Melocactus mazelianus

Melocactus mazelianus
Systematics
Order :	Clove-like (Caryophyllales)
Family :	Cactus family (Cactaceae)
Subfamily :	Cactoideae
Tribe :	Cereeae
Genre :	Melocactus
Type :	Melocactus mazelianus
Scientific name
	Melocactus mazelianus
	Říha

Melocactus mazelianus is a species of the genus Melocactus in the cactus family(Cactaceae). The specific epithet mazelianus honors the Czech engineer and cactus lover Bohumil Mazel.

description

Melocactus mazelianus grows with yellowish green to dark green, depressed spherical to pyramidal or egg-shaped shoots that reach heights of 9 to 20 centimeters with a diameter of 7 to 20 centimeters. There are nine to 15 sharp-edged ribs between the areoles . The initially black thorns later turn reddish brown to dark brown and are occasionally drowned out gray. The up to three central spines, which can also be missing, are straight or slightly curved upwards and 1.5 to 4.5 centimeters long. The 1.6 to 4 centimeters long six to eleven radial spines are straight or curved. The lowest of them are the longest. The cephalium is up to 12 centimeters high and has a diameter of 8 centimeters. The bristles in it are mostly hidden in the striking white wool.

The deep carmine-red flowers are up to 2.6 centimeters long and have a diameter of 1 to 1.4 centimeters. The pink fruits are up to 4.1 inches long.

Distribution, systematics and endangerment

Melocactus mazelianus is distributed in Colombia in the Vichada Department and from western to central Venezuela in the Orinoco catchment area .

The first description was in 1981 by Jan Říha .

In the Red List of Threatened Species of the IUCN , the species is listed as " Least Concern (LC) ". H. listed as not endangered.

proof

literature

Edward F. Anderson : The Great Cactus Lexicon . Eugen Ulmer KG, Stuttgart 2005, ISBN 3-8001-4573-1 , p. 428 .

Individual evidence

↑ Urs Eggli, Leonard E. Newton: Etymological Dictionary of Succulent Plant Names . Springer, Berlin / Heidelberg 2010, ISBN 978-3-642-05597-3 , p. 150.

↑ J. Riha: Melocactus mazelianus Riha: a new species from the river basin of the Rio Orinoco in Venezuela . In: Cacti and other succulents . Volume 32, Number 9, 1981, pp. 214-217.

↑ Melocactus mazelianus in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2013.2. Listed by: Nassar, J. & Taylor, NP, 2011. Retrieved January 2, 2014.

[1] Urs Eggli, Leonard E. Newton: Etymological Dictionary of Succulent Plant Names . Springer, Berlin / Heidelberg 2010, ISBN 978-3-642-05597-3 , p. 150.

[2] J. Riha: Melocactus mazelianus Riha: a new species from the river basin of the Rio Orinoco in Venezuela . In: Cacti and other succulents . Volume 32, Number 9, 1981, pp. 214-217.