HOOCK, H.; BAUMANN, H 1991 . Kakt. and. Sukk. Band: 42 Heft (9) Seite 214-218 In der Heimat von Astrophytum coahuilense (MOELLER) KAYSER
HOOCK, H.; BAUMANN, H 1998 . Cactussen (Belgien) Band: 11 Heft (8) Seite 122-128 Tijdschrift voor Liefhebbers van Vetplanten Kamerplant In de heimat van Astrophytum coahuilense (Moeller) Kayser
At the habitat of Astrophytum coahuilense (Möll.) Kayser
To the most impressive countrysides of the southern Coahuila in Mexico belongs next to the quicksand desert at Viesca the nearly endless, dry lagoon of Mayran. Driving the national highway 40 from Saltillo in the direction of Torreon, so the plain achieves her largest north-south extension approximately with roughly 40 km of beeline in height of the Sierra Baicuco. Here form two connected, round-formed hills a marvellous vantage point over the heat flickering lagoon with look north to the Sierra de San Salvador: it is the Cerro Bola. Carl Anton Purpus collected "bishop's mitres" in this area, at Viesca and near Torreon in the year 1903. He sent them to his brother Josef Anton in Darmstadt and the cactus gardener Grässner in Perleburg.
In the literary work of Josef Anton Purpus interesting details of the lonesome and often adventurous journeys of his brother Carl are written down. We know from these descriptions that that one was enthusiastic about the perfect mimicry of the thick white dotted plants. At their natural location they practically don't can be distinguished by lime stones and therefore they are well disguised for the eating enemies. In 1903 Carl Anton Purpus also travelled to the south lying San Luis Potosi and states that Astrophytum myriostigma LEM. at the mine town San Rafael and Tablas seems less white, more "green", there. At this merely superficial distinction between the Galeotti plants confessed since 1839 already and his new find as "green" and "white" forms of Astrophytum myriostigma it remains at first for several years.
Heinrich Möller, an also well known Astrophytum specialist of the 20'th, stated later by informative intersection trials that the two Myriostigma-forms mutually cannot be fertilized. Since the Purpus find in addition is flowering with a red throat divergently of the Galeotti-Myriostigma, owns a seed-rich, basal opening fruit with green seedlings, he describes the plants in 1927 as Echinocactus myriostigma subsp. coahuilensis. The nephew of the famous Czech field researcher A.V. Fric, Konrad Kayser, combined the plants five years later to the stand-alone species of Astrophytum coahuilense. In the German linguistic area this taxonomic assessment has primarily gained acceptance largely by the distribution of Backeberg's nomenclature. Many authors however, predominant in England, the USA and Mexico still hold the opinion until now that Astrophytum coahuilense is merely a variety or really only a form of the "green" Galeotti-Myriostigmas.
Astrophytum coahuilense is actually very similar to the Astrophytum myriostigma in the outer disposition. It is also always five-ribbed in the youth and adds several ribs only in old age. Common for both species are humps between the ribs slid occasionally afterwards below the vegetation point. The "Coahuilenses" reach a considerable height up to 65 cm at a diameter of 20-30 cm. At first bowl-shaped and with sharp ribs, they grow later barrel-formed or columnar with broad rib edges. Narrow columnar-formed species are seldom and presumably the result of cramped space conditions out of thick ground vegetation. Astrophytum coahuilense is occupied thick with white hairy scales. Nude plants as in the case of Astrophytum myriostigma are unknown. Their yellow flowers with a diameter up to 90 mm lie in the size between the "Myriostigmas" ( 45-70 mm) and "Capricornes" (up to 110 mm). The red orange flower abyss is particularly characteristic, and can appear pure red or very seldom pure yellow. Similar to Astrophytum capricorne v. niveum (KAYS.) OKUM. and its nude form, but also like Astrophytum asterias (ZUCC.) LEM. the "Coahuilenses" are mixed in inheritance at the habitat. An artificial selection in the culture produces pure yellow, constant inheriting "rarities". In the fruit which is red till olive-green coloured and basal opening are up to 200 seeds, similar as in the case of Astrophytum capricorne. One can say simplified summarizing the Astrophytum coahuilense has the vegetative disposition of Astrophytum myriostigma and the generative characteristics from the "Capricornes". Because two completely convergent, evolutiv development numbers within one species of the same genus are hardly conceivable, one must understand Astrophytum coahuilense as historical development from a natural hybrid between the precursors of today's Myriostigmas and Capricornes. Also speaks for this, so contradictorily it sounds at first, the intersection barriers of the Coahuilense to Astrophytum myriostigma and Astrophytum capricorne v. senile (FRIC) OKUM. About this perhaps more in a later contribution.
