Types Of Cacti And Their Reproduction - 2

2024 Author: Sebastian Paterson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:47

← Read the previous part of the article

Types of cacti and their reproduction

Gymnocalycium (Gymnocalycium Pfeiff.)

The name of the genus comes from the Greek words gymnos - naked and calix - calyx: holofeed. According to various authors, the number of species ranges from 60 to 70. These stem succulents are common in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Uruguay and Paraguay.

Gymnocalycium humpback (G. gibbosum Pfeiff

. The stem is cylindrical, up to 20 cm high and 10 cm in diameter. Ribs 12-19 with tubercles. There are 7-10 radial spines, they are light brown, the central ones are 1-2 (or they are absent). The flowers are white or pink up to 6.5 cm long. Homeland - Southern Argentina.

Gymnocalycium Salion (G. saglione (Cels) Britt. Et Rose

. Stem up to 30 cm in diameter. Radial spines 8-15, about 4 cm long, central - 1 (sometimes more). All spines are brown or black. Flowers are white or pink, up to 3.5 cm long. Homeland - Argentina. Plants are light and heat-loving. On sunny days they need shading. During the growing season, watering is abundant, they do not tolerate overdrying. Young plants are best kept in a greenhouse. Wintering is warm (15 ° С) with moistening of the earth once every two weeks.

Zygocactus (Zygocactus K. Schum)

The name of the genus comes from the Greek zygos - yoke: apparently, according to the bizarre shape of the segments of the stem. There are about 5 known species common in Brazil.

As a houseplant, the so-called "Decembrist" - truncated zygocactus (Z. truncatus K. Schum.) Is

widespread. The plant is up to 50 cm high. The drooping shoots consist of numerous elongated flat segments, arcuate, up to 5 cm long and 2.5 cm wide, each with 2-4 obtuse or sharp teeth. Areoles with fine bristles. The flowers are lilac-red with a purple tinge at the edges of the petals, appearing at the ends of the segments. The flower tube is curved. The fruit is a pink-red berry up to 1 cm long. Homeland - Brazil.

Garden forms are known: "Crenulatus" - purple flowers, the segments are similar to the claw of cancer; "Altensteinii" - darker segments, sharp teeth, brick-red petals, white corolla tube. The plant is kept in winter at a temperature of 16-18 ° C, in summer - at 22-25 ° C. Requires bright diffused light, watering in spring and summer, as well as during budding and flowering (September-December), uniform, in the rest of the months - moderate, more rare. The transplant is carried out after flowering. Propagated by seeds and stem cuttings.

Krainzia Backbg

The name of the genus was given in honor of the Swiss botanist G. Krajnz, curator of the succulent collection in Zurich. There are two known species common in Mexico.

Longiflora (K. longiflora (Britt. Et Rose) Backbg)

. Globular cacti up to 6 cm high and 5 cm in diameter. Form "kids". Radial spines up to 30, each slightly more than 1 cm long, all of them thin, white; central - 4 (1 with a hook at the end): from light yellow to red-brown. The flowers are pink, up to 4.5 cm long. Homeland - Mexico. Watering is moderate. Winters in dry and cold conditions. Propagated by seeds and "children". Compared to mammillaria, the plant is more capricious in culture.

Leuchtenbergi Hook

The genus is named after the French statesman, the Duke of Leuchtenberg.

There is only one species

Leuchtenbergia excellent (L. principis Hook)

. The plant resembles an agave in appearance. Reaches a height of 70 cm, woody with age. The papillae are graceful, bluish-gray, 10-12 cm long, triangular. Radial spines 8-14, they are yellowish-brown, flat, papery, up to 10 (15) cm long, central 1-2, up to 10 cm long. Flowers are yellow, fragrant, up to 8 cm long, located at the ends of the youngest papillae. Homeland - Mexico. Watering is moderate. Wintering is cold and dry.

Lophophora Coult

The name of the genus comes from the Greek words lophos - comb, crest and phoros - to wear: associated with tufts of white woolly hairs on the areoles. There are 3 known species distributed from the USA to Mexico.

Lofofor Williams (L. williamsii (DC.) Coult)

. Stem spherical, bluish-green, up to 7.5 cm in diameter. There are no thorns. Ribs 7-10. Areoles with stiff whitish-yellow tufts of hairs. The flowers are pink, small, a little over 1 cm in diameter. Homeland - the south of the United States and Mexico. The view comes in several varieties, including var. caespitosa hort., which produces a large number of "babies", forming "pillows". Requires a lot of light and heat. Watering is moderate. Winters in dry and cold conditions.

Mammillaria (Mammillaria Haw)

The genus name comes from the Latin mammilla - papilla. According to various authors, the genus contains from 300 to 350 species, distributed in the southern states of the United States, Central America, the Antilles, Venezuela and Colombia.

Mammillaria blond (M. albicoma Boed)

. The stem is almost spherical, up to 5 cm high and 3 cm in diameter, with daughter shoots ("babies"), does not contain milky sap. Sinuses with white felt and white hairs. Radial spines 30-40, they are about 1 cm long, white, central 1-4 (or absent), up to 1 cm long, white with reddish-brown tips. Flowers are greenish-yellow, up to white, up to 1.5 cm long. Homeland - Mexico.

Mammillaria graceful (M. elegans DC

. Stem spherical, slightly more than 5 cm in diameter. The sinuses are bare. Radial spines 25-30, up to 6 mm long, white, central 1-2, up to 1 cm long, white with brown tips. The flowers are red, about 1.5 cm long. Homeland - Mexico.

In summer, watering is moderate. They hibernate in dry and cool conditions (7-10 ° C). They are transplanted 1 time in 2-3 years into a land mixture consisting of sod and leafy soil, humus, peat and sand (1: 0.5: 1: 1: 2), to which expanded clay or broken brick must be added. For transplanting adult specimens, 2 parts of sod land are taken. Propagated by seeds and children.

Melocactus (Melocactus Link et Otto)

The name of the genus comes from the Latin melo - melon. According to various authors, the genus includes from 30 to 41 species, growing in Mexico, Central America, the Antilles, Venezuela, Brazil, Colombia, Peru.

Pleasant melocactus (M. amoenus (Hoffm.) Pfeiff). The stem is spherical, the cephalic is white-haired. Ribs 10-12. There are 8 radial spines, up to 1.6 cm long. On young plants, the central spine is often absent. The flowers are pink, up to 2.5 cm long. Homeland - Venezuela, Colombia.

Blue-gray melocactus (M. caesius Wendl). The stem is spherical. Ribs 10. Radial spines 7, central 1. Homeland - Trinidad.

Plants are demanding for light, heat and moisture. Watering as it dries. In winter, it is better to keep it in a greenhouse at a temperature of 20-25 ° C and water it once a week.

Read the end of the article →