Escobaria
| Escobaria | |
|---|---|
| File:Escobaria tuberculosa.jpg | |
| Kingdom | Plantae |
| Family | Cactaceae |
| Subfamily | Cactoideae |
| Tribe | Cacteae |
| SubTribe | |
| Genus | Escobaria |
| Species | |
| Notes | Taxonomy follows Joël Lodé (2015). Lodé treats this genus in a restricted sense, maintaining Neobesseya as separate. [cite: 1021] |
Etymology
The genus is named in honor of the Mexican brothers Romulo and Numa Escobar, founders of the Escuela Particular de Agricultura. [cite: 1020]
Description
Escobaria consists of small, low-growing plants that are either solitary or form compact clumps. [cite: 1020]
- Stems: Globose to cylindrical, without ribs. [cite: 1020]
- Tubercles: Well-defined and characterized by a longitudinal groove. [cite: 1020]
- Spines: Usually short and finely acicular, often completely covering the plant body. [cite: 1020]
- Flowers: Diurnal and self-sterile, appearing at or near the apex. [cite: 1020] They feature a short floral tube and ciliate outer perianth segments. [cite: 1020] Colors range from pink, magenta, and purple to rarely yellowish. [cite: 1020]
- Fruits: Globose or elongated, usually red but sometimes pink or green. [cite: 1020]
- Seeds: Subglobose, dull blackish-brown or light brown, and foveolate (pitted). [cite: 1020]
Habitat
Escobaria species grow on various substrates, predominantly rocky or alluvial soils. [cite: 1021] They are found in rock crevices, grasslands, and on hilly reliefs at altitudes ranging from 800 m to 2650 m. [cite: 1021]
Distribution
Extends from Canada through the United States into Northern Mexico: [cite: 1021]
- Canada: Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan. [cite: 1021]
- Mexico: Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Nuevo León, Sonora. [cite: 1021]
- USA: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, Wyoming. [cite: 1021]
Species
Lodé (2015) recognizes 9 species and several subspecies in the strict sense: [cite: 1021]
- Escobaria albicolumnaria [cite: 1021]
- Escobaria alversonii [cite: 1021]
- Escobaria chihuahuensis [cite: 1021]
- Escobaria chihuahuensis subsp. henricksonii [cite: 1021]
- Escobaria desertii [cite: 1021]
- Escobaria hesteri [cite: 1021]
- Escobaria laredoi [cite: 1021]
- Escobaria sneedii [cite: 1021]
- Escobaria sneedii subsp. leei [cite: 1021]
- Escobaria sneedii subsp. orcuttii [cite: 1021]
- Escobaria tuberculosa [cite: 1021]
- Escobaria vivipara [cite: 1021]
Taxonomy
The limits of the genus are still debated. [cite: 1020] Molecular studies by Vázquez-Sánchez et al. (2013) suggest that Escobaria is polyphyletic, with some species being more closely related to Pelecyphora. [cite: 1021] Lodé maintains the genus provisionally until further molecular data clarifies its position within the tribe Cacteae. [cite: 1021]
