Pelecyphora macromeris

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Pelecyphora macromeris
Coryphantha macromeris.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Cactaceae
Subfamily: Cactoideae
Genus: Pelecyphora
Species:
P. macromeris
Binomial name
Pelecyphora macromeris
(Engelm.) D.Aquino & Dan.Sánchez
Coryphantha macromeris range.svg
Synonyms
  • Cactus macromeris(Engelm.) Kuntze 1891
  • Coryphantha macromeris(Engelm.) Britton & Rose 1923
  • Echinocactus macromeris(Engelm.) Poselg. 1853
  • Lepidocoryphantha macromeris(Engelm.) Backeb. 1942
  • Mammillaria macromerisEngelm. 1848

Pelecyphora macromeris, the nipple beehive cactus, [2] is a species of cactus in the United States and Mexico. In the Chihuhuan Desert, it is common and has a wide range. [3]

Contents

Description

Pelecyphora macromeris usually forms groups up to 15 centimeters high and 100 centimeters in diameter. The roots are fleshy. The spherical to cylindrical, dark green to blue-green, occasionally gray-green over time, somewhat limply fleshy shoots reach heights of up to 23 centimeters with diameters of 4 to 8 centimeters. The very noticeable warts, up to 15 millimeters long, are conical to cylindrical. They have a delicate epidermis. The furrow on the warts only extends from the tip to half the length of the wart. Sometimes the warts bear nectar glands. The one to four (rarely six) blackish, brown or gray central spines are curved, somewhat flexible and 2.5 to 3.5 centimeters long. The nine to 15 slender, 1.6 to 2.5 centimeter long marginal spines are white to brown.

The bright pink or magenta flowers are 3 to 5 centimeters long and reach a diameter of 4.5 to 7 centimeters. Their flower bracts are ciliated. The green fruits are up to 2.5 centimeters long. [4]

Subspecies

Distribution

In the United States, it occurs naturally in Texas and New Mexico. [2] It prefers to grown in the shade under other larger plants, growing in irregular clusters or mounds. [5] [6] In Mexico it is found in states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, San Luis Potosí and Tamaulipas on sandy alluvial soils of the Chihuahuan Desert vegetation. In late summer, it blooms with purple or pink flowers and then bears green fruit. [5] [6]

Taxonomy

The first description as Mammillaria macromeris by George Engelmann was published in 1848. [7] The specific epithet macromeris is derived from the Greek words makros for 'large' and meors for 'part' and possibly refers to the large perianth of the species. Charles Lemaire placed the species in the genus Coryphantha in 1868. [8] David Aquino & Daniel Sánchez moved the species to Pelecyphora based on phylogenetic studies in 2022. [9] Further nomenclature synonyms are Echinocactus macromeris (Engelm.) Poselg. (1853), Cactus macromeris (Engelm.) Kuntze (1891) and Lepidocoryphantha macromeris (Engelm.) Backeb. (1942).

Biochemistry

The phenethylamine macromerine is present in the cactus. [10]

Related Research Articles

<i>Coryphantha</i> Genus of cacti

Coryphantha, or beehive cactus, is a genus of small to middle-sized, globose or columnar cacti. The genus is native to arid parts of Central America, Mexico, through Arizona, New Mexico, and western Texas and north into southwestern, central, and southeastern Montana. With its two subgenera, 57 species and 20 subspecies, it is one of the largest genera of cactus.

<i>Pelecyphora</i> Genus of cacti

Pelecyphora, pincushion cactus or foxtail cactus is a genus of cacti, comprising 20 species.They originate from Mexico and the United States.

<i>Pelecyphora missouriensis</i> Species of cactus

Pelecyphora missouriensis, the Missouri foxtail cactus and formerly Coryphantha missouriensis, is a species of low-growing North American cacti.

<i>Pelecyphora vivipara</i> Species of cactus

Pelecyphora vivipara is a species of cactus known by several common names, including spinystar, viviparous foxtail cactus, pincushion cactus and ball cactus. It is native to North America, where certain varieties can be found from Mexico to Canada. Most of these varieties are limited to the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts. The species epithet "vivipara" is due to the species' viviparous reproductive habit.

<i>Pelecyphora sneedii</i> Species of cactus

Pelecyphora sneedii is a rare species of cactus known by the common names Sneed's pincushion cactus and carpet foxtail cactus.

<i>Echinocereus viridiflorus</i> Species of cactus

Echinocereus viridiflorus is a species of cactus known by the common names nylon hedgehog cactus, green pitaya, and small-flowered hedgehog cactus. It is native to the central and south-central United States and northern Mexico, where it can be found in varied habitat types, including desert scrub, woodlands, dry grasslands, and short-grass prairie.

<i>Coryphantha robustispina</i> Species of cactus

Coryphantha robustispina, the Pima pineapple cactus, is a federally protected cactus of the Sonoran Desert. It is commonly found in Pima County, Arizona although it is also found throughout New Mexico and as far east as Texas.

