Greek pachys — thick, phyton — plant: both the stems and leaves are fleshy.
Small, fleshy perennial shrubs. Leaves simple, spirally arranged, extremely thick, with a pronounced waxy bloom, not deciduous. Flower clusters 1-sided, pendent, sometimes curled over. Flowers tubular, in a double row and with prominent bracts. Sepals 5, equal or not. Petals 5, shortly united at the base and spreading at the apices, the margins bent inwards to form 2 scale-like appendages at the base that are about half the length of the petal. Stamens 10 in 2 whorls. Carpels 5, free.
Popular genus in collections but only 2 species grown.
About 12 species from Mexico.
Stem cuttings or separation of individual leaves which develop plantlets from the old point of attachment.
Leaves swollen and covered with a waxy bloom; petals erect and with a pair of basal internal appendages. Closely related to Echeveria and Graptopetalum.
Source: (2002). Crassulaceae. In: . Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 3. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 2. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.