Sedum sarmentosum growing wild and the young shoots edible mostly as Korean preservative $quot;Kimchee$quot; were collected at random 13 different country-wide localities during the period from October 1974 to November 1975 in order to survey any possible ecotype or variable local strain. Since S. sarmentosum was not easily found in Cheju Province (an island), S. oryzifolium was collected from two localities there instead. A horticultural(ornamental) variety S. lineare var. variegatum was found at a Seoul florist´s store.
1. Two characteristic types of S. sarmentosum, one with a long oblong narrow leaf (oblong-lanceolate) and the other a short ovate broader leaf (broad-lanceolate), while S. oryzifolium and S. lineare var. variegatum showed considerable difference from that of S. sarmentosum.
2. S. sarmentosum usually grow inhalf-shaded areas in between rocks and sunny roadsides, waste ground and open woods near streams or wells, indicating that their growth and distribution favor dry land with humid air, as in the case of other succulent plants. Sites where they are found had clay loam soils of pH about 5.5 and grown among other weeds.
3. Greenhouse pot-culture of those collected from various localities-of the country was conducted by varying environmental conditions such as soil property and light intensity, and found lanceolateleaf shape and internodal elongation varied strikingly with the growing conditions. This demonstrated quite clearly that a significant two differences in leaf shape of S. sarmentosum collected locally are by and large due to environmental differences, but not difference in either ecotype or genetical expression. Thus showed and confirmed that there is no morphologically different ecotype or local strain of S. sarmentosum in Korea.
4. Although food chemical analysis showed no marked difference in protein, carbohydrate, fat and ash content, etc., an impressive amount of vitamin C was noted in S. sarmentosum shoots and leaves as compared with those of other agricultural plant produces. This suggests somehow that this edible wild plant sometimes cultured has a worth of further exploration.
5. It seems to be also desirable to have a more specialized future studies on the use of S. sarmentosum for ornamental purpose as a ground-cover, with reference to growth habit of it, propagation ability, ease of overwintering, a splendid scene of flowering in gardens in spring, and other characteristics.
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