The Myriostigmas of San Antonio

HOOCK, H. 1990 . Brit. Cact. Succ. Journ. (GB) Band: 8 Heft (3) Seite 68-73 The Myriostigmas of San Antonio

HOOCK, H. 1991 . Kaktusy Band: 27 Heft (2) Seite 29-34 Myriostigmy ze San Antonia (I.)

The Myriostigmas of San Antonio
translated by E. W. Putnam

Whoever visits the high valley of Jaumave from Ciudad Victoria first has to cross the mountain chain between the Mesa de San Juan and Cueva de Quinteros through an imposing pass. These mountains form part of the great massif of the Sierra Madre Oriental, which is a physical barrier preventing the eastward spreading of many of the succulents of the region. In past geological epochs with changing climatic conditions, especially during the ice ages, the mountains played a significant part in the development and evolution of the vegetation of the area. Today they still form a climatic boundary. Eastward from the pass travellers from the plains of the Tierra Caliente into this high rainfall region meet pines and evergreen trees. To the west, after a dizzying journey through the valley, there suddenly is the succulent flora of the Mexican highlands.

The populations of Astrophytum myriostigma Lemaire begin around the village of San Antonio. They are readily distinguished from their kin at Jaumave, so that they can be regarded as a local race with their own evolutionary tendencies (see map). In order to discover their identity within the myriostigma complex it is helpful first to have a brief survey of the history of the discovery of this species.

Historical Survey

During his extensive travels in Mexico the naturalist Galeotti 1n 1837 found a spineless Cereus near the Hacienda de San Lazaro in San Luis Potosi which was unknown to the white man up to then. He named it Cereus callicoche (Galeotti, H. G. in Scheidweiler, M. J. 1839). Almost simultaneously Charles Lemaire described this plant under the name still used today, Astrophytum myriostigma and for sixty years the ‘star-plants’ were collected in the area of Galeotti’s find. In Europe it enjoyed great popularity as an exotic cactus because of its geometrical appearance.

In spite of their variable external appearance these plants were seen by contemporary botanists as a homogeneous group. The scientific argument as to wether they belong in the genus Echinocactus Link & Otto, or from a genus of their own was decided provisionally in The Cactaceae of Britton & Rose, 1920 in favour to the latter view.

First indications on conspicuous variations in imported plants came in the year 1895. In the conference minutes of the Cactus Society Karl Hirscht reported on columnar Myriostigmas. We know now that they actually come from another part of Mexico. They belong to a complex in which also belongs Astrophytum myriostigma v. tulense described in 1932 by K. Kayser. In fact the latter name is only a synonym of Schumann´s Echinocactus myriostigma v. columnaris (Schumann, K., 1903). The “Columnars” come from Huizache in San Luis Potosi to Miquihuana in Tamaulipas.

In the 1920s this fairly simple picture of Astrophytum myriostigma was changed substantielly through the work of the Möller brothers, A. V. Fric and later of H. W. Viereck. They dicovered, exported and described Myriostigmas from the high valley in the federal state of Tamaulipas. These new Astrophytums often had only four ribs and considerably smaller flowers than the known species from San Luis Potosi. It was soon obvious that their seedlings had strong black spines (Figure 2) which were lost when the plants matured.

In 1932 Konrad Kayser endeavoured to use the name Astrophytum myriostigma v. tamaulipense to dispose of the new species complex, but this name hardly ever appears in modern literature, mainly because Curt Backeberg in his work Die Cactaceae (1961) was unable to make up his mind to adopt it and thus give a wider currency in the German-speaking world.

After the turn of the century, field-workers for various reasons often named widely seperated colonies as type localities. So it is not surprising that for a long time the northern Myriostigmas were only given the vague locality “Tamaulipas”. We find the first detailed information from H. Baum, who visited Viereck in the spring of 1925 at his adopted home near Jaumave. The San Antonio locality, on the eastern edge of the high valley of Jaumave, of Astrophytum myriostigma is still not mentioned in the literature to this day, although several collectors have visited the area and have presumably found these plants there (Castella, M. T., 1959; Lau A. B., 1977). The first San Antonio Myriostigmas to reach Europe however were possibly from Fric. Obregonia denegrii Fric, discovered by him in 1923, grows at this location, together with the Astrophytums which he also shipped overseas.

