|
| The genera of Cactaceae |
#1. <Colloquial names>/
#2. ~ <Sensu lato genus to which formerly referred (see Notes)>/
~ (‘alternatively’) is here used to indicate ‘sometimes not unreasonably included in or reduced to’; cf. Airy Shaw (1973). The sensu lato interpretations indicated often correspond with Hunt’s treatment in Hutchinson (1967), but to an increasing extent refer to more recent cladistic pronouncements, few if any of which are accompanied by revised generic descriptions. Sound practical reasons for adopting tenable sensu stricto interpretations in the present context are provided here.
#3. Including <generic names treated here as synonyms>/
These nomenclatural data are a compilation, containing no original research.
#4. Excluding <genera excluded - not yet entered>/
#5. The plants <stems and/or leaves, whether noticeably laticiferous etc. (a ‘casual’ character - see ‘laticifers’):>/
1. laticiferous/
2. non-laticiferous <<implicit>>/
#6. The plants <whether succulent>/
1. succulent <implicit>/
2. not succulent/
#7. The plants <form>/
1. more or less conventionally dicotyledonous and leafy/
2. 'cactoid' <see Notes <implicit>>/
Cactaceae represent an extreme example of the progressive, precocious maturation and condensation (neoteny) which is a conspicuous feature of plant evolution, complicated by extreme adaptation to dry environments. The cactoid areole is a highly specialized, non-photosynthesizing short-shoot, usually borne at the tip of, or adaxially on, or in the axil of, a more or less conspicuous tubercle. The tubercles seem to represent morphologically the expanded bases of main stem leaves, which except in Pereskia and Maihuenia have no green lamina. The laterally bi-symmetrical areole (which lacks an axillant leaf, except in the Opuntioideae where this is ephemeral) is represented by a pair of buds which may be closely apposed or more or less clearly separated. The 'leaves' from the lower (abaxial) bud are represented by ‘spines’ (q.v.), while a flower or flowers may develop from the upper, adaxial one.
#8. The plants <when cactoid: cerioid or condensed-cactoid>/
1. cerioid/
2. condensed-cactoid/
3. opuntioid/
'Cerioid': arborescent or shrubby, diffusely branched, with at least some elongate stems, without leaves and glochids (q.v.), the seeds not covered by a bony aril.
'Opuntioid': arborescent, shrubby or caespitose, with leaves (mostly ephemeral), glochids (q.v.), and seeds covered by a bony aril.
'Condensed-cactoid': plants low and very compacted in their entirety (more or less globular, depressed-globular, subglobular, discoid, shortly columnar or barrel-shaped); branches if any replicating the form of the parent plant; leafless, without glochids, seeds without a bony aril/
#9. The plants <whether low and compacted: for keys only>/
1. low and very compacted in their entirety <more or less globular, depressed-globular, subglobular, discoid, shortly columnar or barrel-shaped>/
2. not ‘low and very compacted’ <not more or less globular, depressed-globular, subglobular, discoid, shortly columnar, or barrel-shaped <to become implicit>>/
#10. The plants’ appearance <condensed-cactoid, dominance of areolar structures>/
1. dominated by crowded interlacing areolar structures <spines, bistles, hairs, wool> obscuring any tubercles, ribs or furrows/
2. dominated by large, crowded, semi-spherical, naked tubercles with areoles sunken between these/
3. dominated neither by crowded areolar structures nor by tubercles covering the areoles <implicit>/
#11. The plants <vegetatively largely comprising tubercles>/
1. vegetatively reduced almost entirely to rosettes of large, trigonous tubercles <e.g., Ariocarpus>/
2. not vegetatively reduced to tubercles <implicit>/
#12. The plants <whether tiny, with tuberous rootstock, etc.: Blossfeldia>/
1. tiny, with depressed, discoid stems, tuberous rootstock, spineless areoles and deliquescent fruits/
2. not as in Blossfeldia <implicit>/
#13. The stems <whether spiny>/
1. spiny/
2. not spiny/
‘Spines’: elongate, firm (presumably lignified), sharp-pointed organs, in cacti borne on the areoles (q.v.) and supposedly representing modified leaves. Inadequately distinguished in available descriptions from ‘bristles’, with frequent references to ‘bristly spines’.
#14. The stems <shape, condensed-cactoid or cerioid>/
1. <condensed-cactoid,> discoid/
2. <condensed-cactoid, more or less> globose/
3. <condensed-cactoid,> ovoid/
4. <condensed-cactoid or cerioid,> barrel-shaped/
5. <cerioid,> shortly cylindric/
6. <cerioid,> elongate cylindric/
When in doubt for purposes of identification, enter all the possible states.
