cactusclassification – Page 21 – THE LAST CACTUS CLASSIFICATION

May 3, 2016May 3, 2016

LEMAIREOCEREUS

https://www.cactuspro.com/photos_jpg/42/4272.jpg

Autor: Britton & Rose

• ETYMOLOGY
Genus honouring Charles Lemaire, French botanist (1800-1871), see portrait above (public domain).
• DESCRIPTION
A genus of treelike plants with columnar stems branching from the base, also from a damaged apex. Ribs slender, areoles round and whitish, spines short, stiff and bulbous at the base.
Flowers described as diurnal for L. hollianus, nocturnal in L. lepidanthus, appearing near the apex, with lanceolate or apiculate petals, white ivory (L. hollianus) or yellow orange-coloured, pink flesh-coloured to carmine red (L. lepidanthus), with coriaceous and fleshy bracts on the pericarpel; tube of the receptacle having hairs and trichomes; outer tepals papery, greenish brown, pollinated by bats (Choeronycteris mexicana, Leptonycteris curasoae, L. nivalis). Fruits spiny and hairy, egg-shaped, reddish with purple pulp (L. hollianus), or dry, egg-shaped or pear-shaped with reddish pasty pulp (L. lepidanthus). Seeds black and shiny.
• HABITAT
The genus Lemaireocereus grows in Central America, in volcanic areas covered with low spiny deciduous forests, from 250 m up to 1800 m in altitude (L. hollianus), together with many other cacti, mainly epiphytic, as well as Bromeliads and Orchids.
• DISTRIBUTION
Guatemala (Chiquimula, El Progreso, Zacapa), Mexico (Puebla).

Currently 2 recognised species:
– Lemaireocereus hollianus* (F.A.C.Weber) Britton & Rose 1909
– Lemaireocereus lepidanthus (Eichlam) Britton & Rose 1920

References: "TAXONOMY of the CACTACEAE" -  ISBN 978-84-617-3723-9 (Vol. 1)

May 3, 2016May 3, 2016

LASIOCEREUS

Autor: Ritter

• ETYMOLOGY
” Woolly candle “, in reference to the wooly pseudocephalium that the stems of the genus develops when adult.
• DESCRIPTION
A genus of shrubby or treelike plants, with erect columnar stems reaching up to 3m high, with many narrow and tuberculate ribs. Areoles close-set, spines aciculate.
Flowers nocturnal, self-sterile, subapical, shortly tubular, appearing in a pseudocephalium, white inside, dark outside, covered with wool and bristles, pollinated by bats. Fruits globose, barrel-shaped, with a basal dehiscence, at first fleshy then with dried pulp. Seeds rather small, slightly tuberculate, shiny, black.
• HABITAT
The genus Lasiocereus grows on rocky slopes, among grasses and shrubs, in the shade of the surrounding vegetation (L. fulvus), from 500 m up to 2600 m in altitude in full sun (L rupicola).
• DISTRIBUTION
Peru (Amazonas, Cajamarca).

Currently 2 recognised species:
– Lasiocereus fulvus* F. Ritter 1966
– Lasiocereus rupicola* F.Ritter 1966

References: "TAXONOMY of the CACTACEAE" -  ISBN 978-84-617-3723-9 (Vol. 1)

May 3, 2016May 3, 2016

LAGENOSOCEREUS

Autor: Doweld

• ETYMOLOGY
“bottle-shaped candle”, characteristic of the general appearance of the genus.
• DESCRIPTION
Monospecific genus of plants usually unbranched, not exceeding 1.5m high, with a cylindrical stem, but globose at the base, giving them a characteristic shape of a long-necked bottle, with many ribs (13-16). Radial spines short, aciculate (15-18), central spines stronger, longer (up to 3cm). Cephalium apical, densely woolly.
Flowers nocturnal, self-sterile, appearing in groups of 2-5, subapical, bell-shaped to funnel-shaped, white to pinkish white, pollinated by bats. Fruits globose, depressed, bluish to almost black when ripe, covered with wax. Seeds about 1.5mm, black, shiny, pitted.
• HABITAT
The monotypic genus Lagenosocereus grows endemically in a very restricted area of Morro do Chapeu, Bahia, in Brazil, in the campo rupestre (in Brazil, mountainous subtropical savanna), on sandy areas of white quartz, among rocks and conglomerates, on outcrops, in crevices, between 900 m and 1550 m in altitude, in the shade, sometimes in full sun, together with Velloziaceae and lichens.
• DISTRIBUTION
Brazil (Bahia).

