Aztekium
Aztekium is a genus of flowering plants of the cactus family ( Cactaceae ). The botanical name was chosen by Frederick Boedeker, because the shape of the plant reminded him of Aztekium ritteri to the sculptures of the Aztecs.
Description
The plants of the genus grow individually or form groups whose body until something are nearly spherical cylindrical and have a depressed woolly apex. Your pronounced ribs often have a groove and ribs sit on the numerous small areoles along its edge. From the young areoles spring 1-3 greyish white, often curved or twisted thorns, but the fall off soon. The plants have a taproot.
The white, with a more or less pink center strip, or magenta flowers appear at the top of the plant and open day.
The bare, slightly elongated fruits are hidden in the wool of the apex. The shiny, brownish black seeds are up to 1 mm long and measure about 0.5 millimeters in diameter. The hilum is hidden from seed appendage ( Strophiola ).
Distribution and systematics
The species of the genus Aztekium are common in the Sierra Madre Oriental in the Mexican state of Nuevo Leon, where they grow on limestone and gypsum rock.
The 1929 set up by Frederick Boedeker genus has long been monotypic. It was not until about 1990 succeeded George Hinton the discovery of a second, now named after him Art The type species is Aztekium ritteri. The genus includes two species:
- Aztekium hintonii Glass & W.A.Fitz Maur.
- Aztekium ritteri ( Boed. ) Boed.