Astrophytum asterias, habitat
Two locations with few plants are still known. One is in Tamaulipas, Mexico, the second one in Starr County, Texas. All other historical locations are wiped out presumably.
Tamaulipas:
50-200 metres about sea-level. Alluvial loamy land, dry thornshrub vegetation. The few plants are hard to find in the light shade of shrubs and grass. Climate at the habitat hot, temperate dry with an average year precipitation quantity up to 500 mm. Climate diagram by Carta de climas, Tampico 14Q-(II), UNAM, Mexico:
Texas:
At low elevations in sparse, open thornshrub and grasslands in a warm-temperate, subtropical steppe climate. The sea-level of the habitat corresponds approximately with the one of the Rio Grande river. Astrophytum asterias prefers to grow in the shade of other plants or rocks on gravelly, saline clays or loams. These are the Tertiary Catahoula and Frio formations within the Los Olmos Creek drainage, a tributary of the Rio Grande: DAMUDE, N.; POOLE, J. (1990): Status report on Echinocactus asterias (Astrophytum asterias), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Literature from the author:
A chance with far reaching consequences...
At the habitat of Astrophytum asterias, Texas..
A surprise at the habitat of Astrophytum asterias...
climate diagrams from the Rio Grande habitat
distribution map
in literature mentioned habitats
in literature mentioned accompanying plants
Astrophytum asterias
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