The history of Astrophytum asterias
1842 Discovery by the baron Karwinsky in the Tierra Caliente, Tamaulipas. Following Sadovsky & Schütz, Karwinsky made1826-1832 a Bavarian and 1840-1843 a Russian expedition in Mexico. This would explain why Astrophytum asterias reached St. Petersburg too.
1843 Zuccarini, München, get plants from Karwinsky
1844 First flower of Astrophytum asterias in Europe. Gräser reports that in the Botanical Garden of Munich several specimens flowered: GRÄSER, R.(1941): Einiges über Astrophytum asterias, Beiträge zur Sukkulentenkunde, Jahrgang 1941 (1) p 22
1845 Original description by Zuccarini. Echinocactus asterias (Astrophytum asterias) ZUCCARINI, J. G. (1845): Echinocactus asterias in: Abhandlungen der mathem.-physik. Classe der Königlich Bayrischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, IV-2: 13-18, Tab. III
1845 Karwinsky sends Astrophytum asterias also to the Kaiserlichen Garten zu Petersburg: ZUCCARINI, J. G. ebenda S. 15
1848 Haage owns plants in his collection. MÜHLENPFORDT, F. (1848): Beiträge zur Cacteenkunde (6. Echinocactus asterias MARTIUS), Allgemeine Gartenzeitung volume 16 (2) p 10
1850 Further description of Echinocactus asterias (Astrophytum asterias) by SALM-DYCK, J. (1850): Cacteae cultae in Horto Dyckensi anno 1849 Bonn: 155
1853 In French collections are no Astrophytum asterias: LABOURET, J. (1853): Monographie de la Famille des Cactees, p 204
1868 Recombination in Astrophytum asterias by LEMAIRE, CH. (1868): Les Cactees Libraire agricole de la Maison Rustique, Paris: 49-51
1850 till 1919 lost
1896 Schumann mistakes an Astrophytum myriostigma which Reichenbach brings from Mexico with Astrophytum asterias: SCHUMANN, K. (1896): Echinocactus asterias ZUCC., Monatsschrift f. Kakteenkunde, volume 6 (2) p 23
1903 A photo of Astrophytum myriostigma from DE LAET with dense areoles is discussed in the monthly meeting of the German cactus company. SCHUMANN suspects it could be Astrophytum asterias.
1912 Rose N.L. get from Radlkofer Munich an original Zuccarini herbarium-piece: 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, p 184
1919 Octavio Solis detects Astrophytum asterias in Barretillas, Nuevo Leon and in Ciudad Guerrero, Tamaulipas
1921 Contreras collects plants at the Solis habitats and send them to Britton & Rose to confirm the diagnosis (Britton & Rose, 1922). Sadovsky & Schütz claim wrongly and without to justify it that Britton & Rose had mixed up Astrophytum asterias with Lophophora: SADOVSKY, O.; SCHÜTZ, B. (1979): Die Gattung Astrophytum, Flora-Verlag, Titisee-Neustadt p 74
1923 Fric finds Astrophytum asterias again in theTierra Caliente. Sadovsky reports, that he collected on the land of the ingenieur CASTANEDA. after he saw the plants in the Botanical Garden of Mexico-City. Fric collected about 2000 pieces, two thirds are reported by himself to be frozen to death while the transportation at the customs house of Podmokly: FRIC, A. V. (1925): Rod Astrophytum volume 29 (10) page 33-35
1927 First description of Echinocactus asterias v. nudus (Astrophytum asterias v. nudum) MÖLLER, H. (1927): Beobachtungen an Astrophyten Zeitschrift f. Sukkulentenkunde 3 (3): 54
1931 Mexican law forbids the exportation of endangered plants like Astrophytum asterias: Anonym (1931): Aus der amerikanischen Zeitschrift Desert (New Mexican Laws Concerning Cacti), Monatsschrift d. DKG, Band 3 (5) page 71
1935 Astrophytum in Texas is wiped out almost
1967 Wood, A. D. finds, so Benson (1969), on 10. september 1967 plants north-east of Roma in Starr County, Texas
1979 First description of Astrophytum asterias praespec. texensis SADOVSKY, O.; SCHÜTZ, B. (1979): Die Gattung Astrophytum Flora-Verlag, Titisee-Neustadt: p 160. Because the the texan plants don't differ from the Mexican first description this description has to be assigned to the synonyms
1981 YTO enlarges the already extensive synonyms by a few more or less worthless names without an equivalent of taxonomic rank in nature. for example A. asterias v. striatepetalum, pubesente, nudum ITO, Y. (1981): The Cactaceae - Classification and Illustration of Cacti by Yoshio Ito Japan: 508
1988 Hoock, H. suspects that Zuccarini had a copy of Astrophytum asterias flourishing purely yellowly at his first description and declares the thus obliged historical mistakes in the genus structure: HOOCK, H. (1988): Ein Zufall mit weitreichenden Folgen: Die Erstbeschreibung von Astrophytum asterias (ZUCCARINI) LEMAIRE, Kakteen und andere Sukkulenten, volume 39 (12) p 294-298
1990 DAMUDE, N.; POOLE, J. (1990): Status report on Echinocactus asterias (Astrophytum asterias), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Albuquerque, New Mexico page 1-58
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...
Original descriptions
Astrophytum asterias
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