Acharagma
| Acharagma | |
|---|---|
| File:Acharagma.jpg | |
| Kingdom | Plantae |
| Family | Cactaceae |
| Subfamily | Cactoideae |
| Tribe | Cacteae |
| SubTribe | |
| Genus | Acharagma |
| Species | |
| Notes | Taxonomy follows Joël Lodé (2015–2019). |
Etymology
The name Acharagma derives from the Greek meaning “no groove”, referring to the absence of an areolar groove on the tubercles, unlike related genera such as Coryphantha and Escobaria.
Description
Acharagma is a genus of small cacti, usually solitary or forming clusters, with globose to shortly cylindrical stems.
Tubercles lack both nectar glands and areolar grooves. The epidermis is densely covered with spines.
Flowers are diurnal, apical, funnel-shaped, and typically creamy white to yellow, often with pinkish or reddish tones. They are self-sterile and pollinated by insects.
Fruits are naked, indehiscent, with persistent floral remains. Seeds are brown to black, finely foveolate.
Habitat
The genus grows in semi-desert environments, typically on rocky limestone, sandstone, or gypsum soils, in mountainous or hilly terrain. Plants are found among shrubs, in rock crevices, and in both shaded and exposed conditions.
Altitude range: approximately 1000–2650 m.
Distribution
- Mexico – Coahuila, Nuevo León
Species
The genus includes the following species:
Subspecies
Notes
- The genus is maintained as distinct based on morphological and molecular evidence.
- Previously included in Gymnocactus, Turbinicarpus, and Escobaria.
- Molecular studies confirm it as a separate monophyletic lineage.
- A small but well-defined genus with restricted distribution.
