Borzicactus

Borzicactus
File:Borzicactus icosagonus.jpg
Kingdom	Plantae
Family	Cactaceae
Subfamily	Cactoideae
Tribe	Cereeae
SubTribe	Trichocereinae
Genus	Borzicactus
Species
Notes	Taxonomy follows Joël Lodé (2015) and Arakaki et al. (2006).

Etymology

The genus was named in honor of Antonio Borzì (1852–1921), an Italian botanist and director of the Botanical Garden of Palermo.

Description

Borzicactus is a genus of cacti with varied growth habits, including erect, crawling, or decumbent plants. They possess sturdy, cylindrical, and often long stems with rounded ribs that may be thickened around the areoles, sometimes forming "chins." The spines are typically numerous, short, and needle-like (aciculate).

The flowers are diurnal and more or less zygomorphic (bilaterally symmetrical). They feature long, slightly curved, and hairy floral tubes. Their colors are vivid, ranging from red, carmine, and scarlet to yellow, orange, or pink, and they are specifically adapted for pollination by hummingbirds (such as Patagona gigas). The fruits are spherical to sub-spherical, usually fleshy, and exhibit longitudinal dehiscence. The seeds are brownish to black, elongated, and tuberculate.

Habitat

The genus is often epilithic (growing on rocks) and is found on the eastern foothills of the Andes. It has a vast altitude range, from near sea level (30 m) up to 3500 m. They grow in full sun on inclined surfaces, in dry valleys, or among shrubs. Some species also thrive in the shade of tropical dry forests in loamy soil covered with organic debris.

Distribution

• Ecuador (Azuay, Riobamba)
• Peru (Amazonas, Ancash, Cajamarca, Lambayeque, Lima, Piura)

Species

According to the Joël Lodé index, the genus currently includes 12 recognized species and several subspecies:

• Borzicactus aureispinus
• Borzicactus crassiserpens
• Borzicactus fieldianus
• Borzicactus hutchisonii
• Borzicactus icosagonus
  • Borzicactus icosagonus subsp. humboldtii
  • Borzicactus icosagonus subsp. roseiflorus
• Borzicactus leonensis
• Borzicactus longiserpens (syn. B. serpens)
  • Borzicactus longiserpens subsp. erectus
• Borzicactus neoroezlii
• Borzicactus plagiostoma (syn. B. purpureus)
• Borzicactus samaipatanus
• Borzicactus sepium
• Borzicactus tenuiserpens

Notes

• Historically, Borzicactus was often lumped into a "supergenus" or included within Cleistocactus. However, molecular studies by Arakaki (2006) and others have confirmed its status as a valid genus, distinct from Cleistocactus.
• A key distinction is geographic and morphological: Cleistocactus (sensu stricto) is found east of the Andes with flowers appearing randomly along the stems, while Borzicactus is primarily west of the Andes with flowers confined to the apical parts of the stems.
• Borzicactus crassiserpens is suspected to be a natural hybrid between B. longiserpens and Seticereus icosagonus.
• Despite morphological similarities (convergence), species like Hildewintera colademononis are now considered to belong to Cleistocactus rather than Borzicactus.