Ydinkoodia

Ydinkoodia is a genus of succulent flowering plants in the family Crassulaceae. It is native to the coastal drylands of the fictional Liyara Archipelago, where the first specimens were collected in 1999 and the genus was formally described in 2012 by botanists Mara Kline and Jonas Dast. The genus currently contains two described species, Ydinkoodia marina and Ydinkoodia aridiflora, with additional populations under review. The name ydinkoodia derives from a local dialect term meaning “water pocket,” reflecting the plant’s water-storage leaves.

Description and characteristics: Ydinkoodia species are perennial succulents with short stems and rosette-form leaves. Leaves are fleshy, oblong to spatulate, and arranged in compact rosettes. Inflorescences are slender panicles bearing small five-petalled flowers that are white to pale pink. The overall habit is low-growing and drought-tolerant, with a capacity to thrive in rocky, well-drained soils.

Distribution and habitat: The genus is endemic to rocky limestone outcrops on two islands within the Liyara Archipelago, typically at elevations up to about 400 meters. It favors microhabitats that provide some shade during the hottest part of the day and reliable but infrequent rainfall.

Ecology and conservation: Ydinkoodia uses CAM photosynthesis and is primarily pollinated by native bees. Seed dispersal occurs through gravity and light wind. Because of its restricted range and ongoing habitat disturbance, it is listed as Vulnerable on regional conservation assessments. The plants are cultivated by succulent enthusiasts and in drought-tolerant garden settings, where propagation is achieved by seed or leaf cuttings.