.Distribution
Dudleya setchellii is found only in the Coyote Valley area of southern Santa Clara County, CaliforniaSanta Clara County, California
Santa Clara County is a county located at the southern end of the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. state of California. As of 2010 it had a population of 1,781,642. The county seat is San Jose. The highly urbanized Santa Clara Valley within Santa Clara County is also known as Silicon Valley...
, mostly on rocky outcrops within serpentine
Serpentine soil
A serpentine soil is derived from ultramafic rocks, in particular serpentinite, a rock formed by the hydration and metamorphic transformation of ultramafic rock from the Earth's mantle....
grasslands on Tulare Hill and Santa Teresa Hill west of Coyote Creek in south San Jose
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
and south of Metcalf Canyon east of Coyote Creek.