Escontria chiotilla
| Escontria chiotilla | ||||||||||||
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Escontria chiotilla |
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| Scientific name of the genus | ||||||||||||
| Escontria | ||||||||||||
| rose | ||||||||||||
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| Escontria chiotilla | ||||||||||||
| ( FACWeber ) Rose |
Escontria chiotilla is the only plant species of the monotypic genus Escontria in the cactus family(Cactaceae). The botanical name of the genus honors the Mexican engineer and temporary governor of San Luis Potosí Blas Escontría . The epithet of the species derives from the local name "Chiotilla" for the edible fruits of the plant. Spanish common names are "Chiotilla" and "Jiotilla".
description
The tree-like Escontria chiotilla is heavily branched with flat tops, forms clear trunks and reaches a height of 4 to 7 meters. The light green, cylindrical shoots have a diameter of 8 to 12 centimeters. The 7 to 8 ribs, which are more or less triangular in cross section, are densely covered with dark gray, elongated areoles that sometimes flow into one another. The usually one, red-orange to yellow central spine later turns gray and is up to 20 millimeters long. The sometimes somewhat comb-shaped arranged 10 to 20 radial spines are yellowish-brown, later turn grayish-white and are up to 12 millimeters long.
The yellow, tubular to somewhat bell-shaped flowers that open during the day appear below the tip of the shoot. The spherical, fleshy, scaly fruits are purple-brown and have a diameter of 5 centimeters or more.
Distribution, systematics and endangerment
Escontria chiotilla is common in southern Mexico in the states of Puebla , Oaxaca , Guerrero and Michoacán .
The first plants were discovered in 1864 by Frédéric Albert Constantin Weber , who sent material to George Engelmann . It was first described as Cereus chiotilla , however, only in 1897. Joseph Nelson Rose classified it in 1906 in the genus Escontria established by him .
Myrtillocactus chiotilla is a synonym .
In the Red List of Threatened Species of the IUCN , the species is listed as " Least Concern (LC) ". H. listed as not endangered.
use
The sweet fruits are edible and are sold in local markets in Mexico.
proof
literature
- Edward F. Anderson : The Great Cactus Lexicon . Eugen Ulmer KG, Stuttgart 2005, ISBN 3-8001-4573-1 , p. 279 .
- Curt Backeberg : Die Cactaceae: Handbuch der Kakteenkunde . 2nd Edition. tape IV . Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart New York 1984, ISBN 3-437-30383-X , p. 2230-2232 .
- NL Britton , JN Rose : The Cactaceae. Descriptions and Illustrations of Plants of the Cactus Family . tape III . The Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington 1922, p. 65 f .
Individual evidence
- ↑ General description of the cacti . 1897, p. 83.
- ^ Contributions from the United States National Herbarium . Volume 10, 1906, pp. 125-126, plate 43, (online) .
- ^ Escontria chiotilla in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2013.2. Posted by: Arreola, H. & Terrazas, T., 2009. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
