#DudleyaBrevifolia/#ShortLeavedLiveforever is found in five small populations within San Diego County and nowhere else on Earth. They only exist on a very specific kind of soil within a certain distance of the ocean, which is found mostly in very scenic locations that humans like to build luxury homes on. These are in one last little piece of open space right next to some ritzy houses and they’re under constant threat from clueless people, kids on bikes, and dog crap. The stones around them are #ironconcretions similar to the #moquimarbles of the Southwestern US or the #martianblueberries which may be evidence for the possibility of there having been water on Mars. Like many other #succulents, they turn red with #stresscoloration and with the plumpness of their leaves they look just like these little spherules. Millions of years of evolution to hone them into a species perfectly suited to their environment, and then some humans come along and drive them to near extinction putting houses and junk on them! The people working to save these little guys could put up signs to educate the public and keep them out, but that could open them up to the threat of poaching. It’s all incredibly frustrating. These are some of the only ones that aren’t fenced off to the point where you can’t even see them. Help keep it that way by obeying all #sensitivehabitat signs that you see when you’re out and about. ...If only because the marbles are INCREDIBLY slippery. . Scroll for more photos, my phlegmy narration in the video at the end, and of course a few photos of the #concretions that (probably?) don’t have any plants in them at all just to mess with you. 😉 PS: you can see them alright with the naked eye but bring a real camera with you if you’re trying to get good photos. An old phone and a magnifying glass just doesn’t quite do them justice. #californianativeplants #californiaendemicplants #endangeredspecies #rareplants #wildflowers #californiawildflowers #californiaendemic #sandiegocounty #edaphicendemism #hematiteconcretions #marsblueberries #lindavistaformation #torreysandstone #leavenotrace #watchyourstep (at Del Mar, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/CPL87eTDrgq/?utm_medium=tumblr