Notocactus
| Notocactus | |
|---|---|
| File:Notocactus ottonis.jpg | |
| Kingdom | Plantae |
| Family | Cactaceae |
| Subfamily | Cactoideae |
| Tribe | Notocacteae |
| SubTribe | |
| Genus | Notocactus |
| Species | |
| Notes | Taxonomy follows Joël Lodé (2015). The genus Notocactus is treated here in the strict sense (s.s.), distinct from Parodia. |
Etymology
The name is derived from the Greek notos (south), referring to the southern distribution of the genus in South America.
Description
Notocactus is a genus of small to medium-sized cacti, globose to shortly cylindrical, sometimes becoming elongated with age.
- Stems: Usually solitary or forming clumps, ribbed to strongly tuberculate, often with a depressed apex.
- Areoles: Typically woolly.
- Spines: Mostly straight or flexible, rarely hooked.
- Flowers: Diurnal, funnel-shaped, usually yellow but also pink, orange or purple; appearing near the apex.
- Fruits: Ovoid to globose, fleshy, elongating when ripe and drying; dehiscing basally or longitudinally.
- Seeds: Black, often bell- or hat-shaped, rough and tuberculate; dispersed mainly by ants.
Distribution
- South America:
Argentina (Buenos Aires, Catamarca, Córdoba, Corrientes, Entre Ríos, La Pampa, Mendoza, Misiones, Río Negro, Salta, San Luis), Brazil (Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul), Paraguay (Cordillera, Itapúa, Paraguarí), Uruguay (Artigas, Canelones, Cerro Largo, Durazno, Florida, Lavalleja, Maldonado, Montevideo, Paysandú, Rivera, Rocha, Salto, Tacuarembó, Treinta y Tres).
Taxonomy
The genus Notocactus was originally described by Schumann (1899) as a subgenus of Echinocactus and later elevated to genus rank by Frič (1928).
The taxonomic status of Notocactus has long been debated. Some authors (e.g. Hunt & Taylor) included it within Parodia, while others maintain it as a distinct genus.
According to Joël Lodé (2015), Notocactus sensu stricto represents a valid genus, distinguishable from Parodia based on seed morphology, floral structure, and biogeographic patterns.
Molecular studies have shown complex relationships within the group, and the classification remains subject to future revision.
Species
Following the classification of Joël Lodé (2015).
- Notocactus allosiphon
- Notocactus arnostianus
- Notocactus buiningii
- Notocactus carambeiensis
- Notocactus concinnus
- Notocactus crassigibbus
- Notocactus fuscus
- Notocactus gauchus
- Notocactus herteri
- Notocactus horstii
- Notocactus linkii
- Notocactus mammulosus
- Notocactus mueller-melchersii
- Notocactus muricatus
- Notocactus neobuenekeri
- Notocactus ottonis
- Notocactus oxycostatus
- Notocactus rauschii
- Notocactus rudibuenekeri
- Notocactus rutilans
- Notocactus schlosseri
- Notocactus scopa
- Notocactus stockingeri
- Notocactus tabularis
- Notocactus tenuicylindricus
- Notocactus turecekianus
- Notocactus uebelmannianus
- Notocactus vanvlietii
- Notocactus werdermannianus
Notes
- The genus shows high morphological variability, especially in species complexes such as N. concinnus, N. mammulosus, N. ottonis, and N. scopa.
- Many taxa are connected by intermediate populations, complicating strict classification.
- Future phylogenetic studies may further refine the limits of the genus.
