Astrophytum capricorne v. senile (FRIC) OKUMURA

HOOCK, H. 1990 . Kakt. and. Sukk. Band: 41 Heft (2) und Heft (3) Seite 28-30 und 56-60 Astrophytum capricorne v. senile (FRIC) OKUMURA

Astrophytum capricorne v. senile (FRIC) OKUMURA

1. Discovery and first description

Around the turn of the century the photography gained as a means of the visual documentation acceptance gradually in the literature opposite the drawing. The first published illustration of an Astrophytum with the help of the new technique shows a plant unknown till then from this genus. Meant is Astrophytum capricorne v. senile which the secretary and archivist of the German cactuses company E. DAMS introduced to the readers 1904 in the monthly cactus news as "form beta of the Echinocactus capricornus". "The garden world" had already announced this find in the journey outlines of C.A. PURPUS a year before and talked about the fact that it must presumably be a new form from the Capricorne-circle. The information about it might come from the correspondence between J.A. PURPUS, Inspector at the botanic garden to Darmstadt, and his brother Carl-Anton who had emigrated to America. His extensive collecting journeys from the USA to northern Mexico didn't bring 1903 only news and surprises for the cactus enthusiasts but many new species were found from different plant families under the collected copies. In addition, we owe valuable studies to C.A. PURPUS to the mimicry of the cactuses with interesting observations of the location conditions and the biotope in Coahuila at 1900.

DAMS avoided at that time, as he mentions, a quick naming of these new Astrophytums. At first he wanted to wait for the seedlings to attain certainty about the inheriting constancy of the "flake free epidermis" and the "thick bristle dress", both different qualities of this form compared with at that time known Capricornes. It is astonishing that he only announced a later description. The Senile didn't have disappeared the following 20 years like the famous Astrophytum asterias (ZUCCARINI) LEMAIRE, how one could infer from the long literary silence, but the new plants were in German and Dutch collections frequent represented.

In 1923 A.V. FRIC then collected the nude Astrophytums in the western Sierra de Parras and published the first description in 1925. All historical data handed down of his journey show, similar as in the case of the rediscovery of Astrophytum asterias in the same year, the large organizational and logistical talent of this man. He understood excellently to pull new conclusions from known facts. He used location knowledge and information of native collectors skillfully for his targets. So he got to know by his compatriot T. SCHWARTZ and Don AGUIRRE BENAVIDES from Parras. This led him to Astrophytum capricorne v. senile at Villareal and also produced the contact to another cactus expert and collector presumably in Parras, Dr. WALTHER. We know about BÖDEKER, that this doctor was active for DE LAET and sent Astrophytum capricorne v. senile already in 1912 to Europe. Which correct roll he played in FRIC's location search, however, remained unknown.

At the same time a second couple of brothers was parallel to these events intensively concerned with the Astrophytums in Coahuila: Dr. H. MÖLLER, Neuhausen and A.F. MÖLLER (MOELLER), living in San Pedro, Coahuila. H. MÖLLER reports in 1925 about "Echinocactus capricornus v.senilis FRIC" in the German periodical for Sukkulentenkunde, and it isn't sure whether these plants are from his brother or from FRIC imports. His location detail "surroundings of San Pedro" matches at all events FRIC's detail "southern Villareal in the state Coahuila" also well. In the same publication he describes further the Echinocactus capricornus v. aureus as a novelty. A name uncertainty took the beginning with that, which found also an expression in BACKEBERG's recombination of these plants to the yellow spined variety of Astrophytum capricorne v. senile (see list of synonyms).

2. At the location near Villareal, Coahuila

In the early morning of December 22nd, 1985 Mr. Bernhard and I take the old FRIC's track away from La Fuente de Parras. The way from town runs us through former vineyards about which still WISLIZENUS 1847 had reported enthusiastically. Also vines gave the settlement its name (parra means wine tendril, wine arbor). Our route for this day is actually clearly and simply predefined: about 50 kilometers of gravel way in westerly direction at the stand of the Sierra de Parras along the railroad line until the station Villareal and back. The reality then looks quite different, however. For our car the furrowed road is almost impassable with difficult Arroyo traversals. The railroad track doesn't exist already no more for a long time. Only suspected remains of a dam look similar to a railroad track because of her straight geometry in the hill landscape which is normally waved softly. An irreconcilable discrepancy is between the youngest boards from Mexico D.F. and real topography. Of course the old Villareal does not exist any more or even signposts to this former railroad station.

