''Pelecyphora aselliformis'' is a species of ''
Pelecyphora
''Pelecyphora'', pincushion cactus or foxtail cactus is a genus of cactus, cacti, comprising 20 species. They originate from Mexico and the United States.
Common species include the Missouri foxtail cactus ''Pelecyphora missouriensis, P. missour ...
'' found in
Mexico
Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
.
Description
''Pelecyphora aselliformis'' grows with globose, spherical or flattened spherical grayish green stems, with fleshy roots that are 2 to 7 centimeters in diameter and about 12 cm high. Their hatchet-shaped tubercles are 2 to 4 millimeters high, 5 to 9 millimeters long and 1 to 2.5 millimeters wide. Its outer part is flattened and the outline is elliptical. The areoles are woolly, 40 to 60 stiff, whitish spines are arranged in a striking comb-like manner and are 0.7 to 4 millimeters long. The magenta-colored flowers appear at the apex, between the wooliness of the young areole reach diameters of 1.3 to 3.5 centimeters.
It grows very slowly and flowers only after many years.
File:Pelecyphora asseliformis4 ies.jpg
File:Pelecyphora asseliformis2 ies.jpg
File:Pelecyphora asseliformis1 ies.jpg
File:Pelecyphora Aselliformis con polloni.jpg
File:Pelecyphora asseliformis 20070526.jpg
File:Peleciphora aselliformis "kaktalia".jpg
Distribution
''Pelecyphora aselliformis'' is widespread in the Mexican state of
San Luis Potosí
San Luis Potosí, officially the Free and Sovereign State of San Luis Potosí, is one of the 32 states which compose the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 59 municipalities and is named after its capital city, San Luis Potosí.
It ...
. It inhabits low hills and flat plains at elevations of 1800 to 2400 meters and grows on nutrient-rich, dark soils and limestone rocks. The range extends over an area of no more than 500 km
2.
Taxonomy
The first description was made in 1843 by
Carl August Ehrenberg.
The specific epithet aselliformis means 'woodlouse-shaped'. Common names are “Peoti”, “Peotillo”, “Peyote” and “Peyotillo”.
When a new highway was built north of the city of
San Luis Potosí
San Luis Potosí, officially the Free and Sovereign State of San Luis Potosí, is one of the 32 states which compose the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 59 municipalities and is named after its capital city, San Luis Potosí.
It ...
that passed through a population of ''Pelecyphora aselliformis'', 1226 specimens of the species were relocated to the
El Charco del Ingenio Botanical Garden near
San Miguel de Allende
San Miguel de Allende () is the principal city in the Municipalities of Mexico, municipality of San Miguel de Allende (municipality), San Miguel de Allende, located in the far eastern part of Guanajuato, Mexico. A part of the Bajío region, the t ...
.
References
External links
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{{Taxonbar, from=Q144950
aselliformis
Cacti of Mexico
Plants described in 1843