<i>Echinocereus coccineus</i> Species of plant

Echinocereus coccineus is a species of hedgehog cactus. Its native to Northern and Central America. It grows on full sun, in sandy or rocky well-drained soil. It can survive in hardiness zones 8–11.

<i>Coryphantha echinus</i> Species of cactus

Coryphantha echinus is a species of cactus known by the common names of sea urchin cactus, hedgehog Cory cactus or rhinoceros cactus. C. echinus is found in the south and east portion of the Trans-Pecos to Del Rio, Chihuahua, Coahuila and sporadically in the northeast Trans-Pecos. The plant normally occurs in solitary groupings, but sometimes grows as a clump. It produces short-lived yellow flowers that last for a couple of hours between April and July. After flowering, it produces green fruits.

<i>Pelecyphora tuberculosa</i> Species of plant

Pelecyphora tuberculosa, the corncob cactus, is a species of flowering plant in the family Cactaceae, native to the south-central United States, and northern Mexico.

<i>Coryphantha erecta</i> Species of cactus

Coryphantha erecta is a species of Coryphantha found in Mexico.

<i>Pelecyphora alversonii</i> Species of cactus

Pelecyphora alversonii commonly known as cushion foxtail cactus or cushion fox-tail cactus, is a species of flowering plant in the family Cactaceae, native to the southwestern United States.

<i>Pelecyphora chihuahuensis</i> Species of cactus

Pelecyphora chihuahuensis is a species of flowering plant in the family Cactaceae, native to Mexico.

<i>Pelecyphora cubensis</i> Species of cactus

Pelecyphora cubensis is a species of flowering plant in the family Cactaceae, native to Cuba.

<i>Pelecyphora laredoi</i> Species of cactus

Pelecyphora laredoi is a species of flowering plant in the family Cactaceae, native to Mexico.

<i>Pelecyphora dasyacantha</i> Species of cactus

Pelecyphora dasyacantha is a species of flowering plant in the family Cactaceae, native to the Mexico.

<i>Pelecyphora emskoetteriana</i> Species of cactus

Pelecyphora emskoetteriana is a species of flowering plant in the family Cactaceae, native to the Mexico and southern United States.

Pelecyphora zilziana is a species of flowering plant in the family Cactaceae, native to Mexico.

Pelecyphora duncanii is a species of flowering plant in the family Cactaceae, native to the southern United States.

<i>Pelecyphora robbinsiorum</i> Species of cactus

Pelecyphora robbinsiorum known by the common names Cochise pincushion cactus and Cochise foxtail cactus is a species of flowering plant in the family Cactaceae.

References

  1. Association), Adrian Lüthy (Swiss Cactus; Association), Reto Dicht (Swiss Cactus; Univ., Martin Terry (Sul Rose State; College, Kenneth Heil (San Juan; Mexico, New; Ambiental), Rafael Corral-Díaz (Consultor (2009-11-19). "The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
  2. 1 2 "Plants Profile for Coryphantha macromeris (nipple beehive cactus)". Plants Database. USDA. Retrieved 2017-09-08.
  3. IUCN (2009). "Coryphantha macromeris: Heil, K., Terry, M., Corral-Díaz, R., Lüthy, A.D. & Dicht, R.F." IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. doi: 10.2305/iucn.uk.2013-1.rlts.t152811a681352.en .
  4. Anderson, Edward F.; Eggli, Urs (2005). Das grosse Kakteen-Lexikon (in German). Stuttgart (Hohenheim): Ulmer. pp. 153–154. ISBN   3-8001-4573-1.
  5. 1 2 Loflin, Brian; Loflin, Shirley (2009). Texas Cacti. Texas A&M University Press. p. 133. ISBN   9781603443685.
  6. 1 2 "Coryphantha macromeris, nipple beehive cactus". The American Southwest. Retrieved 2017-09-08.
  7. Wislizenus, F. A. (1848). Memoir of a tour to northern Mexico :connected with Col. Doniphan's expedition, in 1846 and 1847 /by A. Wislizenus. Washington: Tippin & Streeper. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.41509.
  8. Lemaire, C. (1869). Les cactées: histoire, patrie, organes de végétation. Bibliothèque du jardinier (in French). Maison rustique. p. 35. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
  9. Sánchez, Daniel; Vázquez-Benítez, Balbina; Vázquez-Sánchez, Monserrat; Aquino, David; Arias, Salvador (2022-01-21). "Phylogenetic relationships in Coryphantha and implications on Pelecyphora and Escobaria (Cacteae, Cactoideae, Cactaceae)". PhytoKeys. Pensoft Publishers (188): 115–165. doi: 10.3897/phytokeys.188.75739 . ISSN   1314-2003. PMC   8799629 .
  10. Brown, Stanley D.; Hodgkins, Joe E.; Reinecke, Manfred G. (1972). "Isolation, structure, synthesis, and absolute configuration of the cactus alkaloid, macromerine". The Journal of Organic Chemistry. 37 (5): 773–5. doi:10.1021/jo00970a024. PMID   5016327.