Pachycereus weberi

As one enters the Tehuacan-Cuicatlan area in the States of Puebla and Oaxaca, one is confronted with a majestic vista of cereus forests some of whom comprises the largest species of Cacti in existence; Pachycereus weberi. The Tehuacan-Cuicatlan area is one of the richest cacti habitat in the whole of Mexico. This species certainly rivals Carnegea gigantea in sheer volume of branches if not in height.

Its flowers are from pale yellow to white and are produced on the sides of the branches, near the apex. It is mentioned in literature that the flowers are nocturnal but if so they certainly remain open during the day. Pachycereus weberi grows to about 10 meters in height. It starts to branch from approximately two meters from the base and produces candelabra-like branches. Each branch is bluish green in colour and the areoles are spaced from 3 to 5 cm apart.                                                                                                     

               

Mammillaria klissingiana

I found this species growing very near the town of Guadalcazar, San Luis Potosi. Previously I had found this plant, albeit more elongated forms, near Jaumave in Tamaulipas.

This form is more round and compact resembling M. formosa in shape. M. brauniana has been referred under M. klissingiana and further study may link this species with M. formosa and even M. leucocentra which some authorities claim to be a subspecies of M. geminispina.

Whatever species it is called it is a joy to find and several hours of searching only produced a few plants mostly found near the shade of rocky outcrops or under bushes.

Other cacti found in the vicinity were Echinocereus cinerascens, and an Opuntia species.

All the M. klissingiana found had pink to reddish flowers but one species growing in the proximity of a pink flowering species had pale flowers as can be seen in these pictures.

Agave victoria-reginae

Agave victoria-reginae can be found growing at Huasteca canyon, Santa Catarina, Monterrey, in the state of Nuevo Leon.

It is found on both sides of the canyon on sheer rock together with Epithelantha micromeris,Echinocereus viereckii and Mammillaria ritteriana.

It is not difficult to find and can be seen from the dirt road leading to the canyon but not very easy to reach due to the almost vertical cliffs.

Like all Agave species, This plant will die after flowering as the flowering stock is terminal. It rarely offsets before it flowers. Yet it produces hundreds of seeds that are dispersed throughout the valley.

             

From my picasa album

Ortegocactus macdougallii

This interesting cactus is only found in one small area, on Cero Cantaro, at San Jose Lechuguiri, Oaxaca.

The plant is named after Francesco Ortega who first brought the plant to the famous botanist Tom MacDougall and subsequently named by Alexander in 1961.

There has been attempts to refer this plant to the Genus Coryphantha but due to its isolation it must have evolved from an early ancestor which branched into Coryphantha and Ortegocactus. Philogenetic studies conducted in 2002 places this cactus between Coryphantha and the genus Neolloydia.

I have seen this plant half buried in scree in its habitat. The area is quite inaccessible. I have had to take several lifts which took me half a day to arrive. It grows on limestone rocks. Habitat cacti can develop the same red marking as their counterparts in cultivation.

The plant is small but will eventually clump. Plants in cultivation are usually grafted but I have grown these plants on their own roots without any problem.

Top picture shows a plant in cultivation.

Middle picture shows the habitat of Ortegocactus.

Bottom picture shows a clump of Ortegocactus macdougallii in habitat. The ruler is 15cm long (6inches)

Echinocereus davisii X E. pulchellus v. sharpii

This is a hybrid between Echinocereus davisii and Echinocereus pulchellus v. sharpii. Only this plant survived and it has been grafted on a pereskiopsis.

Mammillaria bocasana

Mammillaria bocasana cultivars can be found in many forms. Some of them are so bizarre that it takes some persuasion to believe that they are bocasana at all.


This picture shows a double headed normal M. bocasana. It produces yellowish-white flowers and long thin pink fruits.










This picture shows M. bocasana v. splendens cristata. The plant resembles M. plumosa.








M. bocasana 'Fred' is a monstrose form of the species. There are several stories circulating of how Fred got its name:

1. It is attributed to Frank Harwood., which having had visitors asking what it is he replied ' I do not know, let us call it Frank'. This was in the early Seventies or late sixties.

2. From Ron Studior, a now out-of-business nursery in Texas, in the sixties.

3. Chuck Hanson's Arid Lands Greenhouses in Tucson, Arizona in the eighties.



Since then several other monstrose forms have appeared that are not 'Frank'. The one on the left is a typical example. It produces montrose and cristate forms on the same plant and grafted cuttings can take their own shape.

Mammillaria albata

This cactus has been referred to M. geminispina v. leococentra. It has shorter spines then M. geminispina.

Cactus Chimera

The name Chimera comes from Greek mythology refering to a fire-breathing she-monster in having a lion's head, a goat's body, and a serpent's tail.

