''Crassula decumbens'', commonly known as rufous stonecrop, cape crassula or spreading crassula, is a herb in the family

Crassulaceae The Crassulaceae (from Latin ''crassus'', thick), also known as the stonecrop family or the orpine family, are a diverse family of dicotyledon flowering plants characterized by succulent leaves and a unique form of photosynthesis, known as Cr ...

that is native to southern parts of Australia, South Africa, and Chile. There are generally two accepted varieties: ''Crassula decumbens'' var. ''decumbens'' and ''C. decumbens'' var. ''brachyphylla.'' The

annual Annual may refer to: * Annual publication, periodical publications appearing regularly once per year **Yearbook **Literary annual * Annual plant *Annual report *Annual giving *Annual, Morocco, a settlement in northeastern Morocco *Annuals (band), ...

herb blooms between July and October producing cream-white-pink flowers. It has a decumbent habit or erect branches up to in length. The acute leaves have a linear-lanceolate to oblanceolate shape and the blade is typically long with a width of . The axillary flowers are four

merous Merosity (from the greek "méros," which means "having parts") refers to the number of component parts in a distinct whorl of a plant structure. The term is most commonly used in the context of a flower where it refers to the number of sepals in a w ...

with a pedicels that are longer than sepals in fruiting material. The sepals are erect with a lanceolate shape and obtuse apex. Petals are striate and brown in colour and shorter than the sepals. The flower base is connate with a hooded apex and the stamens with anthers have an ovoid shape. It forms yellow seeds with a cylindrical-ovoid shape. The species was first formally described as ''Crassula decumbens'' by Swedish botanist

Carl Thunberg Carl Peter Thunberg, also known as Karl Peter von Thunberg, Carl Pehr Thunberg, or Carl Per Thunberg (11 November 1743 – 8 August 1828), was a Swedish naturalist and an "apostle" of Carl Linnaeus. After studying under Linnaeus at Uppsala U ...

in 1794 in the work ''Prodromus Plantarum Capensium''. Synonyms for the species include ''Tillaea trichotoma'' and ''Bulliarda trichotoma''. In Australia, it is commonly found on dune slopes in the Great Southern, Wheatbelt,

Mid West The Midwestern United States, also referred to as the Midwest or the American Midwest, is one of four census regions of the United States Census Bureau (also known as "Region 2"). It occupies the northern central part of the United States. I ...

and Goldfields-Esperance regions where it grows in clay-loam-sand soils. It is spread through much of

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

and southeastern

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...

. It is also found in

Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

and

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 List of islands of New Zealand, smaller islands. It is the ...

. In addition to this, the species occurs throughout the Cape in South Africa and southern Chile, although has been introduced to other parts of the world too.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q15481075 decumbens Plants described in 1794 Eudicots of Western Australia Flora of Victoria (Australia) Flora of South Australia Flora of Tasmania Flora of New Zealand Saxifragales of Australia