Punotia
| Punotia | |
|---|---|
| File:Punotia lagopus.jpg | |
| Kingdom | Plantae |
| Family | Cactaceae |
| Subfamily | Opuntioideae |
| Tribe | Tephrocacteae |
| SubTribe | |
| Genus | Punotia |
| Species | |
| Notes | Taxonomy follows Joël Lodé (2015). The genus is considered provisionally correct. |
Etymology
The name is an anagram of Opuntia and also refers to Puno, a region in Peru where the genus occurs.
Description
Punotia is a monotypic genus of dwarf, cushion-forming cacti.
- Habit: Low-growing plants forming dense, compact cushions that may reach several metres in diameter.
- Stems: Short, cylindrical to globose, segmented, tuberculate, densely covered with hairs (trichomes).
- Leaves: Tiny, cylindrical, quickly deciduous, often hidden by hairs.
- Areoles: With fine hairs and sunken glochids.
- Spines: Usually a single short spine (2–2.5 cm), yellow.
- Flowers: Diurnal, golden yellow, with hairy pericarpel; self-sterile.
- Fruits: Egg-shaped, thin-walled, with some pulp, yellow to pale pink.
- Seeds: Large, pale, with a funicular envelope densely covered with trichomes.
Habitat
The genus grows in high Andean environments, forming dense cushions in moist alpine conditions.
Altitude range: from about 4100 m up to 4700 m.
It is associated with wet high-altitude steppe habitats and often occurs together with species of Austrocylindropuntia.
Distribution
- South America:
Peru (Puno), Bolivia (La Paz)
Taxonomy
The genus Punotia was established by D.R. Hunt (2011).
The species was previously included in several genera, including Opuntia, Tephrocactus, Maihueniopsis, and Austrocylindropuntia, under names such as Opuntia lagopus and Austrocylindropuntia lagopus.
The creation of Punotia allows Austrocylindropuntia to remain monophyletic.
Phylogenetically, Punotia is closely related to Cumulopuntia and Austrocylindropuntia.
According to Joël Lodé (2015), the genus is accepted provisionally.
Species
Following the classification of Joël Lodé (2015).
Notes
- The genus is monotypic and taxonomically unstable in historical classifications.
- Represents a high-altitude specialist adapted to cold and moist Andean environments.
- Requires constant soil moisture during the growing season.
