#sedum

A small plant growing on the limestone at the Anatini Fossil Place in the Waitaki Whitestone Geopark. We'd gone there to see an in situ baleen whale fossil, but unfortunately the perspex cover installed over it was now completely opaque from exposure.

It was also the filming location for Aslan's Camp in The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.

But anyway!

AKA goldmoss stonecrop, mossy stonecrop, goldmoss sedum, and wallpepper.

The binomial is derived from the Latin sedere (or sedo) for "to sit", and acer meaning "sharp," "piercing," or "acrid". This refers to the low-growing, spreading habit of the plants, and the burning taste if chewed.

Native to Europe, but now naturalised in North America, Japan, parts of South America and New Zealand. It grows best on thin dry soils, or in cracks in walls and stone. Quite a pretty ornamental, honestly.

They were also crawling with tiny red mites - possibly Balaustium Sidewalk Mites, that appeared to be gorging themselves on the pollen.

Tasteless stonecrop

f. Crassulaceae

An example of a large modern partial sun backyard gravel landscaping in summer.

This is golden sedum. I highly recommend it because it's soft, robust, and if you pet it, it flings confetti everywhere.

Sedum allantoides

Mexico has many species of Sedum with very succulent leaves, and Sedum allantoides, from northern Oaxaca, is a fine example. The pale blue-green leaves look like fat little fingers. The flowers are white and star-like, and usually they have 5 petals - but one of those pictured is anomalous and has only 4 petals. Sedums belong to the Crassulaceae, or Stonecrop Family.