KLESZEWSKI, K. P.; HOOCK, H. 2002 . Kakt. and. Sukk. volume 53 (12) page 309-313; Grass-Mimicry as adoption in nature: Growth-forms of Astrophytum capricorne var. minor
Growth forms of Astrophytum capricorne v. minor (Runge & Quehl) Okumura
Note: In the article the name Astrophytum capricorne v. minor is used instead of A. capri-corne v. minus because the last one is more common in the German speaking countries.
About 40 years passed after the original description of Astrophytum capricorne (A. Dietrich) Britton et Rose (1851) until the cacti collector C. Runge, who was well known in his time, discovered near Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico a small growing variety of the species and sent some specimens to the cacti-dealer Haage in Europe. From there plants came a little later to Leopold Quehl, who published a description without depositing a herbarium piece (Quehl,1892). To the article is added a feather-drawing which shows the most important features of the new plant: a dwarf-like growth compared to the type, thin and twisted spines covering the complete body. Dams (1903) got also imported plants from C.A. Purpus and later H. Möller (1925) too from his brother. But then they were lost until 1971. Therefore it is not very astonishing that the poor description from Quehl was “completed” and changed by “innovative” authors. Backeberg (1960) had to refer at least in his work „Die Cactaceae“ to old literature without plant-material. This may be the reason that he presents the photo of a normal Astrophytum capricorne as Astrophytum capricorne v. minor. The Astrophytum specialist Klaus from Vienna recovered the supposed habitat from Runge in 1971. The authors of this article have visited independently one from another further areas between Saltillo, the Sierra del Mimbre and north to the Sierra de la Gavia in the last 20 years. About their observations is reported here.
Astrophytum capricorne and its varieties are very variable in their habit even in small areas. One can imagine that the cacti-dealer Runge and Haage had great interest to offer new and interesting plants and therefore perhaps a pre-selection of growth-forms happened in the native country. And it is understandable that today we often have problems to decide to which population plants belong. The original description should not be seen as an absolutely key. As far as we know now, the following features characterize the “Minor”: dwarf-like growth when living in open fields, fine spines supporting the grass-mimicry as an optical adoption to the surroundings, less and smaller white dots of hair like the type, never red-brown dots, the ability to flower as a very young plant and the most seed-rich fruit of all Astrophytums. Astrophytum capricorne v. minor is perhaps the highest developed variety in the Capricorne evolution. (photo 1)
Talking about the habitats we should mention at first these between General Cepeda and La Rosa. Along this north-south line there are small hill-formations elevating in east-west direction not more than 10 meters from the plain. Often a hill is hardly to differ. Rocks of lime with brown to black colour is also found as fine bright sediment gravel. Here lives Astrophytum capricorne v. minor. The plants grow on the hills or also down in the near plain. Specimens can be found between the shrubs or hidden between the lime-stones (photo 2). The habitat is located 1.426 meters above sea-level and wind is blowing most the time. It is an interesting fact that the “Minor” is only growing on the north side of the hills. They live together with Thelocactus bicolor (Galeotti) Britton & Rose (photo 3) Echinocereus stramineus (Engelmann) Ruempler, Echinocactus horizonthalonius Lemaire, Epithelantha micromeris (Engelmann) Weber, Mammillaria spec. und Opuntia spec. Further accompanying plants are the Kreosotbusch Larrea tridentata (De Candolle) Coville, Agave lechuguilla Torrey as well as Hechtia spec. All found plants show perfectly what the name “Minor” says. The body is small and reaches a height between 10 and 12 centimetres at a diameter of maximal 6 centimetres.
