Aztekium
Sign in to saveThe genus Aztekium contains two species of small globular cactus. Discovered in 1929 by F. Ritter, in Rayones, Nuevo León, Mexico, this genus was thought to be monotypic (with Aztekium ritteri) until a second species (Aztekium hintonii) was discovered by George S. Hinton, in Galeana, Nuevo León in 1991. A further possible species, Aztekium valdezii, was described in 2011, but is considered to be a synonym of A. ritteri.
Taxonomy · GBIF
GENUS
- KingdomPlantae
- PhylumTracheophyta
- ClassMagnoliopsida
- OrderCaryophyllales
- FamilyCactaceae
via GBIF · CC0
Article
8 sectionsContents
- Description
- Species
- Etymology
- Distribution
- Cultivation
- Phytochemistry
- References
- External links
The genus Aztekium contains two species of small globular cactus. Discovered in 1929 by F. Ritter, in Rayones, Nuevo León, Mexico, this genus was thought to be monotypic (with Aztekium ritteri) until a second species (Aztekium hintonii) was discovered by George S. Hinton, in Galeana, Nuevo León in 1991. A further possible species, Aztekium valdezii, was described in 2011, but is considered to be a synonym of A. ritteri.
==Description== Aztekium ritteri is a plant that is around 20 mm wide, with 9 to 11 ribs, which typically have transverse wrinkles. Its color varies from pale green to grayish-green. The center of the cactus contains white wool. Flowers are less than 10 mm wide, with white petals and pinkish sepals. The plants bear pinkish berry-like fruit. A. hintonii is larger, to 10 cm in diameter, 10 to 18 grooved ribs, flowers magenta to 3 cm. It grows only on gypsum.