Common Name: La Mexicana (English: The Mexican)

Scientific Name: Graptopetalum "La Mexicana"

Native to the Mexican states of Hidalgo, Tamaulipas

The plant Graptopetalum "La Mexicana" is currently in a critically endangered because:

1. The plant is endemic to the state of Oaxaca and is only known from a small area near the town of San Juan Teita. Its area of occupancy (AOO) is calculated to be 4 km2.

2. The plant grows on gypsum outcrops, which is a highly specialized and fragile habitat. This habitat is very vulnerable to desertification or climate change..

3. The plant is at risk of intense collection and poaching for illegal trade, as is the case with many succulent species.

4. Its sexual reproduction occurs in winter. 

Some protection measures could be:

We could protect their natural habitats by creating protected areas where human activities are limited or regulated.

We could create laws and regulations to control over collection and illegal trade.

We could raise awareness about the importance of the species and the threats that it is facing.

We can use reintroduction programs. In these they breed the species in captivity and reintroduce them into their natural habitats.

We could do continuous research and monitoring to understand the species better and check how well our conservation measures have worked.

Its economical value comes as a decorative and asthetic piece to people. They are also easy to breed and maintain. They have air-purifying qualities. The plant is believed to represent strength. Also in case people interested in buying them have any kids or pets, these plants are non-toxic.

While our plant's known information is fairly recent, we can assume some things. We know that since Spaniards conquered Mexico they had a great interest in our biodiversity, specifically plants. Throughout colonial Mexico we know that many of these beautiful plants were shipped to Europe in order to make money. Out of these plants that were shipped we believe the Graptopetalum "La Mexicana" was one of them. 

Specific indigenous uses for "La Mexicana" are not known. Although the plant's family, Crassulaceae, is known for its use in medicine and decoration by ethnic groups in Mexico. 

This plant is not as popular internationally as it is in Mexico. In Mexico this plant is becoming very popular due to its beauty and how easy it is to keep it alive

There was a study made to analyze Graptopetalum. The study showed these recent findings:

Interestingly, the study showed that Graptopetalum is not a monophyletic group. This means that not all species under the genus share a common ancestor exclusive to them. Instead, species from other genera, such as Tacitus bellus, Cremnophila, Sedum, and Echeveria, are interspersed among Graptopetalum species. This basically means that geographical distribution cuased the grouping of these species.