We overlook a junction in a small Indian village named Boquilla del Refugio as proves first at the next day and we finally land unintentionally after several hours of attritional journey at El Sol at the street N 40. We spend the remaining Sunday with the search for Astrophytum coahuilense at Viesca and try to find out a possible driveway to our so obvious near target from the south. We must give up the hope, however, to reach the passport between the Sierra de Parras and the Sierra de Baicuco (Sierra de La Pena) through the basin, after different trials also here. The next day then becomes a success. Started out in Parras again an unsigned court passage in Boquilla turns out to be our sought-after way. A better donkey-path leads behind this farmstead into the direction of 'Villareal'...

The wintry day is cloudless with temperatures around 30 degrees centigrade in the shade although the outdoor thermometer showed an easy frost in the morning. We know about the data of the weather station in Viesca that the native country of the Senile with less than 200 mm of year precipitation is the driest area of whole Coahuila, however, it is just a difference whether one studies only a climate diagram on the board or becomes slowly grilled in the car. After we have passed through a broad, dried out river bed, the rise of about 1250 m to 1600 m over sea-level starts. The lime rock is mainly ash-gray here, grippingly eroded, often flat till terraced stepped and mixed with numerous gaps and holes. An ideal place for snakes as an unexpected meeting for me with an approximately one meter long copy warns my memory. Already after an hour we find the first Senile. They usually aren't very large, about 5-10 centimeters high, bowl-formed till slight stretched, flake free and frequently being in narrowly compact groups (figure 1 to 3). Although I am permanently conscious at the search that the visual fit of these plants imitates the phenotype of skinny grass, I am nevertheless affected by the perfection of this mimicry. One can actually distinguish the individuals often only by scanning the nest grasses.

In the used area uphill populations are found which are separated by some hundred meters of distance. When we climb down from the peak by a narrow, rough Barranca we still find a group of large old Senile. One plant of this measures 36 centimeters from the sole up to the top. Everyone is almost absolutely flake free. Flakes are isolated and very rare at the rib edges and in the rib grooves. As color of the spines twisted thick around the body predominates pale gray to pale brown, in the upper part of the body partial of a darker element. Sometimes empty-standing copies almost seem white! The fact of becoming gray and fading of the lower spines is an ageing process which obviously serves the mimicry. Young tufts of grass and young spines of Astrophytum capricorne v. senile are both colored more lively in the center during the vegetation time (figure 2).

Much of the found Senile are in crevices lined up (figure 1). The thought already arises at the sight of these 'lines' that the dispersal by water also could be of importance beside the dispersal by ants. Ants are ubiquitous here in every size although surprisingly I miss the "craters" otherwise so typical of her buildings. Many flower- and fruit remains are found under the thick spine dress of the plants but no seeds. The substratum in which the plants grow is sandy loamy with very little humus quota.

As a typical and predominant vegetation of this Senile location Agave lechuguilla TORREY with the stiff leave peaks is an uncomfortable obstacle when climbing. There are also frequently represented Euphorbia antisyphilitica ZUCCARINI (candelilla), Selaginella lepidophylla (HOOK. et GREV.) SPRING and loosen scattered over the area Prosopis juliflora (SWARTZ) DE CANDOLLE (mesquite) also Fouquieria splendens ENGELMANN (ocotillo). Some kinds of Echinocereus and Opuntia are found and in the upper part of the mountain splendid copies of Ariocarpus fissuratus (ENGELMANN) SCHUMANN.

3. Exist nature hybrids between Astrophytum capricorne v. senile und Astrophytum coahuilense (MÖLLER) KAYSER ?

At the latest since the publication of C. GLASS & R. FOSTER in the American Succulent Journal it is known that Astrophytum capricorne v. senile und Astrophytum coahuilense (there named Astrophytum capricorne v. minor and Astrophytum myriostigma v. coahuilense) live together in the mountain areas north of Viesca. An illustration in this note shows two plants immediately beside each other, entitled with the jocular name "strange bedfellows". The authors have, however, as all other field researchers before and after them, found no nature hybrids of this Astrophytums.

