Corynopuntia

Corynopuntia
File:Corynopuntia clavata.jpg
Kingdom	Plantae
Family	Cactaceae
Subfamily	Opuntioideae
Tribe	Cylindropuntieae
SubTribe
Genus	Corynopuntia
Species
Notes	Taxonomy follows Joël Lodé (2015). The genus is treated in the strict sense (s.s.) and accepted as distinct from Grusonia.

Etymology

The name means "club Opuntia", referring to the characteristic club-shaped stem segments.

Description

Corynopuntia is a genus of dwarf, bushy, low-growing cacti forming dense clumps.

• Habit: Compact, densely branched plants.
• Stems: Short, cylindrical to clavate segments, tuberculate, not ribbed.
• Areoles: Bearing glochids and spines.
• Spines: Often with a sheath at the apex; one spine usually stronger, flattened or angled, sometimes with a bulbous base.
• Flowers: Diurnal, funnel-shaped, usually yellow, more rarely white or red; pollinated by insects.
• Fruits: Initially fleshy, later drying.
• Seeds: Large, flattened to suborbicular, straw-coloured.

Habitat

The genus occurs in arid desert environments, including the Mojave and Chihuahua deserts, in shrublands (matorral), rocky outcrops, alluvial plains, dunes, and limestone soils.

Altitude range: from sea level up to about 2500 m.

Plants often grow among shrubs and are used by small animals as protection from predators.

Distribution

• North America:

Mexico (Baja California, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Sonora, Zacatecas), United States (Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas)

Taxonomy

The genus Corynopuntia was established by F.M. Knuth (1935).

Its taxonomic status has been debated. Some authors included it within Grusonia, resulting in a paraphyletic concept. Later studies (Griffith 2002; Griffith & Porter 2009; Bàrcenas et al. 2011) support the recognition of Corynopuntia, Grusonia, and Micropuntia as distinct genera.

The genus corresponds partly to the former Marenopuntia, now included within Corynopuntia.

According to Joël Lodé (2015), Corynopuntia sensu stricto is a valid and distinct genus.

Species

Following the classification of Joël Lodé (2015).

• Corynopuntia aggeria
• Corynopuntia agglomerata
• Corynopuntia bulbispina
  • Corynopuntia bulbispina subsp. basileocephala
• Corynopuntia clavata
• Corynopuntia emoryi
• Corynopuntia grahamii
• Corynopuntia guccinii
• Corynopuntia invicta
• Corynopuntia kunzei
• Corynopuntia marenae
• Corynopuntia moelleri
• Corynopuntia nigrispina
• Corynopuntia parishii
• Corynopuntia reflexispina
• Corynopuntia robertsii
• Corynopuntia schottii
• Corynopuntia vilis

Notes

• The genus includes highly variable taxa, with some forms difficult to delimit.
• Corynopuntia reflexispina is sometimes considered a form of C. marenae.
• Species such as C. bulbispina are often confused with C. agglomerata in horticulture and literature.
• The genus represents a distinct lineage of dwarf opuntioid cacti adapted to desert environments.