Parodia
| Parodia | |
|---|---|
| File:Parodia microsperma.jpg | |
| Kingdom | Plantae |
| Family | Cactaceae |
| Subfamily | Cactoideae |
| Tribe | Notocacteae |
| SubTribe | |
| Genus | Parodia |
| Species | |
| Notes | Taxonomy follows Joël Lodé (2015). The genus is treated here in the strict sense (Parodia sensu stricto). |
Etymology
The genus is named in honour of Lorenzo Raimundo Parodi (1895–1966), an Argentine agricultural engineer and botanist.
Description
Parodia is a genus of small globose to shortly columnar cacti, solitary or forming clumps, with a depressed apex.
- Stems: Globose to short columnar, ribbed or tuberculate.
- Spines: Straight, curved, or hooked.
- Flowers: Diurnal, usually self-sterile, funnel-shaped to bell-shaped, appearing near the apex; yellow, orange or red.
- Fruits: Small, globose to cylindrical, dry or semi-dry, woolly, dehiscing basally.
- Seeds: Small, black or brown, reticulate; dispersal mainly by ants (myrmecochory) or water (hydrochory).
Distribution
- South America:
Argentina (Catamarca, Jujuy, Salta, Santiago del Estero, Tucumán), Bolivia (Cochabamba, Tarija)
Habitat
The genus grows in diverse environments, including rocky slopes, valleys (quebradas), and among shrubs, from about 1000 to 2500 m altitude. Some species tolerate strong nocturnal frosts.
Taxonomy
The genus Parodia was established by Spegazzini in 1923.
The delimitation of the genus has been controversial. Some authors included Notocactus, Wigginsia, and related genera within a broad Parodia, but this concept is considered problematic and polyphyletic.
According to Joël Lodé (2015), Parodia sensu stricto is a distinct genus defined primarily by floral and seed morphology.
Molecular studies have shown complex relationships within the group, and classification remains subject to revision.
Species
Following the classification of Joël Lodé (2015).
- Parodia ayopayana
- Parodia chrysacanthion
- Parodia formosa
- Parodia gibbulosoides
- Parodia horrida
- Parodia microsperma
- Parodia nivosa
- Parodia penicillata
Notes
- The genus is treated here in a strict sense (s.s.), excluding taxa often included in broader concepts of Parodia.
- The broader concept (s.l.) including Notocactus and others remains controversial.
- Future molecular studies may further refine the limits of the genus.