First assumptions about an occurrence of such hybrids date already from the year 1925 when FRIC describes different Astrophytum varieties as follows in Zivot V Prirode: "Myriostigma? v. cereiformis, 8 Rippen, der Körper glänzend grün, 3 cm im Durchmesser bei einer Größe von 12 cm. Ich habe diese Pflanzen bei Dr. Walter (Sammler De Lactova) in Parras gesehen und später habe ich ein Stück auf den Felsen inmitten zwischen myriostigma und capricornis gefunden. Ich halte es für Naturhybriden zwischen den beiden. (Mein Exemplar ging ein)...". Further news are from Gustavo AGUIRRE BENAVIDES who has seen an Astrophytum coahuilense according to his statement between Parras and Viesca with short, black, thick spines (KLAUS, 1985).

It has to be noticed that a sure proof of the existence of nature hybrids between the two species is missing till now despite of area intersections north of Viesca and perhaps at the Cerro Bola (BRITTON & ROSE quote 1937 C.A. PURPUS). Our own field inspection 1985 at Villareal didn't bring any notes regarding this either. The question why this is so arises. There are several possible arguments and answers for it:

1. The heydays of senile and Coahuilense are so different that a pollination isn't possible for the plants (GLASS & FOSTER).

Long-standing trials with cultivated plants and location material cannot confirm this. The flower synchronization between the two species is about 50-60 per cent obtained on the respective species internal coincidence. This indicates in the practice that with few plants every season one can create seeds sufficiently.

2. There is no compatibility at the cross-breeding.

By searching in the extensive literature about Astrophytum hybrids there are no results for the crossing direction Senile < Coahuilense and only a few about the direction Coahuilense < Senile. A trial of my own with location material of Villareal and Cerro Bola has brought a surprising result. After pollination fruit development and-ripe at the two partners are completely normal, the seed number also moves respectively within the usual range. But all seed of Senile as mother plant have within a normal colored testa no embryo while the seeds of Coahuilense as a mother plant are developed fully and shoot capable. This result must be checked by plants for general validity at a larger number first, however, it offers a possible solution trial anyway.

3. The hybrids are exposed to life incompetent and/or an amplified selection at the location.

Many embryos from the intersection Coahuilense < Senile have differently strong chlorophyll defect. They grow generally more weakly than species from pure material, only single individuals have the vitality of the parents. Several years old they still show the dense flaked habit’s of their mother but develop already numerous spines and eight rips from the paternal inheritance. One can assume that they are selected by the hard environmental conditions at the location in high measure.

One can say summarizing that hybrids from the first generation between Astrophytum capricorne v. senile and Astrophytum coahuilense in common areas could be found at an intensive search. The unknown locations where these different Astrophytums grow together in the pollinators distance are however the larger problem for the cactus friend from Europe.

4. Astrophytum capricorne v. senile and the Capricorne-complex

It was already mentioned that Astrophytum capricorne v. senile was not spared by the synonymous confusions. The classification as form, variety or even species within the Capricorne complex as well as the inclusion of the Echinocactus capricornus v. aureus MÖLLER as variety to the Senile by BACKEBERG have complicated the situation. To give a clue about the placement of Astrophytum capricorne v. senile within the morphological type, the most important characteristics are compared in table 2. For a critical judgment of the reader also may serve spine descriptions from the year 1904 (DAMS) as well as 1925 (FRIC, MÖLLER) listed there as an example. Merely the spine cross-cut is picked out by the different contrary statements which is described by square-headed (FRIC) to stick round (MÖLLER). A large morphological variety of the location material is surely available also at this characteristic, however certain trends absolutely can be recognized. At first I have embedded different spines in synthetic resin, sharpened and under the microscope then measured. As a result one can say that the individual forms of the Capricorne complex are clearly different in the length-breadth relationship of the cross-cuts. While Astrophytum capricorne has approximately the quotient 4 with the flat spines here, it is for the Senile Minor form 2.3 to 5-2. The spines of Astrophytum capricorne v. niveum (KAYSER) OKUMURA with a quotient 2 and Astrophytum capricorne v. aureum with 1.5 to 1.7 are more round distinctive. At Astrophytum ornatum (DE CANDOLLE) WEBER as a comparison plant almost the ideal value 1 was found for perfectly circular. Nearer details also can be gathered from the table 2.

