Rare Cactus Plants History of discovery species of genus Astrophytum

 Astrophytum is a genus of six species of cacti. These species are sometimes referred to as living rocks, though the term is also used for other genera, particularly Lithops (Aizoaceae). The generic name is derived from the Greek words άστρον (astron), meaning "star," and φυτόν (phyton), meaning "plant."

 History of discovery specirs of genus Astrophytum

Astrophytum asterias (Zuccarini) Lemaire 

The asterias is the smallest species of Astrophytum. 

It is also the most advanced stage of its evolution: very slow growth, fast flowering, loss of spines, perfect mimicry in its environment and a long migration to the glacial period of the state of Hidalgo to southern Texas. habitat in the asterias has the particularity to withdraw almost completely from the surface they rest during the dry season, which makes it difficult to observe and protection from predators. But this spineless cactus pretty quickly made ​​the coveted collectors unscrupulous. It has become rare and has joined the list of protected species (listed in Schedule I of CITES). history of its discovery and its introduction in collections in Europe is amazing and has only increased in popularity of this species.                                                                           In its habitat, the asterias has the characteristic to withdraw almost completely from the surface of the ground during its rest in dry period, which makes it difficult to observe it and protects it from the predators.But this cute little thornless cactus quickly became the object of the lusts of unscrupulous collectors. It has become rare and has joined the list of protected plants (listed in List I of the Cites).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             The history of its discovery and its introduction into collections in Europe is astonishing and has only increased the popularity of this species.

It is in a German expedition that discovered this species Karwinsky Baron in 1842 in the area of Tierra Caliente in the state of Tamaulipas in Mexico. An anecdote tells that this discovery is due to a gust of wind would have made ​​fly his sombrero on asterias just emerging from the soil surface. Plants are collected and sent to Munich where Zuccarini actually first described in 1845 as Echinocactus asterias name. Then Charles Lemaire in 1868 relates to the kind Astrophytum. 

Astrophytum asterias The first arrived in Europe in 1843 and already reported the first blooms at the botanical garden in Munich in 1844.                                      A. asterias But the species is a bit tricky in culture and eventually disappear from European collections in 1850.                                                                                 Yet despite numerous expeditions botanists, this little cactus is found in its habitat Tierra Caliente.                                                                                                           It had to wait 70 years to rediscover this species in Mexico! Octavio Solis is in 1919 but who finds asterias in new habitats Barretillas (Nuevo Leon) and Ciudad Guerrero (Tamaulipas).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               In 1923, Fric finally found the asterias Tierra Calienta, it takes 2000 copies () but three-quarters will freeze during the trip to Central Europe ...                     Mexicans react to protect this species. A law of 1931 prohibits all samples for the export of endangered plants.                                                                                   A small population has also been discovered in 1933 in the United States in southern Texas but intensive agriculture and levies have virtually eliminated. This population had almost disappeared in 1935. Then, near Roma in Starr County, Texas of asterias are discovered in 1967. A subspecies texensis is created but does not seem validated by all botanists.                                                                                                                                                                                                              In the 80s, several cultivars (including the famous Super Kabuto) appear in Japanese collections. Their habitat: The pressures of agriculture and excessive harvesting protection measures have greatly reduced late range of asterias. Currently, it is present only in two places, one in the state of Tamaulipas in Mexico and other Starr County, Texas, United States. Making it the only species of Astrophytum present outside Mexico. It would have completely disappeared from the other localities where it was found particularly in northern Tamaulipas and Nuevo Leon. - Tamaulipas south of Ciudad Victoria, is found near the town of Gonzales in a station alluvial hot enough where the average rainfall are close to 500 mm / year and an altitude less than 200 m. The vegetation consists of thorny shrubs. - Texas near the Rio Grande in Starr County. In this station, asterias are as in Mexico in a warm temperate climate (530 mm / year) at a low altitude. Vegetation is sparse and asterias grows in the shade of thorn (acacias. ..) or in cracks of rocks on limestone soil ph sometimes rather high. Asterias population in Texas is approximately 2000 plants and its precise location is rarely communicated to preserve this species. In its habitat, it is very difficult to observe because it is just emerging soil being sometimes slightly covered with sand. During the dry season, it shrinks a little more in the ground.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Description:                                                                                                                                                           The asterias is dark green with a flat disk shape up to 15 cm in diameter and 5 cm high. But in culture, it takes a more rounded form to see slightly columnar. The old grafted plants assume a distinctly columnar form far removed from its natural appearance.                                                                                                         Unlike the other species of Astrophytum, its root system is rather pivoting.                                                                                                                                                                        - No thorn on this little cactus. Only a few rudimentary spines appear on young seedlings.                                                                                                                                          - The number of ribs varies little, normally 8, rarely less and almost never more. There is no variation with the age of the plant as is often the case with other species of Astrophytum. The odds are not angular (it is a sign to know if it is a hybrid), the shallow furrows, the surface of the plant remains flat.                                         - The areoles form like small white-cream buttons aligned at the center of the ribs and spaced every 0.5 to 1 cm. Slightly woolly and variable in size in cultivars.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 - The flowers are 5 to 7 cm in diameter, yellow in color with an orange-red throat. Some rare cases of entirely pink or entirely yellow flowers also exist.                          They appear at the apex at the base of each new areola. They open during the hottest hours of the afternoon. By strong heat they last only one day, at best they will open again the next day.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              The asterias becomes flowering when it reaches a size of 3-4 cm in diameter (around 3 years) and flowering occurs from April to October.                                              - The fruit ripens (3 weeks) a reddish brown color and opens at the base as capricorn and coahuilense releasing a hundred seeds. The seeds are quite large (about 2 mm), not round but a little bumpy. They are dark red to black in color. In its habitat, dispersal takes place through ants and rodents.                                   The germination is rapid and the rate quite high under good growing conditions.                                                                                                                                                        - Seedlings take on a spherical appearance with a very reduced hypocotyl. Some rudimentary thorns may appear in the first few months.                                                 - Asterias with entirely yellow flowers are extremely rare, yet an incredible coincidence has made that among the first plants sent by Baron Karwinsky to Zuccarini, one would have had this character so special and would have served to the original description. Was it a coincidence that there was a yellow-flowered population that has now disappeared? 