It is an astonishing fact that Dr. Carl Purpus has discovered almost all important areas of Astrophytum coahuilense in the south-western Coahuila already in 1903. These lie in the hilly areas of Ciudad Lerdo, isolated in the Sierra Baicuco, the western Sierra Parras and southern of this line up to the Sierra of El Numero (s. distribution map). Place names of Ochoterena (1922) about an occurrence on the Cerro de la Mitra near Monterrey, far away of this distribution field, could never be confirmed. In the central, western and southern habitats intersections areas occur between Astrophytum coahuilense and Astrophytum capricorne v. senile without nature hybrids having been found till now. There is a genetic intersection barrier between the two species as mentioned which chlorophyll damaged seedlings isolated allows. Obviously the hard location conditions don't offer these any chances of survival.
How all Astrophytums the Coahuilenses exclusively grow on lime formations. They settle preferentially sunny south and east slopes, rare habitats with north or west position. White grey rocks stamp the locations. The ground between the weatherworn rock, with occasionally solid iron inclusions, consist mainly of lime gravel and sand with isolated humus feedthroughs. The view in this area is embossed visually fundamentally by a loose to thick vegetation, which mainly consists of a dry bush community. Dominant are Larrea tridentata (DC.) COVILLE (Kreosote bush, Gobernadora), Prosopis juliflora (SWARTZ) DC. (Mesquite), Fouquieria splendens ENGELM. (Ocotillo) and up to knee-height Agave lechuguilla TORREY (Syn. A. heteracantha BAK.), Jatropha dioica CERVANTES (Sangre de Drago), Euphorbia antisyphilitica ZUCC. (Candelilla) also Hechtia sp. Beside this there also is an extensive cactus flora. Between large groups of Echinocereus stramineus (ENG.) RÜMPL., Opuntia imbricata (HAW.) DC. and Opuntia leptocaulis DC., mass inventory of Thelocactus bicolor (GAL.) BRITT. et ROSE rarities are also found. Exemplary are mentioned Mammillaria chica REPPENHAGEN, M. grusonii RUNGE, M. lasiacantha ENGELM. (M. denudata), M. lenta K. BRANDEG. and M. pachycylindrica BACKEBERG. Furthermore grow here Epithelantha micromeris (ENGELM.) F.A.C. WEB. ex BRITT. et ROSE, Echinocereus fendleri (ENGELM.) RÜMPL., Ferocactus hamatacanthus (MÜHLENPF.) BRITT. et ROSE (Hamatocactus hamatacanthus), Neolloydia conoidea (DC.) BRITT. et ROSE and others.
The care of Astrophytum coahuilense represents few problems if some important points of view are taken into account. The substratum for the sun children from Coahuila shouldn't contain any humus quotas to reduce the danger of infection in the root area. Brick stone chippings are approved with an attachment of a little sand to prevent a together baking of the mixture. One should water the plants moderately only from April till September and hibernate dry between 10 and 20 degrees centigrade. On a place in the greenhouse near below glass or also behind a south window of the apartment, the "white Purpus-Myriostigmas" will present you from spring till fall regularly splendid, silk shiny flowers.
Figure texts in the article:
(text to the figure 1 'columnar growth ...')
A columnar growth at Myriostigmas and Coahuilenses is frequently caused by a thick accompanying vegetation. Obviously this isn't the case at this Astrophytum coahuilense at the location Lerdo: it has grown evenly slimly and doesn't show any pear-shaped widening in the upper part of the body.
(text to the figure 2 'rib slide-in units ...')
Sometimes Astrophytum myriostigma and Astrophytum coahuilense slide humps into the rib grooves. They never appear directly from the vegetation point but always something below this.
(text to the figure 3 'lagoon of Mayran ...')
The 'lagoon' of Mayran is called 'desert' by Mayran better. The cactus friend from Europe shouldn't let himself be deceived by modern road maps still making a note of a lake at this geographical point today. North of the plain are the habitats of Astrophytum capricorne v. aureum, south those of Astrophytum coahuilense and Astrophytum capricorne v. senile.
Diagram texts:
The Coahuilenses grow in one of the precipitation poorest areas of north Mexico. At summery average temperatures around 28 degrees centigrade are there in July less than 20 mm of rain. Her "green" relatives, the Myriostigmas in the southern San Luis Potosi, on the other hand, get the three to fourfold water quantity. One should not quite disregard this at the care of the Astrophytums.
From the annual thermal response of the locations Viesca for Astrophytum coahuilense and Cerritos for Astrophytum myriostigma is recognizable that the Coahuilenses have to bear higher temperature summer winters contrasts. At her locations also is, from the diagram not recognizable, the day-night temperature substantially stronger.
