• ETYMOLOGY
“Thick Cereus “, referring to the massive size of the columnar stems in this genus. • DESCRIPTION
A genus of treelike, massive columnar plants, often strongly branched (P. weberi), ribs 7-17, sometimes bearing a pseudocephalium. Areoles rounded to elliptic, felted, usually connected by a interareolar groove in the reproductive area, with flexible spines. Radial spines barely differentiated from the centrals, which are usually longer and sturdier.
Flowers usually nocturnal, but remaining open the following day, self-sterile or self-fertile (P. grandis, pers. obs. 2014), bell-shaped to funnel-shaped, whitish or pink, bearing scales, trichomes and spines, pollinated by bats (Antrozous pallidus, Artibeus intermedius, A.jamaicensis, Chiroderma salvini, Choeroniscus godmani, Choeronycteris mexicana, Glossophaga soricina, Leptonycteris curasoae, L. nivalis, L. yerbabuenae, Sturnira lilium), also by hummingbirds
(Calypte costae, Cynanthus latirostris, Selasphorus rufus), other birds (Auriparus flaviceps, Carpodacus mexicanus, Colaptes auratus, Melanerpes uropygialis, Psaltriparus minimus, Toxostoma curvirostre, Zenaida asiatica, Z. macroura), as well as bees (Apis mellifera, Trigona sp.) and Sphingideae (Hyles lineata). Fruits mostly spiny, globose with fleshy white, yellow or magenta funicles, with apical or longitudinal dehiscence. Seeds more or less egg-shaped, very big and numerous (up to 800 per fruit), brownish to black, shiny, finely tuberculate and striate, ornithophilous dispersal. • HABITAT
The genus Pachycereus has a wide area of distribution, from northern to southern Mexico, also on islands of the Gulf of California, and grows endemically, forming widespread colonies dominating the landscape, among shrubs and bushes, in areas of coastal plains, in different types of forests, sandy or rocky soils, in alluvial areas, from sea level (P. pringiei), up to 1800 m in altitude (P. weberi), often together with other cacti and succulents. • DISTRIBUTION
Mexico (Baja California, Chihuahua, Colima, Durango, Guerrero, Jalisco, Mexico, Michoacan, Morelos, Nayarit, Puebla, Oaxaca, Sinaloa, Sonora, Zacatecas).
Currently 5 recognized species:
– Pachycereus grandis* Rose 1909
– Pachycereus pecten-aboriginum* (Engelm.) Britton & Rose 1909
– Pachycereus pringiei* (S.Watson) Britton & Rose 1909
– Pachycereus tepamo* S.Gama & S.Arias 1998
– Pachycereus weberi* (J.M.Coult.) Backeb. 1960
• ETYMOLOGY
Genus honouring Francisco Ortega’s family, a Zapotee Indian guide from San Jose Lachiguiri, Oaxaca, Mexico, who discovered the species for MacDougall. Portrait is unknown. • DESCRIPTION
Monotypic genus of low growing plants at first solitary, becoming caespitose, with stems globose to shortly elongated, pale greyish-green. Tubercles arranged spirally, more or less flattened and rhomboid, punctuated, sometimes with a groove. Areoles woolly, bearing a central spine and 7-8 radial spines erect, straight, white with a black tip.
Flowers diurnal, self-sterile or self-fertile according to clones, borne at the axillary base of the upper tubercles, funnelshaped, intense yellow, pollinated by butterflies and bees. Fruits globose to elongated, sunken in the axils of tubercles, dry when mature, floral remains persistent. Seeds globose, with a large hilum, foveolate, brown to black. • HABITAT
The monotypic genus Ortegocactus grows endemically in Mexico at high altitudes, in an extremely limited area, on a hill, at the top of steep limestone rocks, in masses of fallen rocks, on bare soils, among mosses and lichens, between 1600 m and 2500 m in altitude. The unsightly orange spots which sometimes appear on old plants in collections also seen on plants in habitat and are a natural phenomenon which does not affect the growth of plants at all. Only experienced growers like Jurgen Menzel are able to obtain perfect plants (see below). • DISTRIBUTION
Mexico (Oaxaca).
Currently only one recognised species:
– Ortegocactus macdougallii* Alexander 1961
• ETYMOLOGY
Native of the mining region of La Oroya, in Peru, which gives its name to the genus. • DESCRIPTION
A genus of low, subglobose flattened plants, with the apex depressed, sometimes becoming elongated with age, usually solitary, sometimes in groups, with tuberous roots, with epidermis fresh green to olive-green. Ribs numerous (24-30), areoles narrow and elongated, spines (16-24), interlaced, pectinate, stiff; usually no central spine.
