Austrocylindropuntia
| Austrocylindropuntia | |
|---|---|
| File:Austrocylindropuntia subulata.jpg | |
| Kingdom | Plantae |
| Family | Cactaceae |
| Subfamily | Opuntioideae |
| Tribe | Tephrocacteae |
| SubTribe | |
| Genus | Austrocylindropuntia |
| Species | |
| Notes | Taxonomy follows Joël Lodé (2015). |
Etymology
The name Austrocylindropuntia means "Cylindrical Opuntia of the South". This distinguishes the genus from its North American relative, Cylindropuntia, reflecting its native habitat in South America.
Description
Austrocylindropuntia is a genus of plants that can form compact cushions, bushes, or shrubs. They are characterized by cylindrical stems of indefinite growth and more or less persistent cylindrical leaves. The roots are often tuberous. Their areoles develop hairs, glochids, and spines, but notably lack the papery sheaths (miter-like covers) found in the North American genus Cylindropuntia. The genus is further validated by internal anatomical features, specifically the arrangement of vascular bundles.
The flowers are diurnal, bell-shaped, and can be yellow, pink, or red. They are pollinated by bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds (such as Patagona gigas). The fruits are spherical to pear-shaped with very thick walls. The seeds are large, globose or pear-shaped, and yellow. Seed dispersal is often aided by Rheas (Pterocnemia pennata).
Habitat
The genus is found on Andean highlands at high altitudes, ranging from 1500 m up to 4550 m. They grow in full sun in barren arid areas or in the shade of shrubs and grasses, typically on sandy, stony, or clastic sediments.
Distribution
- Argentina (Catamarca, Jujuy, Salta, Tucumán)
- Bolivia (Chuquisaca, Cochabamba, Oruro, La Paz, Potosí, Tarija)
- Ecuador (Cañar, Chimborazo, Pichincha)
- Peru (Ancash, Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Cuzco, Huancavelica, Junín, La Libertad, Lima, Piura, Puno)
Species
According to the Joël Lodé index, the genus includes 7 recognized species and 2 subspecies:
- Austrocylindropuntia cylindrica
- Austrocylindropuntia floccosa
- Austrocylindropuntia floccosa subsp. yanganucensis
- Austrocylindropuntia hirschii
- Austrocylindropuntia pachypus
- Austrocylindropuntia shaferi
- Austrocylindropuntia subulata
- Austrocylindropuntia subulata subsp. exaltata
- Austrocylindropuntia teres
- Austrocylindropuntia vestita
Notes
- DNA studies published by Wallace and Dickie (2002) and Ritz et al. (2012) confirmed the genus as distinct from Opuntia, though earlier circumscriptions were found to be polyphyletic.
- The genus is currently placed in the tribe Tephrocacteae alongside Cumulopuntia, Maihueniopsis, Punotia, Pterocactus, and Tephrocactus.
- The species Austrocylindropuntia lagopus was moved to the monotypic genus Punotia by Hunt (2011).
- Some species previously considered part of this genus, such as A. verschaffeltii, have been reassigned to Tephrocactus.
- There is a close morphological and phylogenetic relationship between A. vestita, A. shaferi, and A. floccosa.
