Browningia
| Browningia | |
|---|---|
| File:Browningia candelaris.jpg | |
| Kingdom | Plantae |
| Family | Cactaceae |
| Subfamily | Cactoideae |
| Tribe | Cereeae |
| SubTribe | Rebutiinae |
| Genus | Browningia |
| Species | |
| Notes | Taxonomy follows Joël Lodé (2015). |
Etymology
The genus was named in honor of Webster E. Browning (1869–1942), who was the director of the English Institute in Santiago, Chile.
Description
Browningia is a genus of typically treelike, branched cacti. They can grow in a candelabra-like or columnar fashion. A fascinating characteristic of some species (like B. candelaris) is the differentiation between the trunk and the branches: the main trunk is often densely covered with formidable spines, while the upper reproductive branches are nearly or completely spineless.
The flowers are nocturnal but often remain open into the following morning. They are self-sterile, tubular or funnel-shaped, and slightly curved. Their colors range from white and creamy-white to orange-red. They are pollinated by bats (specifically Platalina genovensium) and hummingbirds. The fruits are relatively small, spherical to egg-shaped, and become dry when ripe. The seeds are dispersed by bats and birds.
Habitat
The genus is found in mountainous and extremely arid regions, growing on steep, rocky terrain among xerophytic vegetation. They have a wide altitudinal range, from 400 m up to 3000 m above sea level.
Distribution
- Bolivia
- Chile (North: Arica, Tarapacá)
- Colombia (Boyacá - a disjunct population)
- Ecuador (Cañar, Loja)
- Peru (widely distributed across many regions)
Species
According to the Joël Lodé index, the genus includes 9 recognized species (and one doubtful taxon):
- Browningia albiceps
- Browningia altissima
- Browningia amstutziae
- Browningia candelaris
- Browningia chlorocarpa
- Browningia hernandezii
- Browningia microsperma
- Browningia pilleifera
- Browningia utcubambensis (considered a doubtful taxon by some authors)
Notes
- Recent molecular data (Lendel et al. 2006, Ritz et al. 2007) has revealed a surprising and close phylogenetic relationship between the giant Browningia and the tiny Rebutia, leading to its placement in the subtribe Rebutiinae.
- The old tribe Browningieae is considered paraphyletic by Lodé. Most of its former members (like Armatocereus and Jasminocereus) have been moved to other clades.
- Azureocereus was previously included in Browningia by some authors, but Lodé maintains it as a separate genus to avoid making Browningia paraphyletic.
- A notable recent discovery is B. hernandezii in Colombia (2006), which represents a significant geographical disjunction for the genus.