Forms of Astrophytum myriostigma

Three form groups of Myriostigmas are readily distinguishable geographically. These are the southerly “Potosinas”, the “Jaumaves” in the northeast and the “Columnars” in the area between them. The latter clearly show transitional forms along the boundaries of their habitat, at least in the south, and possibly also in the north at Miquihuana. At various Myriostigma habitats populations have evolved with a tendency towards reduction of the flecks. Thus one finds such plants increasingly from the north of Huizache on the boarder of the “Potosina” area right into the “Columnar” area and at San Antonio. So far is known, all these populations are genetically mixed with respect to their fleck-markings, if one take these associated areas as one in the sense that the pollinators fly over all them. Reports of an entirely nude stock at Matehuala have not been confirmed (Sadovsky, O. 1979).

With the “Potosinas” growth is broad rather than tall when young, while the “Jaumaves” tend to tall growth earlier. The “Columnars” are clearly distinct from both. Even as seedlings they already show a club-shaped form. (Diagram 1).

A characteristic of the northern Myriostigmas is their tendency to retain their juvenile four-ripped form. In fact, like their relatives in San Luis Potosi, they quite often with age put on one or more extra ribs, but their tendency to rib reduction is unmistakable with most (Figure 1). The “Columnar” forms, especially those of the Tula region, show a reverse behaviour. Even when young they show an increase of the rib-number, often to six or more. Up to now, however, there is no known Astropyhtum habitatwhere the rib-number is genetically fixed or restricted to the extent that varietal rank could be justified for it. It is only a statistical artefact, but for each single individual it is still age-dependent.

Möller´s unfortunate original description of Echinocactus myriostigma subsp. quadricostata in 1927 regrettably led to an almost incomprehensible synonymy without any clarification of the botanical facts.

As well as small flowers and few seeds in the fruit (Diagram 2), it is particularly typical of the “Jaumaves” that as seedlings they develop strong spines. Compare only with the “Nuda” forms from northern San Luis Potosi. On may well interpret this phenomenon as a recapitulation of the former characteristics of their ancestors.

The San Antonio Habitat

The area around San Antonio undulates gently to the west. It is level over the river basin of the rio Guayalejo as far the nearby foothills of the mountains. While the low hills seem to be built up randomly of limestone boulders, the Llano (plain) is level with marl and alluvial sand and other fine erosion material (Fig. 3). The dominant vegetation is a sparse community of xerophytic shrubs. Among these impressive isolated groups of Yuccas stand out. In winter the shrubby Chollas (Cylindropuntia leptocaulis (DC.) Knuth) carry bright red fruits, honouring their name of Desert Christmas Cactus. Ground-covering Bromeliads like Hechtia ghiesbrechtii Lem., various species of Agaves and grasses form the greater part of the vegetation up to knee-height. Occasionally there are Ariocarpus trigonus (Web.) K. Sch., Hamatocactus hamtacathus (Mühlenpford) Knuth, Opuntia species and large groups of Obregonia denegrii.

Surprisingly and untypical, Astrophytum myriostigma also grows here on the plain. Some of the plants there are plainly visible in all possible sizes and shapes without that otherwise so perfect mimicry which suggests stones and rocks.

Some specimens are almost nude, others are notable for the bare, fleck-free regions on the lower half of the body (Fig. 4). The remaining flecks can be fairly easily rubbed off. Because the bare epidermis resembles the colour of the surrounding vegetation, its visual adaptation is improved. Probably there is a selection mechanism at work in this habitat, helped by the fleck-reduction, due to the predators of the Myriostigmas (Hoock, H., 1986).

