Pterocereus
From M&J Cactus Wiki
| Pterocereus | |
|---|---|
| File:Pterocereus gaumeri.jpg | |
| Kingdom | Plantae |
| Family | Cactaceae |
| Subfamily | Cactoideae |
| Tribe | Phyllocacteae |
| SubTribe | Echinocereinae |
| Genus | Pterocereus |
| Species | |
| Notes | Taxonomy follows Joël Lodé (2015) with reference to Arias et al. (2003), Arias & Terrazas (2009), and Gibson & Horak (1978). |
Etymology
The name means "winged Cereus", referring to the thin, strongly angled ribs.
Description
Pterocereus is a monotypic genus of slender, columnar cacti with distinctive rib morphology.
- Habit: Erect; usually unbranched or sparsely branched.
- Height: Typically ~1.5 m, up to ~8 m.
- Stems: Bluish-green to greyish-green.
- Ribs: 3–4; very thin, strongly angled.
- Areoles: Few; widely spaced; woolly.
- Spines: ~10–12; short; acicular.
- Flowers: Nocturnal; self-sterile; one per areole.
- Flower shape: Cylindrical to shortly funnel-shaped.
- Flower color: Whitish to pale greenish-yellow.
- Floral traits: Imbricated scales; strongly recurved; unpleasant odour.
- Pollination: By bats.
- Fruits: Globose; scaly and spiny; pale red; with persistent floral remnants.
- Seeds: Large; brown; smooth; glossy.
- Seed dispersal: Likely by birds (ornithochory).
Habitat
Occurs in tropical dry forest ecosystems:
- deciduous dry forests
- lowland environments near sea level
- growing initially under nurse plants (nurse effect / nodricism)
- later emerging above surrounding vegetation
Often associated with genera such as Acanthocereus, Hylocereus, Mammillaria, Opuntia, Selenicereus, and Stenocereus.
Altitude range: near sea level.
Distribution
Mexico:
- Campeche
- Chiapas
- Yucatán
Endemic to southern Mexico.
Taxonomy
A genus separated from Pachycereus based on morphological and molecular evidence.
Key points:
- Originally described as Pachycereus gaumeri (Britton & Rose, 1920)
- Later segregated into distinct genera (e.g. Backebergia, Lophocereus, Pterocereus)
- Often retained within Pachycereus in broader classifications (Anderson, Hunt et al.)
- Molecular studies (Arias et al., 2003) support separation
- Arias & Terrazas (2009): confirmed status and recognized subspecies
The genus is accepted as distinct in Lodé (2015).
Species
According to Joël Lodé (2015):
Notes
- Characterized by very thin, wing-like ribs.
- Emits unpleasant odour to attract bat pollinators.
- Shows clear ecological dependence on nurse plants in early growth stages.
- Represents a lineage formerly embedded within Pachycereus.
- Restricted distribution increases potential conservation concern.