By the isolated area in the Sierra de Parras, the flake free epidermis of adult plants, the mimetic fit by specialized gray spines with dried grass and the jamming hair in the flower throat Astrophytum capricorne v. senile is characterized as a high developed Astrophytum population in the southern Capricorne complex. If considered as a species the same would have to be done for the Minor-, Niveum- and Aureum type. It is welcome that in spite of the ambition of a few authors such trials generally pushed on disapproval.

Table 1:

History of Astrophytum capricorne v. senile (FRIC) OKUM. and Astrophytum capricorne v. aureum (MÖLL.) BACK.

1903 Report about the travels of C.A. PURPUS in Mexico and his found of a new "Echinocactus capricornis..." in the "Gartenwelt"

1904 DAMS describes the PURPUS plants as a "form Beta of Echinocactus capricornus"

1911 In the October session of the German cactuses company an Echinocactus capricornus is discussed. The plant is from the collection H. FRANCK, Frankfurt (identical with A. FRANCK from the text of DAMS 1904?). The plant has "long shaggy wool hair ... so that were found at an areole up to 25 thorns ... "

1912 Dr. A. WALTHER from Parras in Coahuila collects and delivers for DE LAET in the Netherlands Echinocatus capricornus v. senilis

1923 A.V. FRIC finds A. capricorne v. senile in the Sierra de Parras common with AGUIRRE BENAVIDES

1924 First mentioning of the name Astrophytum senile by FRIC in Zahraduickich Listu, p. 120

1925 First description as Astrophytum senile by A.V. FRIC in Zivot V Prirode

1925 First description of Echinocactus capricornus v. aureus by H. MÖLLER in the periodical for Sukkulentenkunde

1933 Recombination of Astrophytum senile FRIC by OKUMURA to the variety Astrophytum capricorne v. senile in Sya boten-no-Kenkyu (Japan)

1937 Recombination of MÖLLER's Echinocactus capricornus v. aureus to Astrophytum senile v. aureus by BACKE BERG

Table 2

Morphology of the Capricorne types
()indicate that differences occur
------------------------------------------------------------
CAS / CAI / CA / CAE / CAN
-------------------------------------------------------------
Flower with jamming hair: yes/(yes)/yes/(no)/(no)
-------------------------------------------------------------
Flakes at adult plants: no/yes/yes/(no)/(yes)
-------------------------------------------------------------
Flake color in the growing point: ---/(white)/(brown)/---/white
-------------------------------------------------------------
Color of old spines: (gray)/(gray)/(gray)/(yellow)/(gray)
-------------------------------------------------------------
Spines cross-cut (quotient): 2-3/2-3/4/1.5-1.7/2

Abbreviations:
CAS = Astrophytum capricorne v. senile
CAI = Astrophytum capricorne v. minor
CA = Astrophytum capricorne
CAE = Astrophytum capricorne v. aureum
CAN = Astrophytum capricorne v. niveum

Former spine descriptions of Astrophytum capricorne v. senile:

1. DAMS (1904): "16 to 20, yes 25 bristle thorns step from the ... areoles, so that the body is hardly visible under the thick bristle dress...they are 5 to 7 cm long; the lateral ones strive horizontally sideways first and then buckle, as the others doing it immediately, upwards ".

2. FRIC (1925): "The thorns are square-headed in the cross-cut, between the edges of groove often deepened, softly and standing in all directions, every areole has up to 30 thorns. After the rain they soak and form up spirally, quite regular. They cover the whole plant so that it looks like a dry grass hill, the body cannot be seen at all. They are up to 10 centimeters long, of white, reddish till black coloring, however, the plant is always monochrome ".

3. MÖLLER (1925): "Thorns from every areole 15-20, irregular, nearly stick around, arched of the body sticking out, over the whole plant like a nest wrapped into each other, dark reddish brown till brown black, later getting gray, never broken at the lower part of the body ".