The Astrophytum population in the hills show no significant deviations in morphology. Here too in the valley area there are semi-nude or almost completely nude examples. They force themselves up through the Hechtias, often becoming long and cucumber to pear-shaped. The sunlit tops of these Myriostigmas show increasing flecking in the new growth. Moreover the “Nudas” seem to be more numerous on the south-east side than on the south-west.

At San Antonio and in the Jaumave valley it was possible to study fully intact Astrophytum associations which had been able to develop undisturbed by collectors for at least ten years. In all cases there were individual plants with rib numbers from four to seven or more present. Naturally the five-ribbed plants were everywhere dominant by far, the four-ripped being the exceptions. Near San Antonio among adult plants they mounted to about 2%, in the western Jaumave valley 5-10%. Nearly all the older Myriostigmas add ribs which insert themselves flowingly or like a zip-fastener. Sometimes one sees protuberances or apparently atavistic nipple or mamilla formations on the ribs. The biggest “four-ribber” measured was in the Jaumave valley. With a height of 12 centimetres it had the remarkable diameter of 18 cm. The largest five-ribbed plant discovered was slender, with a height of 25 cm and a diameter of only 13 cm.

Neither at San Antonio nor in the Jaumave habitats could one single seed be found in the many fruit remains lying on the ground. The ever-present ants had already done their work. They love the swollen skeins of seeds as delicacies and carry off the sees to their nests, often many meters away. Later groups of plants in lines mark the routes of past ant roadways.

Summary

Geological climatic changes and various other selection mechanisms have produced three forms-groups of Astrophytum myriostigma. They can be identified as the “Potosinas” (Galeotti, H. G., 1839), the “Columnars” (Schumann K., 1903; Kayser K., 1932) and the Jaumaves (Fric, A. V., 1925; Möller H., 1927). Within the “Jaumave” complex a new population is evolving at the eastern edge of the high valley. These plants around the village San Antonio show a strong tendency to fleck-reduction. The proportion of four-ribbed specimens among them is less than among their closest relatives near the town of Jaumave, they have especially strongly spined seedlings and the appearance of the adult Myriostigmas is very varied in their form. Presumably a specifically optical adaptation arising from the colonisation of the plains is fund in this habitat.

Literature quoted in text and illustrations list

Anonym (HIRAO, H.?) (1971): Various forms of Astrophytum myriosatigma, Shaboten 82 (3): 2-5

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

BAUM, H. (1933): Echinocactus (Astr.) myriostigma LEM. v. quadricostatus MOELL., Kakteenkunde Jg. 1933 (11): 205

BAUM, H. (1934): Kakteen am heimatlichen Standort, Kakteenkunde Jg. 1934 (8): 157-158

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

BROOGH, H. (1974): Von uns für Sie gelesen (zit. GLASS, C. und FOSTER, R. in Cact. Suc. Journ. (US) Vol. 46 (3) 1974: 112, Strange Bedfellows), Kakt. and. Sukk. 25 (11): 253

BYLES, R. (1960): Our Cover Photographs - Astrophytum myriostigma, Astrophytum capricorne, Nat. Cact. Succ. Journ. (GB) 15 (3): 40

CASTELLA, M. T. (1959): Relacion de una Excursion a Cd. Victoria y sus alrededores, Cact. Suc. Mex. 4 (1): 17-20, 23

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

FRIC, A. V. (1925b): Povsechne o rodu Astrophytum, Zivot v Prirode 29 (12): 41-42

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

GALEOTTI, H. G. in SCHEIDWEILER, M. J. (1839): Cereus callicoche GALEOTTI, Bulletins de l'Academie Royale des Sciences et belles-lettres de Brux. 6: 88

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

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: 1-156

HEYER, W. (1986): Astrophytum - Auswertung des Astrophytum-Ringbriefs, Kakt. and. Sukk. 37 (9): 169-173

HIRSCHT, K. (1895): Aus der Gesellschaft der Kakteenfreunde, Monatsschrift f. Kakteenkunde 5 (7): 111

HIRSCHT, K. (1895b): Aus der Gesellschaft der Kakteenfreunde, Monatsschrift f. Kakteenkunde 5 (8): 127