Flowers diurnal, self-sterile, subapical, funnel-shaped to bell-shaped, with short floral tube slightly woolly and having small scales, with outer petals curved, yellow to greenish yellow or pink to red with an intense yellow heart, pollinated by hummingbirds, bees, butterflies (Hesperiidae) and possibly ants. Fruits more or less globose to davate, slightly fleshy, greenish pale or yellow pink, floral remains persistent. Seeds helmet-shaped, not wrinkled, foveolate or reticulate, reddish brown to black. • HABITAT
The genus Oroya has only and supposedly two extremely variable species, and grows endemically in the high valleys of the Peruvian Andes, in full sun, at ground level, among rocks and grasses (Stipa ichu) and lichens, on more or less rocky, gravelly or loamy clastic soils, from 2600 m up to 4300 m in altitude, sometimes together with other cacti. Plants can withstand frost and are often covered with snow in winter. • DISTRIBUTION
Peru (Ancash, Apurimac, Ayacucho, Cuzco, Huancavelica, Junin, Lima).
Currently 2 recognised species, but few others are possible:
– Oroya borchersii* (Boed.) Backeb. 1959
– Oroya peruviana* (K.Schum.) Britton & Rose 1922
• ETYMOLOGY
≪Mountain cereus≫, referring to the preferred habitat of the genus. • DESCRIPTION
A genus of ascending to erect, columnar, bushy to shrubby plants, branching from the base, reaching up to 3 m high, more or less covered with white setose hairs and spines according to species. Numerous ribs (10-25), rounded, tuberculate, areoles wide, woolly and strongly spiny. Central spines sturdy.
Flowers diurnal, self-sterile (some species are self-fertile), appearing below the apex (or at the apex in Morawetzia), more or less zygomorphic, tubular to funnel-shaped, orange, pink purple to more or less carmine red, or purplish brown, pollinated mainly by hummingbirds (Oreotrochilus estella, Patagona gigas) (or other birds (Sicalis raimondii), but also and occasionally, by bees, wasps and butterflies. Fruits globose to egg-shaped, elongated or pear-shaped, almost smooth, yellow, slightly aqueous, hollow, fleshy, dehiscence by a basal pore, soon falling, floral remains
persistent. Seeds black, roughly ovate, ruminate or foveolate, mostly matt, sometimes shiny (eg. Morawetzia). • HABITAT
The genus Oreocereus has a wide geographic distribution area, in the high mountains of the Andes, on high-plateaus, and grows mostly in full sun, on steep grounds between rocks, among grasses and bushes, from 1300 m up to 4250 m in altitude (O. trollii), often in huge colonies dominating the landscape. • DISTRIBUTION
Argentina (Jujuy, Salta), Bolivia (Chuquisaca, La Paz, Potosi, Tarija), Chile (Antofagasta, Arica, Tarapaca), Peru (Arequipa, Ayacucho, Huancavelica, Moquegua, Tacna).
• ETYMOLOGY
Genus allegedly native of Opos, botanical Latin name of an ancient Greek village near Locria on the coast of Euboea (or Evia), Opountis in Greek, known for the presence of many spiny plants (except Opuntia). Opos is also mentioned in the Iliad. • DESCRIPTION
A genus of shrubby to treelike plants, often with a distinct trunk, divided into segments (cladodes), mostly flattened, discoid, elliptic or elongated, rarely cylindrical. Tiny leaves, cylindrical or subulate, soon deciduous. Areoles with glochids and hairs; spines aciculate, subulate or setose, sheath absent.
Flowers diurnal, often self-fertile, rotate to wide open or elongated and narrow (in Nopalea), appearing on the margins of cladodes, usually solitary, pale to intense yellow, orange, red, carmine, pink, purple, sometimes whitish, or bicoloured, usually pollinated by bees: Andrenidae (Acamptopoeum prinii, Andrena fracta, Anthrenoides micans, Arhysosage cactorum, Calliopsis helianthi, C. puellae, Callynochium petunlae, Perdita sp., Psaenythia annulata, P. superba), Anthophoridae (Ancyloscelis fiebrigii, Anthophora californica., Diadasia sp., Ceratina asunciana, C. hyemalis, C. rupestres, C. volitans, Lanthanomelissa completa, Melissodes, Ptilothrix fructifera), Apidae (Apis mellifera, Bombus sonorus, Centris atripes, C. caesalpiniae, Ceratina melanoptera, Diadasia diminuta, D. opuntiae, D. rinconis, Melissodes paroselae, M. tristis, Plebeia emerina, P. wittmannii, Xylocopa californica), Colletidae (Cephalocolletes rugata, Colletes scopiventer, Hylaeus episcopales), Halictidae (Agapostemon angelicus, A. cockerelli, A. tyleri, Augochlora semiramis, Augochlorella neglectula, A. pomoniella, Augochloropsis euterpe, Dialictus sp., Halictus ligatus, H. tripartitus,Lasioglossum amicum, L clematisellum), and Megachilidae (Anthidiellum notatum, Anthidium jocosum, Ashmeadiella cactorum, A. clypeodentata, A. leucozona, A. meliloti, A. occipitales, A. opuntiae, A. vandykiella, Atoposmia anthodyta, Dianthidium curvatum, D. heterulkei, D. parvum, Lithurgus apicalis, L. rufiventris, Megachile frugales, M. odontostoma, M. sidalceae, Osmia subfasciata), also by hummingbirds (Amazilia luciae, A. rutila, A. tzacatl, A. violiceps, Archilochus colubris, Atthis eliotii, A. heloisa, Calothorax lucifer, Calypte anna, Cynanthus latirostris, C. sordidus, Heliomaster constantii, Selasphorus rufus), sometimes pollinated by bats (Choeronycteris mexicana, Glossophaga soricina, Leptonycteris yerbabuenae).
