Acanthocalycium
| Acanthocalycium | |
|---|---|
| File:Acanthocalycium.jpg | |
| Kingdom | Plantae |
| Family | Cactaceae |
| Subfamily | Cactoideae |
| Tribe | Trichocereeae |
| SubTribe | Trichocereinae |
| Genus | Acanthocalycium |
| Species | |
| Notes | Taxonomy follows Joël Lodé (2015–2019). |
Etymology
The name Acanthocalycium derives from the Greek akantha (spine) and kalyx (calyx), referring to the spiny floral tubes characteristic of the genus.
Description
Acanthocalycium is a genus of usually solitary cacti with globose to slightly elongated stems and often a depressed apex. Ribs are acute and may be tuberculate. Spines are generally straight, acicular to subulate.
Flowers are diurnal, subapical, and funnel-shaped to campanulate, typically white, pink, or red. The floral tube bears characteristic spiny scales. Pollination is mainly by bees, occasionally by moths or hummingbirds.
Fruits are spherical, hard, with persistent scales and dehisce vertically. Seeds are brown to black, papillose, with a depressed hilum, and are dispersed by water.
Habitat
The genus grows in arid environments, typically on rocky slopes, among grasses and shrubs, in both exposed and partially shaded conditions.
Distribution
- Argentina – Catamarca, Córdoba, La Rioja, Salta, San Luis, Tucumán
Species
The genus includes the following species:
- Acanthocalycium ferrarii
- Acanthocalycium glaucum
- Acanthocalycium klimpelianum
- Acanthocalycium spiniflorum
- Acanthocalycium thionanthum
Notes
- The genus currently includes five accepted species according to Joël Lodé.
- Originally described by Backeberg (1936).
- The genus has historically been included in Echinopsis, but is maintained as distinct in this system.
- Considerable variability exists in spine development and flower coloration.
