Backebergia
| Backebergia | |
|---|---|
| File:Backebergia militaris.jpg | |
| Kingdom | Plantae |
| Family | Cactaceae |
| Subfamily | Cactoideae |
| Tribe | Pachycereeae |
| SubTribe | |
| Genus | Backebergia |
| Species | |
| Notes | Taxonomy follows Joël Lodé (2015). |
Etymology
The genus is named in honor of Curt Backeberg (1894–1966), a prolific German botanist and one of the most famous experts on the Cactaceae family.
Description
Backebergia is a monotypic genus of large columnar cacti. The plants can reach heights of 6 to 9 meters, starting as solitary stems before branching as they mature. A unique characteristic is the cylindrical terminal cephalium at the top of the fertile branches, composed of wool and golden bristly hairs that darken with age. The areoles are closely set with short, needle-like spines. Interestingly, branches that fall to the ground can take root and produce new plants.
The flowers are nocturnal and self-sterile, emerging directly from the cephalium. They range in color from yellow or greenish to pinkish and are pollinated by bats. The fruits are elongated, fleshy, and buried within the cephalium, becoming dry when ripe. The seeds are shiny and black, primarily dispersed by ants (myrmecochory).
Habitat
The genus grows endemically in Mexico at altitudes between 100 m and 600 m. It is found in semi-arid zones and tropical deciduous open forests, typically on rocky soils of sedimentary origin. Although the region receives significant rainfall (400–1200 mm annually), the extreme temperatures (up to +46°C in summer) cause intense evaporation. It often grows alongside other rare species such as Mammillaria beneckei and Ferocactus lindsayi.
Distribution
- Mexico (Colima, Guerrero, Jalisco, Michoacán)
Species
The genus contains only one recognized species:
Notes
- Although David Hunt included this genus within Pachycereus in 1987, molecular and anatomical studies by Terrazas (2000) and Arias & Terrazas (2009) have proven that Backebergia is a distinct and valid genus. Including it in Pachycereus would make that genus paraphyletic.
- A natural hybrid between Pachycereus pecten-aboriginum and Backebergia militaris was discovered and published in 2008.
- In the 1970s, the genus was nearly driven to extinction because its woolly cephalia were used as upholstery stuffing by automobile companies, including Volkswagen, before being replaced by coconut fiber.