Historical data around Astrophytum coahuilense (MÖLL.) KAYS.
1911 J. A. PURPUS reports about discoveries of his brother Carl in Mexico in the "Monatsschrift für Kakteenkunde" backdating for the year 1904 partly. He found a "white" form of the "bishop's mitre" besides many other new succulents in Coahuila, whose "green" form is already known since 1839 from the state San Luis Potosi.
1911 R. MEYER describes Myriostigmas with red throated flowers in the same periodical like J. A. PURPUS from the collection GRÄSSNER, Perleberg.
1922 OCHOTERENA mentions a Myriostigma which shall grow at Monterrey. This only can be the coahuile "bishop's mitre". However, no collector has found it there ever.
1927 Intersection trials by H. MÖLLER between the two forms of the bishop's mitres fail. He describes the form from the north as Echinocactus myriostigma subsp. coahuilensis, because flowers, fruits and seedlings differ fundamentally of the form in San Luis Potosi.
1932 Recombination of the sub-species to the species "Astrophytum coahuilense" by K. KAYSER published in the magazine "Der Kakteenfreund".
1944 MEGATA repeated the intersection trials of the predecessors and regards the Coahuilense as an own species. He wants to give this the name Astrophytum albissimum later.
1974 C. GLASS & R. FOSTER confirm the statement of Carl PURPUS by a location photo that Astrophytum capricorne v. senile and Astrophytum coahuilense live together in one area. (the authors quote Astrophytum myriostigma v. coahuilense und Astrophytum capricorne v. minor).
1987 Field study of U. BERNHARD of Astrophytum coahuilense in the British Cactus and Succulent Journal.
(text for the distribution map)
The habitats of Astrophytum coahuilense are in the south-western Coahuila as well as the adjacent fields of Durango and Zacatecas (filled circles). Nearby the Cerro Bola, at Villareal and Ahuichila it grows together with Astrophytum capricorne v. senile without one having found nature hybrids till now (void circles).
Literature (extract):
Anonym (1903): Die Reisen des Sammlers C.A. PURPUS in Mexiko im Jahre 1903, Die Gartenwelt VIII (32): 378-380
BERNHARD, U. (1987): At the Habitat of Astrophytum coahuilense, Brit. Cact. Succ. Journ. (GB) 5 (4): 106-111
GLASS, C.; FOSTER, R. (1974): Strange Bedfellows, Cact. Succ. Journ. (US) 46 (3): 112
HOOCK, H. (1990b): Astrophytum capricorne v. senile (FRIC) OKUMURA - Fortsetzung aus Heft 2/90, Kakt. and. Sukk. 41 (3): 56-60
KAYSER, K. (1932): Astrophytum myriostigma subspecies Tulense, Der Kakteenfreund 1 (6): 57-59
KRÄHENBÜHL, F. (1975): Eine besondere Bischofsmütze: Astrophytum coahuilense (MOELLER) KAYSER, Kakt. and. Sukk. 26 (9): 206-209
MEYER, R. (1911): Über Echinocactus myriostigma S.-D. und Echinocactus asterias ZUCC., Monatsschrift f. Kakteenkunde 21 (6): 89-91
MÖLLER, H. (1927): Beobachtungen an Astrophyten, Zeitschrift f. Sukkulentenkunde 3 (3): 52-55
OCHOTERENA, I. (1922): Las Cactaceas de Mexico, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico : 110-113
PURPUS, J. A. (1911): Standorte und Standortverhältnisse einiger Kakteen, Monatsschrift f. Kakteenkunde 21 (6): 82-86
PURPUS, J. A. (1914): Mimikry bei Kakteen, Möllers Deutsche Gärtner-Zeitung Jg. 29 (7): 73-76
PURPUS, J. A. (1914): Mimikry bei Kakteen, Möllers Deutsche Gärtner-Zeitung Jg. 29 (8): 89-91
SCHWARZ, F. (1939): Out Cactus Hunting, Cact. Succ. Journ. (US) 10 (12): 203-204
SCHWARZ, F. (1951): Die Heimat von Astrophytum myriostigma var. coahuilense - Von einer Sammelreise, Sukkulentenkunde - Jahrbücher der SKG 4: 25-27
Figures and photos:
Astrophytum coahuilense, columnar growth
Astrophytum coahuilense, Desierto de Mayran
Astrophytum coahuilense, Lerdo, large specimen
Astrophytum coahuilense, habitat map
Astrophytum coahuilense, climate, rainfall
Astrophytum coahuilense, climate, temperature
Astrophytum coahuilense, rib-inserts
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