Author: cactusclassification

Posted on

BRACHYCEREUS

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/02/Brachycereus_nesioticus_2.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/02/Brachycereus_nesioticus_2.jpg

Autor: Britton & Rose

• ETYMOLOGY
“Short wax candle”, referring to the relatively small size of the stems of the genus.
• DESCRIPTION
Monospecific genus growing in dense clumps, with cylindrical, non articulated stems, branching from the base. Ribs many (18-22), low, spines more or less stiff, yellow becoming blackish and covering the epidermis.
Flowers nocturnal (according to Backeberg), opening during the day (according to Anderson), self sterile, appearing near the base, white. Fruits fleshy when mature, reddish, with deciduous spines. Seeds ovoid, small, dark brown. About the flowers; they open at about 9 pm and are closed towards 11 am -noon the following day (J. Menzel, pers. comm.), probably pollinated by the same insects as Jasminocereus (see this genus), but in my opinion, especially by ants (Camponotus sp.), which are active both day and night.
• HABITAT
The monotypic genus Brachycereus grows endemically in the Galápagos islands, from sea level up to approximately
500 m in altitude. It forms clumps and grows exclusively on extremely arid areas, in full sun, in the crevices of lava
fields. It is a pioneer plant, among the first ones to colonize the recent lava flows.
• DISTRIBUTION
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands).

Currently only one recognised species (+ possible subspecies?):
– Brachycereus nesioticus* (K.Schum.) Backeb. 1935

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

 

Posted on

BORZICACTUS

http://www.flowerpictures.net/cactus/images/cacti_borzicactus.jpg
http://www.flowerpictures.net/cactus/images/cacti_borzicactus.jpg

Autor: Riccobono

• ETYMOLOGY
A genus honouring Antonio Borzi (1852-1921), director of the botanical garden of Palermo, in Italy (see portrait above, ©Public Affairs Branch Office in Palermo, Italy).
• DESCRIPTION
A genus made up of erect, crawling or decumbent plants, with more or less sturdy, cylindrical, long stems, ribs rounded, more or less thick around the areoles, sometimes with chins. Spines relatively short and often numerous, aciculate.
Flowers diurnal, more or less zygomorphic, with a long, slightly bent and more or less hairy tube, pollinated by
hummingbirds (Patagona gigas, Phaetornis spp.), red, carmine to scarlet red, yellow, orange-coloured or pink. Fruits
spherical to sub-spherical, generally fleshy with longitudinal dehiscence. Seeds brownish to black, elongated,
tuberculate.
• HABITAT
The genus Borzicactus grows often as epilithic (= rupicolous, on rocks), in the eastern foothills of the Andes, usually
on inclined surfaces from 30 m (B. crassiserpens) up to 3500 m in altitude, in full sun, in dry valleys or on hills, among bushes and shrubs, in very mineral soils, also in the shade of tropical dry forests, in a loamy soil covered with leaves and plant debris.
• DISTRIBUTION
Ecuador (Azuay, Riobamba), Peru (Amazonas, Ancash, Cajamarca, Lambayeque, Lima, Piura).

Currently 12 recognised species + 3 subspecies:
– Borzicactus aureispinus* (F.Ritter) G.D.Rowley 1975
– Borzicactus crassiserpens J.Lodé 2013
– Borzicactus fieldianus* Britton & Rose 1923
– Borzicactus hutchisonii G.Charles 2010
– Borzicactus icosagonus* (Kunth) Britton & Rose 1920
– Borzicactus icosagonus subsp. humboldtii (Kunth) G.Charles 2012
– Borzicactus icosagonus subsp. roseiflorus (Burning) G.Charles 2012
– Borzicactus leonensis (Madsen) G.Charles 2012
– Borzicactus longiserpens* (Leuenberger) G.Charles 2010 (= B. serpens)
– Borzicactus longiserpens subsp. erectus G.Charles 2010
– Borzicactus neoroezlii F.Ritter 1961
– Borzicactus plagiostoma* (Vaupel) Britton & Rose 1920 (= B. purpureus)
– Borzicactus samaipatanus* (Cárdenas) Kimnach 1960
– Borzicactus sepium* (Kunth) Britton & Rose 1920
– Borzicactus tenuiserpens (Rauh & Backeb.) Kimnach 1960

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

 

Posted on

BOLIVICACTUS

http://www.cactusinhabitat.org/images/uploads/221/b_33-1060092.JPG
http://www.cactusinhabitat.org/images/uploads/221/b_33-1060092.JPG

Autor: A.B. Doweld

• ETYMOLOGY
“Cactus of Bolivia”, because the type species of this genus is native to northern Bolivia.
• DESCRIPTION
A genus of globose to shortly columnar plants, with 13-21 ribs, more or less tuberculate, radial spines variable in
number, central spines 4-6 ( 8 ), aciculate, often hooked.
Flowers diurnal, born at the apex, with a short and woolly tube, yellow, orange or red, pollinated by bees. Fruits small, globose. Seeds black seeds ornated with fine papillae and longitudinal striations. Dispersion of seeds, and according to their structure, provided by ants (myrmecochory), also by rainwater (hydrochory).
• HABITAT
The genus Bolivicactus grows essentially in southern Bolivia, also in northern Argentina, in the mountains of the
Eastern Cordillera of the Andes, between 850 m and 3600 m in altitude, on bare slopes, among bushes, in hollows of rocks, between stones. The genus has extremely variable species, and several taxa have been described.
• DISTRIBUTION
Argentina (Jujuy, Salta, Tucumán), Bolivia (Chuquisaca, Cochabamba, Potosí, Santa Cruz, Tarija).