Synonyms for Astrophytum capricorne v. aureum (MÖLL.) BACKEBERG

Astrophytum aureum, HAAGE, W. (1981): 25
Astrophytum capricorne aurea, BOMMELJE, C. (1951): 69
Astrophytum capricorne aureum, BACKEBERG, C. (zit.: OKUMURA) (1961): 2.674
Astrophytum capricorne f. aureum, DONALD, J.D. (zit.: KRAINZ) (1975): 146
Astrophytum capricorne v. aurea, MARSHALL, W.T.; BOCK, T.M. (1941): 154
Astrophytum capricorne v. aureum, BORG, J. (1951): 311
Astrophytum capricorne v. aureus, GILKEY, J.E. (1944): 145
Astrophytum capricorne v. luteum, NOYES, F.B. (1943): 187
Astrophytum senile f. flavispina, HAAGE, W.; SADOVSKY, O. (1957): 55
Astrophytum senile v. aureispinum, SADOVSKY, O. (1951): 28
Astrophytum senile v. aureum, BACKEBERG, C. (1937): 2
Echinocactus capricornis v. aureum, MEGATA, M. (1944): 51
Echinocactus capricornis v. aureus, BERGER, A. (1929): 234
Echinocactus capricornus v. aurea, SUHR, R. (zit.: GASSER, J.) (1925): 98
Echinocactus capricornus v. aureus, MÖLLER, H. (1925): 128
Oho-gyoku, MEGATA, M. (1944): 51

Synonyms for Astrophytum capricorne v. senile (FRIC) OKUMURA

Astrophytum capricorne v. senile, BACKEBERG, C. (zit.: OKUMURA) (1961): 2.674
Astrophytum capricorne v. senilis, MARSHALL, W.T.; BOCK, T.M. (1941): 154
Astrophytum senile, FRIC, A.V. (1925): 34
Astrophytum senile f. cristata, HAAGE, W.; SADOVSKY, O. (1957): 87
Astrophytum senile v. senile, SCHÜTZ, B. (1983): 24
Echinocactus capricorne senilis, RÖDER, W. (1929): 68
Echinocactus capricornis v. senilis, BERGER, A. (zit.: FRIC) (1929): 234
Echinocactus capricornus senile, Anonym (1926): 81
Echinocactus capricornus v. senilis, MÖLLER, H. (1927): 55

Figure list (statement) of Astrophytum capricorne v. senile:

Anonym (Foto E. BECHT) (1926): Twee Echinocactussen, Succulenta 8 (6): 81

BERGER, A. (Foto J.N. ROSE) (1929): Kakteen, Ulmer Verlag, Stuttgart: 234

DAMS, E. (Foto FRANCK) (1904): Formen des Echinocactus capricornus DIETR., Monatsschrift f. Kakteenkunde 14 (12): 183

GILKEY, J.E. (1944): The Astrophytum Group, Cact. Succ. Journ. (US) 16 (10): 145

GLASS, C.; FOSTER, R. (1974): Strange Bedfellows, Cact. Succ. Journ. (US) 46 (3): 112

HAAGE, W.; SADOVSKY, O. (1957): Kakteen-Sterne, die Astrophyten, Neumann-Verlag, Radebeul: 55

LUX, A.; STANIK, R. (1981): Astrophytum senile FRIC, Kaktusy Sukulenty 2 (4): 81

MEGATA, M. (1944): An Account of the Genus Astrophytum LEMAIRE in: Memoirs of the College of Agriculture, No. 56, Kyoto Imperial University: PL. VIII, Fig. 26

RAUH, W. (1979): Kakteen an ihren Standorten, Verlag Paul Parey, Berlin und Hamburg: Tafel 65

SADOVSKY, O. (1963): Vyznam objevu Astrophytum senile FRIC, Friciana Rada 3 (18): 8-10

SADOVSKY, O.; SCHÜTZ, B. (1979): Die Gattung Astrophytum, Flora-Verlag, Titisee-Neustadt: 153

SCHÜTZ, B. (1971): Astrophytum senile a aureum, Kaktusy 7 (5): 101

Literature to the text part

Anonym (1903): Die Reisen des Sammlers C.A. PURPUS in Mexiko im Jahre 1903, Die Gartenwelt VIII (32): 378-380

BACKEBERG, C. (1937): Astrophytum senile FRIC var. aureum MÖLL., Blätter f. Kakteenforschung Jg. 1937-2 :