A further habitat is situated northwest of La Rosa, but without the well known flat hills. The only elevation point is a table-mountain. At the foot-hills of this mountain and the adjacent areas up to the Sierra de Paila are still more populations of Astrophytum capricorne v. minor. Brown lime-rocks and fine sediment is dominating here also. Caused by erosion of the table-mountain there are foothills of gravel and rocks. Here the plants are growing on the south side without protection between dark rocks which is heated by sun radiation (photo 4). The level above sea is 1.230 metres. The checked plants look taller and larger in their habit and the spines are dense twisted around the body with reddish or yellow colour when young. The hair spots seem fine. Sometimes specimens are injured by falling stones, then they have more new shoots in the vegetation point. Additional to the already mentioned accompanied plants comes here Mammillaria pottsii Scheer.
The supposed most northern habitat of Astrophytum capricorne v. minor is situated in the area of the Sierra de la Gavia. There already are living transitional plants to Astrophytum capricorne and it is difficult to name them right. They become more taller in contrary to La Rosa (photo 6). Specimens up to a height of 35 centimetres are also present like the little „Minor“ balls growing between grass and Hechtias or rocks (photo 5). The habitat remembers at General Cepeda or La Rosa: a landscape with little hills built from brown lime-stone. The level over sea is about 1.015 metres. As accompanied plants are found Hamatocactus hamatacanthus (Muehlenpfordt) Knuth as well as occasional Lophophora williamsii (Lemaire ex Salm Dyck) Coulter.
Beside the frequent mix up of Astrophytum capricorne v. minor with Astrophytum capricorne v. senile (Fric) Okumura even by experts (Glass, Foster 1974) the name Astrophytum capricorne cv. crassispinoides is source for many confusions. Sometimes plants of Astrophytum capricorne v. minor bloom with a pure yellow flower. Similar “exotics” are found with Astrophytum capricorne v. niveum (Kayser) Okumura, Astrophytum coahuilense (H. Möller) Kayser and Astrophytum asterias (Zuccarini) Lemaire. The Czech cacti-gardener Fleischer has cultivated inheriting constant descendants of such specimens and named these plants unluckily Astrophytum capricorne cv. crassispinoides (Sadovsky-Schütz 1979: 152, Wery 1983) (photo 7). Therefore these plants are mistaken with Astrophytum capricorne v. crassispinum (H. Möller) Okumura by cacti enthusiasts again and again.
Astrophytum capricorne v. minor is simple in the care if one avoids jam wetness, mineral substratum is used and the winter rest period is taken into account. It should not be missed in every Astrophytum-collection. It is an impressive experience again and again when already three years old seedlings flourish from April to October with magnificent flowers up to a diameter of 10 centimetres which cover the whole body like an umbrella.
Literature:
BACKEBERG, C. (1960): Die Cactaceae. vol. 5: 2671-2672, picture.: 2545.
DAMS, E. (1904): Formen des Echinocactus capricornus DIETR. - Monatsschrift f. Kakteenkunde 14(12): 183-184.
DIETRICH, A. (1851): Beiträge zur Cacteenkunde (Echinocactus capricornis). - Allgemeine Gartenzeitung 19(35): 273-275.
GLASS, C.; FOSTER, R. (1974): Strange Bedfellows. - Cact. Succ. Journ. (US) 46(3): 112
KLAUS, W. (1971): Astrophytum capricorne var. minor RUNGE et QUEHL 1892 am Standort in Mexiko. Kakt. and. Sukk. 22(9): 168-174.
MÖLLER, H. (1925): Echinocactus capricornus DIETR. und seine Varietäten. - Zeitschrift f. Sukkulentenkunde 2(7): 127-129.
SADOVSKY, O.; SCHÜTZ, B. (1979): Die Gattung Astrophytum. - Flora-Verlag, Titisee-Neustadt.
RUNGE, C.; QUEHL, L. (1892): Echinocactus capricornis DIETR. var. minor RUNGE. - Monatsschrift f. Kakteenkunde 2(6): 82.
WERY, H. (1983): Eine neue Astrophyten-Hybride. Kakt. and. Sukk. 34(5): 104-105.
photos to the article
climate diagrams Rinconada, Saltillo and General Cepeda
articles
Astrophytum capricorne v. minus
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