Flowers (except those of Nopalea) have sensitive stamens (thigmonasty or seismonasty).
Fruits more or less globose, fleshy or dry, umbilicate, usually garnished with glochids in the areoles, indehiscent. Seeds sometimes numerous, variable in size, very hard, flattened, discoid to kidney-shaped, white to brown, with a funicular enveloppe, glabrous or pubescent. Dispersal of seeds insured by small mammals and birds, also reptiles (eg. the tortoises and iguanas in the Galapagos islands). • HABITAT
The genus Opuntia has a huge geographic distribution, the number of species is one of the largest within the family of Cactaceae and furthermore, some of them (eg. O. engelmannii, O. phaeacantha, O. polyacantha…) are highly variable. It is found from Canada, down to Patagonia and throughout the Carribbean Islands. It occupies practically all habitats, eg. the typical chaparral of the southwest of the United States and northern Mexico, but also on alluvial plains and rocky cliffs, on rocky, sandy or gravelly soils, on volcanic rocks, among grasses, bushes and scrub, on dry rocky hillslopes, on the edge of canyons, also in open grasslands (in Missouri), regions of woody high plains, in forests of junipers (Juniperus spp.) and pines (Pinus spp.), in regions sometimes covered with snow in winter (O. fragilis, O. humifusa, O. polyacantha), from sea level up to 4100 m in altitude (O. sulphurea), in a plant association essentially composed of cacti and other succulents. • DISTRIBUTION
Antilles, Argentina (Buenos Aires, Catamarca, Chaco, Cordoba, Corrientes, Entre Rios, Formosa, Jujuy, La Rioja, Mendoza, Misiones, Neuquen, Rio Negro, Salta, San Juan, Santa Fe, Santiago del Estero, Tucuman), Bahamas, Barbados, Bolivia (Cochabamba, La Paz, Oruro, Santa Cruz, Tarija), Brazil (Bahia, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina), Canada (Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Saskatchewan), Colombia (Bolivar, Cauca), Costa Rica (Alajuela, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose), Cuba (Guantanamo), El Salvador (Usulutan), Ecuador (Azuay,Barbados, Bolivia (Cochabamba, La Paz, Oruro, Santa Cruz, Tarija), Brazil (Bahia, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina), Canada (Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Saskatchewan), Colombia (Bolivar, Cauca), Costa Rica (Alajuela, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose), Cuba (Guantanamo), El Salvador (Usulutan), Ecuador (Azuay, Chimborazo, Galapagos, Pichincha), Guatemala (Baja Verapaz, Chimaltenango, Chiquimula, El Progreso, Guatemala, Huehuetenango, Jalapa, Jutiapa, Quetzaltenango, Quiche, San Marcos, Sacatepequez, Zacapa), Haiti, Honduras, Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Mexico (Aguascalientes, Baja California, Campeche, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Colima, D.F., Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Mexico, Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon, Oaxaca, Puebla, Queretaro, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosi, Sinaloa, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Veracruz, Yucatan, Zacatecas), Nicaragua, Paraguay (Alto Paraguay, Boqueron, Central, Concepcion, Cordillera, Guaira, Misiones, Neembucu, Paraguari, Presidente Hayes, San Pedro), Panama, Peru (Ancash, Apurimac, Cajamarca, Huanuco, La Libertad, Lima, Pasco, Piura, San Martin, Tumbes), Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Trinidad & Tobago, Uruguay (Montevideo), USA (Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, !owa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachussets, Minnesota, Mississipi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming), Venezuela (D.F, etc.). Several species are cultivated worldwide (O. ficus-indica) and have become invasive (O. dillenii, O. stricta) in many
countries (South Africa, Australia, Botswana, Spain, the Canary Islands, Italy, India, Morocco, Yemen, etc.).
