Melocactus azureus

Melocactus azureus
	Melocactus azureus
Systematics
Order :	Clove-like (Caryophyllales)
Family :	Cactus family (Cactaceae)
Subfamily :	Cactoideae
Tribe :	Cereeae
Genre :	Melocactus
Type :	Melocactus azureus
Scientific name
	Melocactus azureus
	Buining & Brederoo

Melocactus azureus is a species of the genus Melocactus in the cactus family(Cactaceae). The specific epithet azureus means 'sky blue'.

description

Melocactus azureus grows with dark green to gray-green, sometimes glaucous , almost spherical to cylindrical bodies that reach heights of 13 to 45 centimeters and diameters of 14 to 19 centimeters. There are 9 to 10 ribs that are triangular in cross-section. The thorns are black to reddish and drowned out gray. The 1 to 4 central spines are slightly curved to straight. There are 7 to 11 radial spines. The cephalium , which is made up of brown or white wool and reddish bristles , is up to 12 centimeters high and 7 to 9 centimeters in diameter.

The more or less pink magenta colored flowers are 1.9 to 2.3 centimeters long and have a diameter of 0.8 to 1.15 centimeters. The fruits are white or sometimes light pink and up to 1.7 inches long.

Systematics, distribution and endangerment

Melocactus azureus is distributed in the Brazilian state of Bahia , where it grows on limestone cliffs at altitudes of 450 to 800 meters. The first description was in 1971 by Albert Frederik Hendrik Buining and Arnold J. Brederoo . It becomes the two subspecies

Melocactus azureus subsp. azureus
Melocactus azureus subsp. ferreophilus (Buining & Brederoo) NPTaylor

distinguished.

Other authors treat Melocactus azureus subsp. ferreophilus as a separate species.

Melocactus azureus is in the endangered Red List species the IUCN as " Endangered (EN) ," d. H. classified as endangered.

proof

literature

Edward F. Anderson : The Great Cactus Lexicon . Eugen Ulmer KG, Stuttgart 2005, ISBN 3-8001-4573-1 , p. 422 .

Individual evidence

^ Albert Frederik Hendrik Buining: Melocactus azureus Buining et Brederoo spec. nova. In: Cacti and other succulents . Volume 22, Number 6, 1971, pp. 101-103.
↑ Braun, P., Taylor, NP, Machado, M. & Zappi, D. 2013. Melocactus ferreophilus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2013: e.T40918A2943642 ( doi: 10.2305 / IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T40918A2943642.en , accessed August 11, 2016).
↑ Melocactus azureus in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2013 Posted by: Taylor, NP, Machado, M, Zappi, D. & Brown, P., 2013. Retrieved on October 13, 2015.

Web links

Commons : Melocactus azureus - collection of images, videos and audio files

[1] Albert Frederik Hendrik Buining: Melocactus azureus Buining et Brederoo spec. nova. In: Cacti and other succulents . Volume 22, Number 6, 1971, pp. 101-103.

[2] Braun, P., Taylor, NP, Machado, M. & Zappi, D. 2013. Melocactus ferreophilus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2013: e.T40918A2943642 ( doi: 10.2305 / IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T40918A2943642.en , accessed August 11, 2016).

[3] Melocactus azureus in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2013 Posted by: Taylor, NP, Machado, M, Zappi, D. & Brown, P., 2013. Retrieved on October 13, 2015.