HOOCK, H. (1986): Die Mimese der Astrophyten, Kakt. and. Sukk. 37 (10): 208-211

KAYSER, K. (1932): Astrophytum myriostigma subspecies Tulense, Der Kakteenfreund 1 (6): 57-59

KLAUS, W. (1978): Dreirippige Myriostigmen, Kakt. and. Sukk. 29 (4): 90-94

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

LAU, A. B. (1977): Wiederentdeckt: Mammillaria carmenae CASTANEDA et NUN. de CAC., Kakt. and. Sukk. 28 (12): 280-283

LEMAIRE, CH. (1839): Cactacearum Genera nova Speciesque novae et omnium in Horto Monvillano cultarum: 3-6

LUX, A.; STANIK, R. (1985): Formenreichtum bei Astrophytum myriostigma LEMAIRE, Kakt. and. Sukk. 36 (1): 17-20

MEYRAN, J. (1980): Las Cactaceas de Tamaulipas, Cact. Suc. Mex. 25 (2): 33-37

MÖLLER, A. F. (1930): Astrophytum myriostigma, Cact. Succ. Journ. (US) 1 (8): 156-157

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

SADOVSKY, O. (1964): Problematika kolem Astrophytum myriostigma, Friciana Rada 4 (27): 3-14

SADOVSKY, O.; SCHÜTZ, B. (1979): Die Gattung Astrophytum, Flora-Verlag, Titisee-Neustadt: 1-247

SCHUMANN, K. (1903): Gesamtbeschreibung der Kakteen, Monographia Cactacearum, 2. ed. mit den Nachträgen von 1898-1902, J. Neumann Verlag, Neudamm: 7, 290, 320-325

SHIMIZU, H. (1980): From my fieldnote through Mexico (4), Shaboten 99 (?): 1-9

VIERECK, H. W. (1939): Astrophyten, wie sie der Sammler in den Heimatgebieten sieht, Beiträge z. Sukkulentenkunde Jg. 1939 (1): 4-8