BÖDEKER, F. (1927): Drei neue Mamillarien (1. Mam. waltherii BÖD., n. sp.), Zeitschrift f. Sukkulentenkunde 3 (4): 72-73

BRITTON, N.L.; ROSE, J.N. (1937): The Cactaceae - Descriptions and Illustrations of Plants of the Cactus Family, Carnegie Inst. of Washington : 2. ed.: Vol.III; 182-185; Plate XXI, XXII

DAMS, E. (1904): Formen des Echinocactus capricornus DIETR., Monatsschrift f. Kakteenkunde 14 (12): 183-184

FRIC, A.V. (1925): Rod Astrophytum, Zivot v Prirode 29 (10): 33-35

FRIC, A.V. (1925): Odrudy astrophyt, Zivot v Prirode 29 (11): 37-40

GLASS, C.; FOSTER, R. (1974): Strange Bedfellows, Cact. Succ. Journ. (US) 46 (3): 112

KLAUS, W. (1985): Dornen-Rudimente bei Astrophytum myriostigma LEMAIRE, Kakt. and. Sukk. 36 (7): 132-133

MEGATA, M. (1944): An Account of the Genus Astrophytum LEMAIRE in: Memoirs of the College of Agriculture, No. 56, Kyoto Imperial University : 1-62

MÖLLER, H. (1925): Echinocactus capricornus DIETR. und seine Varietäten, Zeitschrift f. Sukkulentenkunde 2 (7): 127-129

VAUPEL, F.; FUHRMEISTER, W. (1911): Oktober-Sitzung der Deutschen Kakteen-Gesellschaft, Monatsschrift f. Kakteenkunde 21 (12): 189-192

WISLIZENUS, A. (1848): A Tour to Northern Mexico, Rio Grande Press Inc., New Mexico : 141 p

further literature to the synonyms:

Anonym (1926): Twee Echinocactussen, Succulenta 8 (6): 81-82

BACKEBERG, C. (1961): Die Cactaceae, Gustav Fischer Verlag, Jena: Bd.V, 2651-2674

BERGER, A. (1929): Kakteen, Ulmer Verlag, Stuttgart: 14, 20, 34, 37, 198, 231-235

BOMMELJE, C. (1951): Astrophytum, Succulenta 30 (5): 66-70

BORG, J. (1951): Cacti, Blandford Press, London: 2. ed.: 308-311

DONALD, J.D. (1975): Species Catalogue for the Cactaceae, Ashingtonia 1 (12): 145-185

GILKEY, J.E. (1944): The Astrophytum Group, Cact. Succ. Journ. (US) 16 (10): 143-150

HAAGE, W. (1981): Kakteen von A bis Z, Neumann Verlag, Leipzig-Radebeul: 25

HAAGE, W.; SADOVSKY, O. (1957): Kakteen-Sterne, die Astrophyten, Neumann-Verlag, Radebeul: 1-156

MARSHALL, W.T.; BOCK, T.M. (1941): Cactaceae, Abbey Garden Press, Pasadena, USA: 36-37, 153-154

MÖLLER, H. (1927): Beobachtungen an Astrophyten, Zeitschrift f. Sukkulentenkunde 3 (3): 52-55

NOYES, F.B. (1943): Notes on Cacti Out of Doors, Cact. Succ. Journ. (US) 15 (12): 187-188

ROEDER, W. (1929): Fehlerbuch des Kakteenzüchters - Tagesfragen und Ziele neuzeitlicher Kakteen- und Sukkulentenpflege -, Francksche Verlagshandlung, Stuttgart: 68, 71, 76, 89, 91, 93

SADOVSKY, O. (1951): Bemerkungen zur Gattung Astrophytum LEM. (Fortsetzung), Mitteilungen der SKG 10 (7): 28

SCHÜTZ, B. (1983): Rod Astrophytum, Friciana (56): 24

Figures:

Astrophytum capricorne v. senile, Blüte / flower
Astrophytum capricorne v. senile, "Gräsermimese" / "grass mimicry"
Astrophytum capricorne v. senile, "Vogelnest" / "bird nest"
Astrophytum capricorne v. senile, Frucht und Samen / fruit and seed
Astrophytum capricorne v. senile, Dornenquerschnitte, Zeichnung / spine cross-section

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