Turbinicarpus
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (March 2022) |
Turbinicarpus | |
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Turbinicarpus saueri subsp. knuthianus | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Order: | Caryophyllales |
Family: | Cactaceae |
Subfamily: | Cactoideae |
Tribe: | Cacteae |
Genus: | Turbinicarpus (Backeb.) Buxb. & Backeb.[1] |
Type species | |
Turbinicarpus schmiedickeanus | |
Species | |
Turbinicarpus is a genus of very small to medium-sized cacti, which inhabit the north-eastern regions of Mexico, in particular the states of San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato, Nuevo León, Querétaro, Hidalgo, Coahuila, Tamaulipas and Zacatecas.
Taxonomy
The taxon was first proposed by
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Species
As of March 2022[update], Plants of the World Online accepted the following species and hybrids:[5]
Image | Scientific name | Distribution |
---|---|---|
Turbinicarpus alonsoi Glass & S.Arias | Mexico. | |
Turbinicarpus boedekerianus García-Mor., Gonz.-Bot., Matusz., Nitzschke & Iamonico | Mexico (Nuevo León) | |
Turbinicarpus gielsdorfianus (Werderm.) V.John & Ríha | Mexico (San Luis Potosí) | |
Turbinicarpus graminispinus Matusz., Myák & Jirue | Mexico (Nuevo León) | |
Turbinicarpus heliae García-Mor., Díaz-Salím & Gonz.-Bot. | Mexico (Hidalgo) | |
Turbinicarpus hoferi Lüthy & A.B.Lau | Mexico (Nuevo León) | |
Turbinicarpus laui Glass & R.A.Foster | Mexico (San Luis Potosí) | |
Turbinicarpus lophophoroides (Werderm.) Buxb. & Backeb. | Mexico (Ciudad del Maiz on the north, and Cerritos-Villa Juarez on the west and Rio Verde ) | |
Turbinicarpus nikolae nicer, Myák, Zachar & Jirue | Mexico Northeast | |
Turbinicarpus pseudopectinatus (Backeb.) Glass & R.A.Foster | Mexico(Coahuila, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, and Tamaulipas ) | |
Turbinicarpus saueri (Boed.) V.John & Ríha | Mexico ( San Luis Potosí and Tamaulipas ) | |
Turbinicarpus schmiedickeanus (Boed.) Buxb. & Backeb. | Mexico(Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Tamaulipas ) | |
Turbinicarpus swobodae Diers | Mexico (Rayones, Nuevo León) | |
Turbinicarpus valdezianus (H.Moeller) Glass & R.A.Foster | Mexico (Coahuila and San Luis Potosí) | |
Turbinicarpus viereckii (Werderm.) V.John & Ríha | Mexico (Tamaulipas, Nuevo León and San Luis Potosí) |
Natural hybrids
Image | Scientific name | Parentage | Distribution |
---|---|---|---|
Turbinicarpus × mombergeri Ríha | Turbinicarpus pseudopectinatus × Turbinicarpus laui | Mexico (Cerritos, San Lois Potosi ) | |
Turbinicarpus × pulcherrimus Halda & Panar. | Turbinicarpus pseudopectinatus ssp. jarmilae × Turbinicarpus schmiedickeanus ssp klinkerianus | Mexico (Nuevo León) | |
Turbinicarpus × roseiflorus Backeb. | Turbinicarpus viereckii × Turbinicarpus laui | Mexico Northeast |
Synonymy
The following genera haven been brought into synonymy with Turbinicarpus:
- Gymnocactus Backeb.
- Normanbokea Kladiwa & Buxb.
Ecology
These succulent plants grow mostly on limestone soil (never on volcanic soil), at altitudes between 300 and 3300 metres above sea level.
Turbinicarpus species are usually confined to specific habitats, generally hostile for the majority of plants, mostly in very drained rocky areas, composed of limestone, sandstone, schist (neutral or alkaline), or in very acidic and humiferous understorey, or in gypsum veins, sometimes so pure that they are almost white.
In particular, Turbinicarpus sensu stricto is adapted to extreme niches: more than 80% of the species grow in rock cracks or among the pebbles beneath them, where enough dust has accumulated to enable root development. It would seem almost impossible that plants so small could survive in such an environment, however in those species that inhabit dry and exposed areas, the root is very thick, becoming a taproot and acting like an anchor on the slopes but, more important, as water storage for the dry periods, capable of significantly retracting into the ground so that the stem is less exposed to the sun; the spines are often changed to adopt a very papery structure, capable of absorbing good quantities of water. Furthermore, the general look is extremely mimetic, thanks to the epidermis colour and the interlacing spines, guaranteeing a certain protection from eventual herbivores.
References
- ^ a b "Turbinicarpus Buxb. & Oehme". International Plant Names Index (IPNI). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Harvard University Herbaria & Libraries; Australian National Botanic Gardens. Retrieved 2022-03-08.
- ^ .
- ISBN 978-88-901391-1-6.
- ISBN 978-0-9933113-2-1.
- ^ "Turbinicarpus Buxb. & Oehme". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 2022-03-08.
- Edward F. Anderson, The Cactus Family (Timber Press, 2001), pp. 665–673
- Grupo San Luis, The Genus Turbinicarpus in San Luis Potosì (Ed. Cactus&Co, 2004)