WHITEHEAD, J. (1936): Opuntia Leptocaulis, Cact. Succ. Journ. (US) 8 (4): 51-54

Synonyms of the northern Myriostigmas

Astrophytum jaumavense (1979) SADOVSKY, O.; SCHÜTZ, B.: 113
Astrophytum myriostigma f. quadricostata (1963) FRANK, G.: 207
Astrophytum myriostigma f. quadricostatum (1957) ZBINDEN, P.; KRAINZ, H.: 32
Astrophytum myriostigma f. tamaulipasense (1967) ZBINDEN, P.; KRAINZ, H.: 37
Astrophytum myriostigma f. tamaulipensis Hort. (1960) BYLES, R.: 40
Astrophytum myriostigma f. tetragona (1928) KAKTEEN-HAAGE: 8
Astrophytum myriostigma jaumavense (1957) HAAGE, W.; SADOVSKY, O.: 63
Astrophytum myriostigma jaumavense cristata (1957) HAAGE, W.; SADOVSKY, O.: 89
Astrophytum myriostigma jaumavense f. asterias (1957) HAAGE, W.; SADOVSKY, O.: 40
Astrophytum myriostigma jaumavense f. nuda (1957) HAAGE, W.; SADOVSKY, O.: 41
Astrophytum myriostigma quadricostata (1935) KREUZINGER, K.: 20
Astrophytum myriostigma quadricostatum (1961) BACKEBERG, C.: 2.655
Astrophytum myriostigma subsp. quadricostata (1932) KAYSER, K.: 57
Astrophytum myriostigma subsp. quadricostatum (1961) BACKEBERG, C.: 2.662
Astrophytum myriostigma subsp. Tamaulipens (1932) KAYSER, K.: 58
Astrophytum myriostigma subsp. tamaulipense (1944) MEGATA, M.: 40
Astrophytum myriostigma tamaulipasensis (1936) BLOSSFELD, R.: 13
Astrophytum myriostigma tamaulipasensis v. tetragona (1936) BLOSSFELD, R.: 12
Astrophytum myriostigma tamaulipense (1935) KREUZINGER, K.: 20
Astrophytum myriostigma tamaulipensis (1930) MÖLLER, A. F.: 157
Astrophytum myriostigma tetragona (1940) KELLY, R. W.: 4
Astrophytum myriostigma v. jaumavense (1957) HAAGE, W.; SADOVSKY, O.: 41
Astrophytum myriostigma v. jaumavense hort. (1973d) SCHÜTZ, B.: 6
Astrophytum myriostigma v. jaumavensis (1977) HAJEK, F.: 90
Astrophytum myriostigma v. myriostigma f. quadricostatum (1975) DONALD, J. D.: 146
Astrophytum myriostigma v. nudum f. quadricostatum (1962) Anonym: 13
Astrophytum myriostigma v. nudum subv. quadricostatum (1979) HIRAO, H.: 25
Astrophytum myriostigma v. potosinum subv. tamaulipense (1961) BACKEBERG, C.: 2.657
Astrophytum myriostigma v. quadricostata (1941) MARSHALL, W. T.; BOCK, T. M.: 154
Astrophytum myriostigma v. quadricostatum (1961) BACKEBERG, C.: 2.654
Astrophytum myriostigma v. quadricostatus (1933) BAUM, H.: 205
Astrophytum myriostigma v. tamaulipense Hort. (1961) BACKEBERG, C.: 2.663
Astrophytum myriostigma v. tamaulipensis (1935) BACKEBERG, C.; KNUTH, F. M.: 348
Astrophytum myriostigma v. tamaulipensis Hort. (1960) BYLES, R.: 40
Astrophytum myriostigma v. tetracantha (1939) VIERECK, H. W.: 6
Astrophytum myriostigma v. tetragona (1941) GRÄSER, R.: 71
Astrophytum myriostigma v. tetragona Hort. (1951) BORG, J.: 309
Astrophytum myriostigma v. tetragonum (1961) SCHÜTZ, B.: 68
Astrophytum quadratum (1957) HAAGE, W.; SADOVSKY, O.: 94
Astrophytum quadricosta (1930) MÖLLER, A. F.: 157
Astrophytum quadricostata (1930) MÖLLER, A. F.: 157
Astrophytum tamaulipensis (1930) MÖLLER, A. F.: 157
Astrophytum tetragona (1944) GILKEY, J. E.: 147
Echinocactus myriostigma subsp. Quadricostata (1944) MEGATA, M.: 40
Echinocactus myriostigma subsp. quadricostatus (1927) MÖLLER, H.: 54
Echinocactus myriostigma v. quadricostatum (1979) SADOVSKY, O.; SCHÜTZ, B.: 68
Echinocactus myriostigma v. quadricostatus (1927) MÖLLER, H.: 54

Selection of illustrations of the northern Myriostigmas in the literature:

(1933) BAUM, H.: 205
(1944) GILKEY, J. E.: 148
(1957) HAAGE, W.; SADOVSKY, O.: 36, 41, 89, 153
(1960) BYLES, R.: Cover
(1964) SADOVSKY, O.: 11, 12
(1971) Anonym (HIRAO, H.?): 2
(1974) BROOGH, H.: 253
(1974) GLASS, C.; FOSTER, R.: 112
(1979) SADOVSKY, O.; SCHÜTZ, B.: 18, 22, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117
(1980) SHIMIZU, H.: 7
(1985) LUX, A.; STANIK, R.: 18
(1986) HEYER, W.: 173

Succulent vegetation associated with the northern Myriostigmas

(the synonyms of the authors were not changed)

