Autor: Spegazzini
• ETYMOLOGY
“Sturdy flute”, referring to the shape of the elongated and erect floral tube, typical of the genus.
• DESCRIPTION
A genus of small caespitose plants, stems globular flattened, forming cushions. Areoles having hairs and or bristles, Plants sometimes forming a taproot. Spines setose to finely aciculate.
Flowers diurnal, self-sterile, basal, stamens and pistil are welded to the base of receptacle (ovary inferior), red, orange or white, pollinated by bees. Fruits setose, spherical, floral remains persistent. Seeds black, bell-shaped, tuberculate.
• HABITAT
The genus Aylostera grows in the high mountains of the Andes, in the cracks of detrital rocks, also on rock faces,
usually in full sun, from 1360 m up to 4300 m in altitude.
• DISTRIBUTION
Argentina (Jujuy, Salta), Bolivia (Chuquisaca, Oruro, Potosí, Santa Cruz, Tarija).
Currently, 30 species for review, and possible subspecies. (M. = Mediolobivia) :
– Aylostera albiflora (Ritter & Buining) Backeb. 1963 (A. pulvinosa subsp. olbifloro?)
– Aylostera albopectinata (Raush) Mosti & Papini 2011 (A. pygmaea?)
– Aylostera (M.) aureiflora (Backeb.) Mosti & Papini 2011 (A. einsteinii subsp. aureiflora?)
– Aylostera cajasensis* (F.Ritter) Mosti & Papini 2011 {A. fiebrigii?)
– Aylostera deminuta* Britton & Rose 1923
– Aylostera donaldiana* (A.B.Lau & G.D.Rowley) Mosti & Papini 2011 (A. fiebrigii subsp. donaldiana?)
– Aylostera [M.) einsteinii* (Fric ex Kreuz. & Buining) Mosti & Papini 2011
– Aylostera fiebrigii* (Gürke) Backeb. 1936 (= R. kieslingii?)
– Aylostera flavistyla* (F.Ritter) Mosti & Papini 2011 (A. fiebrigii subsp. flavistyla?)
– Aylostera fulviseta (Rausch) 1970 (A. deminuta subsp. fulviseta?)
– Aylostera fusca (F.Ritter) Mosti & Papini 2011 (A. deminuta subsp .fusca?)
– Aylostera heliosa* (Rausch) Mosti & Papini 2011
– Aylostera hoffmannii (Diers & Rausch) Mosti & Papini 2011 (A. fiebrigii subsp. hoffmannii?)
– Aylostera (M) huasiensis (Rausch) Mosti & Papini 2011 [A. ritteri subsp. huasiensis?)
– Aylostera kupperiana* (Boed.) Backeb. in Backeb. & F.M. Knuth 1936 (A. deminuta subsp. kupperiana?)
– Aylostera mamillosa (Rausch) Mosti & Papini 2011 (A. deminuta subsp. mamillosa?)
– Aylostera muscula*(F.Ritter & Thiele) Backeb. 1963 (A. fiebrigii subsp. muscula?)
– Aylostera narvaecense* Cárdenas 1971 (A/7eb/7g//subsp. narvaecense?)
– Aylostera perplexa* (Donald) Mosti & Papini 2011 (A. pulvinosa subsp. donaldiana?)
– Aylostera pseudodeminuta* (Backeb.) Backeb. 1936 [A. deminuta subsp. kupperiana?)
– Aylostera pulvinosa (F.Ritter & Buining) Backeb. 1963
– Aylostera (M.) pygmaea* (R.E.Fries) Mosti & Papini 2011 (= Rebutía diersiana?)
– Aylostera (M.) rltteri* (Wessner) Mosti & Papini 2011
– Aylostera robustispina* (F. Ritter) Mosti & Papini 2011 (A deminuta subsp. robustispina?)
– Aylostera spegazziniana* (Backeb.) Backeb. 1936 (A. deminuta subsp. spegazziniana?)
– Aylostera spinosissima (Backeb.) Backeb. 1935 (A. fiebrigii subsp. spinosissima’?)
– Aylostera (M.) steinmannii* (Solms) Backeb. 1959
– Aylostera tarijensis (Rausch) Mosti & Papini 2011
– Aylostera vulpina (F.Ritter) Mosti & Papini 2011 (A. deminuta subsp. vulpina?)
– Aylostera walteri(Diers) Mosti & Papini 2011 (A. fiebrigii subsp. walteri?)
References: "TAXONOMY of the CACTACEAE" - ISBN 978-84-617-3723-9 (Vol. 1)