A Cactus Chimera result when two grafted cacti get distinct characteristics of two species on the same plant. In this case a Gymnocalycium mihanovicii cv. 'hiboton' was grafted on Myrtillocactus geometrizans.

Somehow the DNA of the Myrtillocactus passed to the Gymnocalycium and the result is a mix of two species in one. The species showing both of the two species characteristics.

Note: Chimeras are not hybrids. Hybrids occur with the fusion of two gametes from each individual.

Chimeras are very rare and highly valued. Nobody knows how they occur. It could be the result of a viral infection.

Lobivia silvestrii

Lobivia silvestrii variegata is one of the most commercially available cacti. The Chinese are selling them in their thousands. These variegates have to be grafted because they lack chlorophyll.

Christate variegates of this species have been making it to collections. There are several forms of Lobivia silvestrii because they have been hybridised extensively with other Lobivia species and with Echinopsis. Hybrid species are selected mostly for their pretty flowers which range from yellow to red and there are some with bicolored flowers.

Other variegates have been selected for body colour or thickness. Thus, one can find orange coloured L. silvestrii. I find that the yellow variants turn dark orange at the top when held in very strong sunlight producing flower shoots that not all of them open.

Lobivia silvestrii was named Chamacereus silvestrii when it was first discovered. It was eventually placed in the Genus Lobivia and subsequently the Genus Echinopsis, because the Genus Lobivia has now been amalgamated with Echinopsis. A trend not everyone agrees with. The common name is peanut cactus.


The debris on some of my pictures are caused because I am always accidentally toppling the cacti in my greenhouse due to lack of space.







The monstrose plant on the left is also the same species. It is a mutation that has occurred in a private cactus collection in Malta. I have seen similar mutation forms (yet distinct enough), from Spain eBay sellers. The monstrose form is not very easy to keep and needs to be re-grafted after a few years.

Astrophytum caput medusae

First described as Digitostigma caput medusae, this plant clearly belongs to the Genus Astrophytum. Discovered as recently as 28 August 2001 and described in 2002. The cactus on the left is not a normal plant as the tubercles are much more succulent.

I am not sure if this is a hybrid or whether it is just a freak. I aquired it from eBay. Compare the tubercles with that of a normal plant (see below left). Probagation is by seed or by tubercle grafting. Each seed pod produces few seed. The tubercles are very easy to graft.

The name caput medusa refers to the thin long tubercles resembling the Greek Mythological woman Medusa whose hair was turned to snakes.

When first appeared on the market the seeds were selling as much as 5 Euro per seed and young plants for 100 Euros.

Astrophytum myriostigma crest

Again, this shows how diverse Astrophytum cultivars can be. This one is a cristate form of A. myriostigma.

See also my older posts for more freaky Astrophytums.

More variegates

There are many Astrophytum variegated hybrids, This is because all Astrophytum specioes hybridise with each other. The first picture shows a variegated cristate Astrophytum, grafted on Echinopsis species.

Variegation in Astrophytum myriostigma v. nudum , most probably of hybrid origin. Some variegates change colour with temperature and the reddish colour will turn back to yellow in spring and summer.

Variegation in Stenocactus is more rare.

The variegates

Coryphantha elephantidens is totally variegated and thus has to be grafted. It is not an easy plant to grow and does not like cold temperatures , otherwise it get marked easily.

Variegated Astrophytum asterias are getting more common among the cactus world. They produce offetes that can be grafted or rooted if they have some chlorophyll.

Echinopsis eyresii grows well on its own roots.

Gymnocalycium crest and variegate.

Gymnocalycium variegates are vary popular in nurseries and among the general public. They have colourful stems due to lack of chlorophyll and thus all of them have to be grafted. Much more rare are cristate variegated specimens of this Genus.

Notocactus scopa

As far as I know these are all monstrose forms of Notocactus scopa. The first picture (top) is known as variety inermis and the second is a cristate form of inermis.

The one below it is a cristate form of the classical form of N. scopa and the last picture shows another variety with long spines.

More cristate/monstrose/variegates

The first picture shows Eulychnia castanea known as varispiralis due to its spiral shape. The second picture shows Astrophytum myriostigma cristata. There are several forms of A. myriostigma that are cristate.

My name is Amante Darmanin, this Blog is about cactus and succulents and anything that is of interest in the cactus world.

I have about 2000 cacti and other succulents and am currently building a cristate, monstrose and variegate cactus collection.

I also have a collection of cactus club badges that I am collecting from around the world.

So if you have any of these and would like to exchange with me or ask me about them, please do not hesitate to email me. I will try to post pictures every week.