Aztekium
{{Short description|Genus of cacti}}
{{Automatic_taxobox
| image = Aztekium ritteri0056.jpg
| image_caption = Aztekium ritteri
| taxon = Aztekium
| authority = Boed.{{cite web |url=http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/genus.pl?1212 |title=Genus: Aztekium Boed. |work=Germplasm Resources Information Network |publisher=United States Department of Agriculture |date=2012-04-16 |accessdate=2012-07-31}}
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision = *A. hintonii Glass & Fitz Maurice
- A. ritteri (Boed.) Boed.{{cite web |url=http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/splist.pl?1212 |title=GRIN Species Records of Aztekium |work=Germplasm Resources Information Network |publisher=United States Department of Agriculture |accessdate=2012-07-31}}
}}
The genus Aztekium contains two species of small globular cactus. Discovered in 1929 by F. Ritter, in Rayones, Nuevo León, Mexico, this genus was thought to be monotypic (with Aztekium ritteri) until a second species (Aztekium hintonii) was discovered by George S. Hinton, in Galeana, Nuevo León in 1991. A further possible species, Aztekium valdezii, was described in 2011, but is considered to be a synonym of A. ritteri.{{cite web |title=Aztekium valdezii Velazco, M.A.Alvarado & S.Arias |work=Plants of the World Online |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew|url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77131602-1 |accessdate=2019-08-01 }}
Description
Aztekium ritteri is a plant that is around 20 mm wide, with 9 to 11 ribs, which typically have transverse wrinkles. Its color varies from pale green to grayish-green. The center of the cactus contains white wool. Flowers are less than 10 mm wide, with white petals and pinkish sepals. The plants bear pinkish berry-like fruits. A. hintonii is larger, to 10 cm in diameter, 10 to 18 grooved ribs, flowers magenta to 3 cm. It grows only on gypsum.
Species
| class="wikitable" | ||
| Image | Scientific name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
| 120px | Aztekium hintonii | Nuevo León |
| 120px | Aztekium ritteri | Mexico |
Etymology
Its name is dedicated to the Aztec people, due to the resemblance between the plant's shape and certain Aztec sculptures.{{citation needed|date=September 2013}}
Distribution
This genus is found only in the state of Nuevo León in Mexico. It was estimated{{By whom|date=November 2009}} that there were in the order of tens of millions of plants of A. hintonii, and at present most of its range is pristine.{{Citation needed|date=November 2009}} Though A. ritteri has been collected for decades and there has been destruction of its habitat, the number of plants in habitat is several million.{{Citation needed|date=December 2007}}
Cultivation
These species grow extremely slowly, taking around two years to attain a diameter of 3 mm. They are usually propagated by seeds.{{citation needed|date=September 2013}}
Phytochemistry
The plants contain the following compounds{{Citation needed|date=May 2013}}:
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commonscat-inline|Aztekium|Aztekium}}
{{Wikispecies-inline|Aztekium|Aztekium}}
- [http://www.cactus-mall.com/mss/old.html Sacred and Medicinal Cacti by MS Smith]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20060610033742/http://cactusfile.com/magSample.htm Cactus File]
{{Taxonbar|from=Q131705}}
Category:Endemic flora of Mexico