Cleistocactus

Cleistocactus candelilla

Cleistocactus is a genus of flowering plants of the cactus family ( Cactaceae ). The botanical name (from the Greek kleistós closed ) alludes to the tubular flowers in the genus, which appear almost closed in some species.

Description

The plants of the genus are stem succulents schlanktriebige of up to about 3 m high. Usually they form basal branching shrubs, rarely higher branch and form small trees. The stems are upright and then hang frequently in old age, usually they lie down with aspiring ends, often they grow hanging. They usually have many ribs. The standing on the ribs areoles usually carry many fine, hair -like spines with some firmer Thorns in between, rarely the thorns are longer and more coarse.

The flowers appear individually in most species in large numbers from the areoles. In some species ( from the previous genera Borzicereus and Cephalocleistocactus ) they appear in conspicuous zones of strong bristles and hair formation. In adaptation to the pollinator ( hummingbird ), the flowers are appearing long tubular with upright bloom cladding, which are sometimes not or only slightly folded at the tips outwards and so nearly closed. Often they are by a grassroots bend upward and / or by a slanting Blütensaum ( up longer or straighter, shorter down or further transshipped ) slightly zygomorphic. The flower colors range from green to white, yellow, orange and red to purple, with red tones predominate. The resulting after fertilization, densely scaly fruits are relatively small, but often contain numerous seeds.

Distribution and systematics

The distribution of the genus Cleistocactus extends in South America from southern Ecuador through Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, the West continues to Paraguay to northern Argentina. The first description of the genus in 1861 by Charles Lemaire. The type species is Cereus baumannii.

The genus Cleistocactus include the following types:

  • Cleistocactus acanthurus ( Vaupel ) D.R.Hunt Cleistocactus acanthurus subsp. acanthurus
  • Cleistocactus acanthurus subsp. faustianus ( Backeb. ) Ostolaza
  • Cleistocactus acanthurus subsp. pullatus ( Rauh & Backeb. ) Ostolaza
  • Cleistocactus baumannii subsp. anguinus ( Gürke ) P.J.Braun & Esteves
  • Cleistocactus baumannii subsp. baumannii
  • Cleistocactus baumannii subsp. chacoanus ( F.Ritter ) P.J.Braun & Esteves
  • Cleistocactus baumannii subsp. croceiflorus ( F.Ritter ) P.J.Braun & Esteves
  • Cleistocactus baumannii subsp. horstii ( P.J.Braun ) N.P.Taylor
  • Cleistocactus baumannii subsp. santacruzensis ( Backeb. ) Mottram
  • Cleistocactus fieldianus subsp. fieldianus
  • Cleistocactus fieldianus subsp. samnensis ( F.Ritter ) Ostolaza
  • Cleistocactus fieldianus subsp. tessellatus ( Akers & Buining ) Ostolaza

Synonyms for the species are Akersia Buining, Bolivicereus Cárdenas, Borzicactella H.Johnson ex F.Ritter, Borzicactus Riccob. , Cleistocereus Fric & Cross., Clistanthocereus Backeb. , Hildewintera F.Ritter, Loxanthocereus Backeb. , Maritimocereus Akers, Seticereus Backeb. , Seticleistocactus Backeb. , Winteria F.Ritter and Winterocereus Backeb.

Swell

  • Urs Eggli: The Cactus Family, German edition, Eugen Ulmer Verlag, Stuttgart, 2005, ISBN 3-8001-4573-1
Cactoideae Trichocereeae Cleistocactus hyalacanthus Cleistocactus samaipatanus Cleistocactus strausii Cleistocactus winteri
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