Taxon Report

Dudleya cymosa (Lem.) Britt. & Rose ssp. ovatifolia (Britt.) Moran

Santa Monica dudleya

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Taxon Summary

Dudleya cymosa ssp. ovatifolia, commonly known as Santa Monica dudleya, is a perennial herb in the Crassulaceae that is found only in California. It occurs within Chaparral, and Coastal scrub, growing at elevations from 150 to 1675 meters. Dudleya cymosa ssp. ovatifolia is ranked 1B.1, Plants Rare, Threatened or Endangered in California and Elsewhere; Seriously threatened in California.

Classification


Scientific Name:	Dudleya cymosa (Lem.) Britt. & Rose ssp. ovatifolia (Britt.) Moran
Common Name:	Santa Monica dudleya
Family:	Crassulaceae
Element Code:	PDCRA040A5
USDA Plants Symbol:	DUCYO
Synonyms/Other Names:

Ecology and Life History


Lifeform:	perennial herb
Blooming Period: Mar-Jun	Mar-Jun
Elevation:	150-1675 (490-5495)
General Habitats:	Chaparral, Coastal scrub
Microhabitat:	Rocky, Volcanic (sometimes)
Microhabitat Details:	sometimes sedimentary

Conservation Status


CA Rare Plant Rank:	1B.1
Global Rank:	G5T1
State Rank:	S1
State List:	None
Fed List:	FT
Other Status:	SB_CalBG/RSABG; SB_SBBG
CRPR Changes:	changed from 1B.2 to 1B.1 on 2014-04-30

Occurrence Data from the CNDDB


Total Occurrences:	3
Element Occurrence Ranks:
Excellent (A)	0
Good (B)	1
Fair (C)	0
Poor (D)	0
None (X)	0
Unknown (U)	2

Location


California Endemic: True
California Counties and Islands: Name (Code)
Los Angeles (LAX)
Quads: Name (Quad Code)
Malibu Beach (3411816), Topanga (3411815), Triunfo Pass (3411818)

Threat List Data from the CNDDB


Threat List Total:	4
EOs with Threat Listed:	Total EOs	% of EOs
	2	67 %
Improper burning regime	1	33%
Non-native plant impacts	1	33%
Recreational use (non-ORV)	1	33%
Vandalism/dumping/litter	1	33%

Notes



Known from fewer than ten occurrences.
Threats:
Threatened by development and recreational activities.
Taxonomy:
Does not include D. cymosa ssp. agourensis. Plants from Santiago Canyon, ORA County, are now treated as D. chasmophyta.

Selected References

Citation California Native Plant Society, Rare Plant Program. 2025. Rare Plant Inventory (online edition, v9.5.1). Website https://www.rareplants.cnps.org [accessed 28 October 2025].