Agave heteracantha (1934) BAUM, H.: 157
Agave lophanta (1925) FRIC, A. V.: 33
Ariocarpus trigonus (1925) FRIC, A. V.: 33; (1959) CASTELLA, M. T.: 18; (1959) ANDERSON, E. F.: 52; (1959) BRAVO-HOLLIS, H.: 65; (1978) RIHA, J.; SUBIK, R.: 10; (1980) SHIMIZU, H.: 6
Bombax ellipticum (1934) BAUM, H.: 157
Coryphantha palmeri (1959) CASTELLA, M. T.: 18; (1978) RIHA, J.; SUBIK, R.: 10
Coryphantha scolymoides (ceniza) (1978) RIHA, J.; SUBIK, R.: 10
Coryphantha vaupeliana (1977) LAU, A. B.: 280
Dolichothele baumii (1977) LAU, A. B.: 281; (1980) LAU, A. B.:
Echinocactus horizonthalonius (1978) RIHA, J.; SUBIK, R.: 9
Echinocactus melanocanthus (1978) RIHA, J.; SUBIK, R.: 9
Echinocereus blanckii (1959) CASTELLA, M. T.: 18; (1959) BRAVO-HOLLIS, H.: 65
Echinocereus leptacanthus (1934) BAUM, H.: 157
Ferocactus victoriensis (echidne v. victoriensis) (1980) SHIMIZU, H.: 6
Fouquieria splendens (1978) RIHA, J.; SUBIK, R.: 9
Hamatocactus hamatacanthus (1959) CASTELLA, M. T.: 18
Hechtia ghiesbrechtii (1934) BAUM, H.: 157
Homalocephala texensis (1978) RIHA, J.; SUBIK, R.: 10
Jatropha spathulata (mala mujer) (1978) RIHA, J.; SUBIK, R.: 9
Mammillaria aplanata (1959) BRAVO-HOLLIS, H.: 65
Mammillaria baumii (1959) CASTELLA, M. T.: 18; (1978) RIHA, J.; SUBIK, R.: 9
Mammillaria brauneana (1959) CASTELLA, M. T.: 18
Mammillaria bravoae (1959) CASTELLA, M. T.: 18
Mammillaria candida (1959) BRAVO-HOLLIS, H.: 65; (1980) SHIMIZU, H.: 7; (1978) RIHA, J.; SUBIK, R.: 9
Mammillaria hemisphaerica (1959) CASTELLA, M. T.: 18
Mammillaria infernillense (1959) CASTELLA, M. T.: 18
Mammillaria multiceps (1959) CASTELLA, M. T.: 18; (1959) BRAVO-HOLLIS, H.: 65; (1978) RIHA, J.; SUBIK, R.: 9
Mammillaria picta (1978) RIHA, J.; SUBIK, R.: 10
Mammillaria pilispina (1934) BAUM, H.: 157; (1978) RIHA, J.; SUBIK, R.: 10
Mammillaria pubispina (1978) RIHA, J.; SUBIK, R.: 10
Mammillaria roseoalba (1959) BRAVO-HOLLIS, H.: 65; (1978) RIHA, J.; SUBIK, R.: 9
Neolloydia conoidea (1959) CASTELLA, M. T.: 18; (1959) BRAVO-HOLLIS, H.: 65
Neolloydia grandiflora (1959) CASTELLA, M. T.: 18; (1977) LAU, A. B.: 280
Obregonia denegrii (1934) BAUM, H.: 157; (1977) LAU, A. B.: 280; (1978) RIHA, J.; SUBIK, R.: 9; (1980) LAU, A. B.:
Opuntia leptocaulis (1933) BAUM, H.: 205
Opuntia microdasys (1925) FRIC, A. V.: 33
Russelia juncea (1934) BAUM, H.: 157

Photos and diagrams:

map
Diagram 1: growth forms of Astrophytum myriostigma
Diagram 2: flower-size, seed-counts Astrophytum myriostigma
Figure 1: Astrophytum myriostigma v. quadricostata
Figure 2: spines at seedlings of Astrophytum myriostigma, left Jaumave - right San Luis Potosi
Figure 2a: seedlings, left Tula, middle San Antonio, right San Luis Potosi
Figure 3: habitat San Antonio, Tamaulipas
Figure 4: Astrophytum myriostigma white and nude forms together

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