Astrophytum capricorne (Dietrich) B & R

 in June 2006, the Italian producer spring two new hybrids "unpublished" x asterias caput-medusae whose bids are mounted at 78 euros on Ebay , and caput-medusae coahuilense x 91 euros on Ebay . The results of all these hybrids are quite strange and we are able to ask whether the crossings are well ... Besides other hybrids offered in the summer are far less success. Aug. 2006, Panarotto, producer of succulents in Italy is the first to propose in its catalog mail order small caput-medusae grafted ... at a price of 60 euros! recall, last November was the first producer Koehres duct to offer this species in its catalog at a price of 20 euros seed.

Astrophytum coahuilense (Möller) Kayser 

Astrophytum myriostigma Lemaire                                              

 Astrophytum myriostigma Lemaire 

 Astrophytum ornatum (DC) Web. ex B & R

If you like to buy Astrophytum ornatum click here. You get 20% off.
 

 This is the first species of Astrophytum which was discovered. It all started in 1827, when Thomas Coulter discovers an unknown plant in the state of Hidalgo in Mexico. He immediately sent 40 copies to Paris. In 1828, this plant is described by De Candolle as Echinocactus ornatus is the Astrophytum ornatum known today. Gender Astrophytum created by Charles Lemaire in 1839 following the discovery of A. myriostigma.

 Echinocactus But our ornatus, having changed names several times (E. holopterus, crooked, ghisbrechtii ...) not join the kind Astrophytum under its current name until the late 19th century, in 1896 under the initiative Weber. Indeed, its silhouette different from other "cactus-star" has long been away from Astrophytum but Weber believes that the presence of flaking on the skin is also a major character in this genus.

then in 1937 their Cactus Family, Brighton & Rose confirm and validate the name Astrophytum ornatum. ornatum Astrophytum species is located furthest to the south, a hundred miles north of Mexico in the states of Hidalgo and Queretaro. It also overflows slightly to the south of the state of San Luis Potosi and Guanajuato is. Actually, its range extended along the watershed of the Rio Moctezuma and its tributaries. Seed dispersal by ants being carried attracted nutrients. It colonizes the steep slopes of the valleys and sunny but is absent plains where the soil is deep and fertile yet. Annual rainfall is around 500 mm but mainly concentrated from June to September.

According to the canyons, there are populations that have evolved over time to different forms more or less columnar, flaking more or less developed, twisted shapes, spines more or less yellow and of varying lengths. Ornatum species remains fairly massive columnar taking a look older and whose adult size is often greater than 1m (up to 1.8 m). Flaking tends to be less developed when the old cactus plants sometimes give up almost naked (this change is not reflected ornatum our culture). localizations have been quite difficult to access protected species. However, the construction of a hydro-electric dam in the 90s has greatly reduced the population present on the slopes of Rio Moctezuma (and beautiful Echinocactus grusonii).

In the area of Torre de Rio Blanca (at the boundary between the state of Queretaro and Guanajuato), there is a population of ornatum with a twisted shape, with spiral ribs. This form is not due to a lack of water as originally thought due to the very low rainfall in the area. This is a character that appears genetically stable. This population has been known since the mid 19th century and was known as Echinocactus crooked. It does not seem a variety is valid for this unusual, yet sometimes found among some producers ornatum v. espiralis with this strange twisted shape. Exists another population near the Rio and Rio Amajaque Tula, with a more stocky with beautiful yellow spines, is the variety mirbelii. It seems that this is the only variety that is valid for the species ornatum.

A. ornatum variety mirbelii

This is the only variety of ornatum usually used by botanists.

This beautiful variety from a population ornatum located in the state of Queretaro in boundary with the state of Hidalgo, in the town of Vista Hermosa in north of the city of Tequisquiapan.

mirbelii The variety has the distinction of having spines pale yellow, young plants are generally well covered with white flakes. Lines of white flakes disappear very late on older plants (in the home). It also has a more compact form evolving towards less conventional columnar shape. Its size does not exceed 80 cm high with a diameter of 30-35 cm.

Mirbelii has been known for a long time, the Indians called him already Tiosnoschcomitl. Charles Lemaire was the first to describe it in 1838, but under the name Echinocactus mirbelii in honor of Professor Mirbel, Director at the time of botanical gardens in Paris. He was then attached to Echinofossulocactus before taking its present name in 1933 by Okumura.

This variety has also been described under the names of ornatum flavispinum, or aureispinum aureispina, they are in fact all synonyms.

- A. ornatum variety glabrescens

This variety is not valid because there is no habitat in the population having the character "bare skin"

Indeed, as indicated in the description of the type species, the ornatum adults tend to lose their flaking in aging and sometimes become naked. But this character is specific to plants in the habitat, they often remain in culture their white flakes. 

Glabrescens ornatum found in cultivation under the name glabrescens have the particularity to stay "nudum" throughout the life of the plant . All other characters are the same as the type species.

This is Weber who made ​​the first description in 1896 (Astrophytum glabrescens), then the status of variety or subspecies appeared but is not currently recognized. It was also described as a synonym of. v ornatum. virens.