The history of Astrophytum myriostigma Lemaire, Ch. (type)

The history of Astrophytum myriostigma Lemaire, Ch. (type)

1837 Galeotti discovers the plants near the Hacienda de San Lazaro, about 50 kilometres northeast of the capital. SCHUMANN, K. (1903): Gesamtbeschreibung der Kakteen, Monographia Cactacearum, 2. ed. mit den Nachträgen von 1898-1902, Seite 321. Megata is mistaken naming Ehrenberg as discoverer: Megata (1944), page 4. Ehrenberg had in fact collected plants in this area at the same time like Galeotti but named Galeotti later as the discoverer: EHRENBERG, C. A. in SCHLECHTENDAL, D. F. L. (1847): Beitrag zur Geschichte einiger mexicanischer Cacteen, Linnaea 19 (3) page 358

1839 Original description of Astrophytum myriostigma by LEMAIRE, CH. (1839): Cactacearum Genera nova Speciesque novae et omnium in Horto Monvillano cultarum: 4-6. This was simultaneously also the description of the new genus with Astrophytum myriostigma as a type species. The plants were collected by Galeotti in the state San Luis Potosi nearby today's Charco Blanco. To set up a variety Astrophytum myriostigma v. potosinum is unauthorized, as Möller did later on: Echinocactus myriostigma subsp. potosina MÖLLER, H. (1927): Beobachtungen an Astrophyten Zeitschrift f. Sukkulentenkunde 3 (3): 52-54

1839 Galeotti describes almost at the same time as Lemaire the collected plants as Cereus callicoche, Cereus inermis: 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

1838 ? The first flower of Astrophytum myriostigma in Europe James Courant, Le Havre: FÖRSTER, C. F. (1846): Handbuch der Cacteenkunde in ihrem ganzen Umfange, Im. Tr. Wöller-Verlag, Leipzig, page 459-460

1839 The first flower of Astrophytum myriostigma at Francois Vandermaelen, Brüssel a patron of Galeotti: SCHUMANN, K. (1903): Gesamtbeschreibung der Kakteen, Monographia Cactacearum, 2. ed. mit den Nachträgen von 1898-1902, J. Neumann Verlag, Neudamm, Seite 321

1841 Lawrence mentions in the Collection of the Rev. Theodore Williams, at Hendon under the genus name Astrophyton two species, namely 1. myriostigma and 2. depressa; all together 4 plants: LAWRENCE, G. in LOUDON, J. C. (1841): Catalogue of the Cacti in the Collection of the Rev. Theodore Williams, at Hendon Vicarage, Middlesex., The Gardeners Magazine, (17) page 321

1844 Mittler publishes a list of collections where Astrophytum myriostigma is cultivated for example HAAGE jun. Erfurt, SCHELHAASE Kassel: MITTLER, L. (1844): Taschenbuch für Cactusliebhaber, Leipzig, In Commission bei Ludwig Schreck, page 46

1845 Zuccarini describes in his work Astrophytum asterias also Astrophytum myriostigma very exactly: ZUCCARINI, J. G. (1845): Echinocactus asterias in: Abhandlungen der mathem.-physik. Classe der Königlich Bayrischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, IV-2., page 15. He also mentions that Karwinsky sent Astrophytum myriostigma under the name Echinocactus doctoralis to St. Petersburg, Russia.

1845 or earlier? Staines sends plants from San Luis Potosi to the Botanical Gardens in Kew, England. They are described and shown flowering in the Botanical Magazine. At that time, a fruit couldn't be watched yet: Anonym (1845): Echinocactus myriostigma, Bot. Mag. 71, Tab. 4177

1845 Salm-Dyck mentions Astrophytum myriostigma in his collection: SALM-DYCK, J. (1845): Cacteae in Horto Dyckensi cultae anno 1844, Paris: 22

1850 Further description as Echinocactus myriostigma by SALM-DYCK, J. (1850): Cacteae cultae in Horto Dyckensi anno 1849 Bonn: 155-156

1853 Further description as Echinocactus Myriostigma (Salm.) by: LABOURET, J. (1853): Monographie de la Famille des Cactees, Libraire agricole de la Maison Rustique, Paris, Seite 205. Labouret holds the classification of Salm-Dyck, who knew Echinocactus myriostigma under Echinocactus in the section ("Groupe" at Labouret) Asteroidei together with Echinocactus asterias.

1896 Schumann mixed up an Astrophytum myriostigma, brought from Mexico by Reichenbach, with Astrophytum asterias: SCHUMANN, K. (1896): Echinocactus asterias ZUCC., Monatsschrift f. Kakteenkunde, volume 6 (2) page 23

1902 Perhaps the first published photography of Astrophytum myriostigma. The photo is from Charles Darrah, Heaton, Mersey and shows a flowering plant with four ribs: SCHUMANN, K. (1902): Echinocactus myriostigma S.D., Monatsschrift f. Kakteenkunde 12 (1), page 4

1903 The photo of an Astrophytum myriostigma from DE LAET is discussed in the monthly meeting of the German Cactus Society. SCHUMANN suspects that it might be perhaps Astrophytum asterias.

1907 Reichenbach collects near railway lines also Astrophytum myriostigma "...in Kopfgröße...(big as a head)" and send the plants to Mr. Johann Nikolai, Germany: REICHENBACH, F. (1907): Importen, Monatsschrift f. Kakteenkunde 17 (4) page 50

1911 Meyer, R. reports about imported plants, destinated to the company Grässner, which are very variable in their morphology. Schumann mixed up Astrophytum myriostigma posessing rounded ribs with the lost Astrophytum asterias: MEYER, R. (1911): Über Echinocactus myriostigma S.-D. und Echinocactus asterias ZUCC., Monatsschrift f. Kakteenkunde 21 (6), page 89-91

description
Astrophytum myriostigma
home