Astrophytum ornatum at Rio Extoraz near Vizarron de Montes, Queretaro

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When traveling from Cadereyta the state road 120 north to Jalpan, you pass after about 25 miles the turnoff to the town Vizarron de Montes. This is the area in which arises a secondary source of the Rio Extoraz, a left side tributary of the Rio Moctezuma. Astrophytum ornatum inhabits the slopes right up to the mountain tops and you can study the plants comfortably without using climbing shoes, because the road follows this region. Their habit is between the Venados valley type and the variety Mirbelii that's not very far away from Vizarron. However, they grow with a more slender body length up to 50 cm, often for no apparent reason curved on flat terrain. But their spines look more as those of the Metztitlan population. The site consists of layered, thin calcareous plates and limestone debris with very low humus interference. The landscape with its undulating mountains, hills and valleys gives a desert-like appearance. It looks like a giant sand box with loosely scattered creosote bushes. As an interesting succulent accompanying flora many-headed clones of Lophophora diffusa and isolated Strombocactus disciformis are particularly noteworthy.

photos

Astrophytum ornatum
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