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Ariocatrpus fissuratus var. lloydii
It is characterized by having the stems higher, more rounded,
with finely rugose not fissured tuberlcles.
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Description: Ariocarpus
var. lloydii is traditionally distinguished from
var. fissuratus by its higher, somewhat rounded and more convex
stem appearing above the ground
Stem: Scarcely appearing above the ground, flat to somewhat
rounded and sometime even columnar shaped in cultivation. In habitat the
stems in adult specimens ranges from 10 to 15 cm in diameter.
Tubercles: The tubercles of var. lloydii are very
different from those of the standard A. fissuratus and
easily recognizable. They are imbricated, ovate, broad at base and
usually more rounded at the apex, about 2 to 3 cm wide. They lack edges
and lateral longitudinal furrow (or are only weakly fissured). They are
only finely rugose with quite coarse, often confluent papillae in the
whole surface which form transversal ledges and irregularly warty.
Areoles: Filled with a dense mass of hairs,
up to 3 mm wide, sometimes
confined to middle of tubercle faces instead of extending to tips.
Flowers: These plants have a
woolly
crown, from which emerge
3 to 4 cm broad, white to purple
(usually pink) 2 times wider than long when
fully expanded. Inner
perianth-segments oblong-oblanceolate; style and stigma-lobes white.
Blooming time: October, November. Flowers last for 3 to 4 days.
Fruit: Ovoidal, pale green.
Seeds: Black, tuberculate-roughened.
Root: Each plant has a large
turnip-like taproot, which lies below the soil surface and serves
for
water storage.
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Family:
Cactaceae (Cactus
Family)
Ariocarpus fissuratus var
Lloydii (Rose) Marshall in Marshall et Bock
In: Cactaceae, 135,
1941
Accepted
Scientific name: Ariocarpus
fissuratus (Engelm.) K. Schum.
Origin: Ariocarpus lloydii grows in central Mexico
and ranges from southern Coahuila and adjacent Zacatecas to eastern
Durango (Nazas, Peņon Blanco).
Conservation status: Listed in
CITES appendix I.
Habitat and
Ecology: These plants are characteristic of dry
limestone ridges and low, rocky hills of limestone chips at an
altitude of 500-1500 m among the Chihuahuan desert
scrub.
The
stems are normally flush and well
camouflaged with the soil surface resembling limestone chips in
shape, colour, and texture, rendering the plants extremely
cryptic. They are greyish-green in colour, sometimes taking on a
yellowish tint with age. These
cacti are difficult to spot in their natural habitat. When they are
found, it is usually due to their pinkish flowers
In times of severe
drought, the whole
above-ground portion of these plants can
shrink and be covered by rock fragments, but the
taproot remains
alive. Many exist as only small, isolated
populations, and are in danger of
extinction because they sought by plant
collectors. For this reason they are
protected plants in the regions where they occur.
Synonyms:
- Ariocarpus lloydii
Rose
In: Contr. US Nat.
Herb. 13: 308. 1911
Roseocactus lloydii (Rose) Berger
In: Journ Wash.
Acad. Sciens. 15:3.1925
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Cultivation is not too
difficult in a
greenhouse, although A. fissuratus grows extremely slowly. The
plants need deep
pots to accommodate the
napiform unit formed by the
stem base and the
rootstock (or they will often simply crack
your pots), , and a loose
mineral soil with a well-drained
substrate. They need a good amount of
light, a place near the roof of the greenhouse helps drying the pot
after
watering. This can be done weekly during the
summertime, if the weather is sunny enough, with a little
fertilizer added. Kept this way, plants will
show a
healthy, although slow
growth. They are
frost hardy to -10°C.
Propagation: By
seeds, remembering that
seedlings dislike strong
light and
dry
conditions, and need to be
repotted frequently. Eventually, as they become mature, they reach a
maximum size of 25 to 27 cm. However, old plants become
senile and have a tendency to succumb to
disease and a weak
root system. At this
stage, as is well known, they
die suddenly. So, after they reach 20 cm in diameter grow them
slowly, and adopt a new repotting period, using intervals of every 2 - 3
years. Additionally grow them under drier conditions or with stronger
sunlight. Plants are often
grafted to accelerate growth, as they would
generally take at least a decade to reach
maturity on their own. But
the grafted plants are typically rather tall-
growing, compared with plants on their own roots,
that are usually flatter to the
ground. A. fissuratus var. lloydii
starts blooming at the age of 8-12 years.
Ariocarpus fissuratus,
A. lloydii and A. intermedius
The A. fissuratus is quite variable in shape of
stems and tubercles for its wide area of distribution, ranging from USA
(Big Bend region of Texas and along the Rio Grande) to Mexico ( Northern
and central to southern Coahuila).
The typical A. fissuratus found on the northern part of it
its range is very different from the southern form found in central
Mexico that is characterized by rounder not fissured tubercles; this
southern form was early described as Ariocarpus lloydii.
However in habitat this species species displays a continuum of
characteristics over its range that make difficult to classify A.
lloydii as a separate species. The more of less intermediate
form found in northern Mexico ( Cuatro Cienegas in south-central
Coahuila and Estacion Marte in southern Coahuila) was early named
Ariocarpus intermedius.
Photo of conspecific taxa,
varieties, forms and cultivars of plants
belonging to the Ariocarpus fissuratus/bravoanus
complex
(This
Taxon has lots of synonyms whit
several controversial varieties and subspecies):
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