Currently 17 proposed species:
– Bolivicactus aureicentrus (Backeb.) A. Doweld 2000
– Bolivicactus columnaris (Cárdenas) A. Doweld 2000
– Bolivicactus comarapanus* (Cárdenas) A. Doweld 2000
– Bolivicactus commutans (F. Ritter) A. Doweld 2000
– Bolivicactus hausteinianus (Rausch) A. Doweld 2000
– Bolivicactus maassii* (Heese) A. Doweld 2000
– Bolivicactus mairananus (Cárdenas) A. Doweld 2000
– Bolivicactus ocampoi (Cárdenas) A. Doweld 2000
– Bolivicactus otavianus (Cárdenas) J.Lodé 2014
– Bolivicactus procerus (F. Ritter) A. Doweld 2000
– Bolivicactus ritteri (Burning) A. Doweld 2000
– Bolivicactus saint-pieanus (Backeb.) A. Doweld 2000
– Bolivicactus schwebsianus (Werderm.) A. Doweld 2000
– Bolivicactus Stuemeri* (Werderm.) A. Doweld 2000
– Bolivicactus subterraneus (F. Ritter) A. Doweld 2000
– Bolivicactus taratensis ((Cárdenas) A. Doweld 2000
– Bolivicactus tuberculatus (Cárdenas) A. Doweld 2000

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

 

Posted on

BLOSSFELDIA

http://www.cl-cactus.com/images/842/TB077_1_Blossfeldia_liliputana.jpg
http://www.cl-cactus.com/images/842/TB077_1_Blossfeldia_liliputana.jpg

Autor: Werdermann

• ETYMOLOGY
A genus created to honour Harry Blossfeld junior (1913-1986), who discovered this taxon (see portrait above, ©Haage).
• DESCRIPTION
A genus of tiny discoid plants, button-shaped, at first solitary, then forming small clumps, with a greyish-green
epidermis. Spines absent.
Flowers diurnal, subapical, self-fertile, but also pollinated by bees, creamy-white to pale pink, with a few tiny scales
and some scattered wool. Fruits spherical, light brown or reddish, drying when ripe, with irregular dehiscence,
releasing large quantity of tiny brown seeds which are then dispersed by ants. Seeds have a wide aril and
protuberances.
• HABITAT
The genus Blossfeldia grows in northern Argentina and southern Bolivia, between 1100 m and 3200 m in altitude, at
ground level, mimetic in rocky defiles, on steep slopes, in cracks of schistose (shale) walls containing pockets of humus or fine clay. Plants form colonies of elongated clumps from a single specimen.
• DISTRIBUTION
Argentina (Catamarca, Jujuy, La Rioja, Mendoza, Salta, San Juan), Bolivia (Cochabamba, Chuquisaca, Potosí, Santa Cruz, Tarija).

Currently only one recognised species (more possible subspecies):
– Blossfeldia liliputana* Werdermann 1937

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

 

Posted on

BERGEROCACTUS

http://pics.davesgarden.com/pics/2008/12/12/CactusJordi/c460ee.jpg
http://pics.davesgarden.com/pics/2008/12/12/CactusJordi/c460ee.jpg

Autor: Britton & Rose

• ETYMOLOGY
A genus honouring Alwin Berger (1871-1931), who was for several years the curator of Thomas Hanbury’s botanical
garden at La Mortola, Italy (see portrait above, ©Haage).
• DESCRIPTION
Monospecific genus of large bushes with slender cylindrical stems, branching near the base, very spiny, with golden
yellow aciculate spines completely covering the epidermis. Thick root system.
Flowers diurnal, self sterile, with felted and spiny floral tube, yellow with more or less reddish external tepals,
pollinated by bees. Fruits are spherical with a liquid pulp, homochromous (same colour as the stems), covered with
spines, becoming invisible with the rest of the plant, dehiscent at the apex, letting pulp and seeds escape, drying out
when ripe. Seeds shiny, flattened, brown-black, escaping through an apical pore, the dispersion is probably
ornithophilous.
• HABITAT
The monotypic genus Bergerocactus grows near the sea, on the Pacific coast, south-west of California in the United
States and northwestern Baja California in Mexico, rarer southward, in full sun, and is part of a plant community
named the chaparral, composed of thorny shrubs, Cactaceae and other Succulents such as Lophocereus, Ferocactus, Cylindropuntia, Echinocereus, Mammillaria, Agave, etc. It is commonly found from the sea level up to approximately 250 m in altitude.
• DISTRIBUTION
Mexico (Baja California), USA (California).

Currently only one recognised species:
– Bergerocactus emoryi* (Engelm.) Britton & Rose 1909

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