Currently only one recognised species:
– Lagenosocereus luetzelburgii Doweld 2002

References: "TAXONOMY of the CACTACEAE" -  ISBN 978-84-617-3723-9 (Vol. 1)

May 2, 2016May 2, 2016

KROENLEINIA

http://www.cact.cz/noviny/2016/02/Zimapan_13.jpg

Autor: J.Lode

• ETYMOLOGY
Genus honouring Marcel Kroenlein (1928-1994), Monegasque, director of the famous Jardin Exotique of Monaco (1969 to 1993). See portrait above, cJean-Marie Solichon.
• DESCRIPTION
Monotypic genus of globular to short columnar plants up to 2 m high, flat to slightly depressed at the apex, solitary or branched from the base with age. Stems with many ribs (up to 40), apex densely covered with wool. Large areoles, generally elongated, close, joined in adult plants, without nectar glands. Spines are strong, cross-ribbed, centrals and radials same length.
Flowers diurnal, appearing in the apical wool, shortly funnel-shaped to bell-shaped, yellow, with scales with brownish thorns, pollinated by bees. Fruits elongated, fleshy with a white pulp, becoming dry when mature, indehiscent, densely covered with scales and wool. Seeds oval, smooth, shiny, brown.
• HABITAT
The genus Kroenleinia grows among bushes and herbs, on stony soils, rather mineral than organic, usually limestone, also alluvial soils, or on rocky slopes, on the edge of ravines, from 1400 m to about 2000 m above sea level, with other cacti. Annual precipitation is usually 500-700 mm, falling between June and September, and winter is punctuated by short frosts. There is a significant disjunction in habitat, and at 550 km from plants commonly known but becoming extremely rare in their habitat, a rich population that exclusively grows on volcanic cliffs was discovered in 2005, in Zacatecas.
• DISTRIBUTION
Mexico (Guanajuato, Hidalgo, Queretaro, San Luis Potosi, Zacatecas).

Currently only one species:
– Kroenleinia grusonii* (Hildm.) J.Lode 2014 (ex Echinocactus grusonii Hildm. 1886)

References: "TAXONOMY of the CACTACEAE" -  ISBN 978-84-617-3723-9 (Vol. 1)

May 2, 2016May 2, 2016

JASMINOCEREUS

Autor: Britton & Rose

• ETYMOLOGY
“jasmine-like cereus”, with reference to the flowers in this genus, probably more related to the flavour of the flowers than with their similarity, but not specified by the authors.
• DESCRIPTION
Monospecific genus of columnar, strongly branched treelike plants, measuring up to 8 m high, with constricted and ribbed cylindrical stems. Ribs distinct (18-20), areoles very close-set, dark; spines of unequal length, stiff, numerous (approximately 40)
Flowers diurnal, not nocturnal as stated in Anderson (The Cactus Family, 2001) and Hunt et al. (The New Cactus Lexicon, 2006), self sterile, appearing on terminal stems, funnel-shaped, with woolly and scaly tube, opening only early in the morning, closing at about 11 am, pollinated by Xylocopa darwinii (an endemic carpenter bee), Acrosticta apicalls (an introduced fly) and Camponotus planus, an endemic ant (Jaramillo et al., 2010), with slender floral tube, with petals pinkish brown to chocolate-brown streaked with yellow. Fruits elongated, greenish, reddish to purple, at first fleshy, becoming hard when mature, almost naked, with white pulp, floral remains persistent. Seeds kidneyshaped, warty, brown to blackish, numerous.
• HABITAT
The monotypic gen us Jasminocereus grows endemically in the Galapagos islands, from sea level up to approximately 1000 m in altitude, often as isolated clumps on lava blocks, among bushes and shrubs, or in small colonies near the ocean, where they live associated among others with Opuntia echios var. gigantea and Brachycereus nesioticus.
• DISTRIBUTION
Ecuador (Galapagos Islands).

Currently only one recognised species + possible subspecies:
– Jasminocereus thouarsii* (F.A.C.Weber) Backeb. 1959

References: "TAXONOMY of the CACTACEAE" -  ISBN 978-84-617-3723-9 (Vol. 1)