#15. The stems <globose to cylindrical, diameter>/
cm in diameter/
#16. The <condensed-cactoid> stems <whether apically depressed>/
1. apically depressed/
2. not apically depressed/
#17. The stems <cephalia, pseudocephalia>/
1. cephaliate <apically>/
2. pseudocephaliate/
3. neither cephaliate nor pseudocephaliate <implicit>/
#18. The plants <habit>/
1. terrestrial and self supporting <<implicit>>/
2. epiphytic/
3. scrambling/
4. climbing/
5. lithophytic/
6. geophytic/
#19. The plants <aerial (adventitious) roots>/
1. producing aerial roots/
2. not producing aerial roots <implicit>/
#20. The plants <unbranched or branched>/
1. branched/
2. unbranched/
3. offsetting <with usually readily detachable ‘branches’ replicating the main body>/
#21. The plants <cladodes, presence>/
1. with cladodes/
2. without cladodes <implicit>/
#22. The cladodes <with or without a midrib>/
1. with midribs/
2. without midribs/
#23. The plants <carriage>/
1. erect/
2. prostrate/
3. pendent/
#24. The plants <whether shrubby or tree-like>/
1. neither shrubby nor tree-like <to become implicit>/
2. shrubby/
3. tree-like/
#25. The <mature> plants <branched, presence of trunks>/
1. with well formed trunks/
2. not developing conspicuous trunks <implicit>/
#26. The plants <clustered or solitary>/
1. solitary/
2. clustering/
#27. The plants to <erect, height>/
m high/
#28. The stems <of mature plants, whether columnar>/
1. columnar/
2. not columnar/
#29. The shoots <when plants branching, origins>/
1. formed deeply within the stems, and emerging by breaking through the epidemis/
2. formed conventionally (externally) <implicit>/
#30. The branches <whether differing in form from the main stem>/
1. differing in form from the main stem/
2. resembling the main stem <to become implicit>/
#31. The main stem <when branched, dominance>/
1. remaining dominant/
2. not remaining dominant <the branching basal or irregular>/
#32. The main stem <of branched forms, shape>/
1. flattened/
2. globose/
3. ovoid/
4. obovoid/
5. more or less cylindrical/
#33. The <cerioid, opuntioid> branches <shape, when differing from main stem>/
1. flattened/
2. cylindrical/
3. clavate/
4. globose/
5. angled/
#34. The <cactoid plant> branches to <length>/
cm long/
#35. The branches <globose to cylindrical, diameter>/
cm in diameter/
#36. The branches <when flat, width>/
cm wide/
#37. The branches <Consolea form>/
1. flattened in the vertical plane, with the upper margin straight and the lower one curved <Consolea>/
2. not combining a straight upper margin with a curved lower one/
#38. The stems <or branches, cactoid, segmented or not>/
1. segmented <articulated, the ‘joints’ and segments not representing nodes and internodes>/
2. not segmented/
#39. The <cactoid> stems <and/or branches, articulation>/
1. annually articulating/
2. not annually articulating/
#40. The stems <whether ribbed>/
1. ribbed and grooved/
2. not ribbed and grooved/
#41. The <stem> ribs <number>/
#42. The ribs <of cactoid plants: longitudinal or spiral>/
1. borne spirally/
2. longitudinal/
3. tessellate/
#43. The <stem> ribs <shape>/
#44. The <stem> grooves <width>/
1. <shallow and> wide/
2. deep and narrow <the ribs close together>/
#45. The <cactoid> plants <whether tuberculate>/
1. conspicuously tuberculate/
2. not conspicuously tuberculate/
#46. The tubercles <podaria, form>/
#47. The tubercles <whether adaxially grooved or ridged>/
1. longitudinally grooved adaxially from the areole towards their ‘axils’/
2. adaxially ridged from the areole towards the ‘axil’/
3. neither grooved nor ridged adaxially <implicit>/
#48. The tubercular groove <relative length>/
1. short, extending less than halfway to the ‘axil’/
2. extending more than halfway to the ‘axil’/
#49. The tubercles <whether connected by ribs>/
1. connected by the ribs/
2. not connected by ribs/
#50. The tubercles <representing modified leaf bases>, disposition>/
1. spirally disposed/
2. borne in longitudinal series/
3. borne along the margins of the flattened branches/
4. scattered/
#51. The areoles <whether associated with tubercles>/
1. associated with tubercles/
2. not tubercle-associated/
#52. The areoles <proximity>/
1. distant/
2. closely approximating/
3. confluent <concrescent, composite>/
#53. The confluent areoles <position>/
1. at the ends of terminal, flattened stem segments/
2. terminating the <non-flattened> stems/
3. lateral/
#54. The components <spines, bristles, hairs> of adjacent areoles <cover>/
1. so extensively covering the mature plant body as to obscure any ribs or furrows/
2. not obscuring details of the plant body <to become implicit>/
#55. The areoles <arrangement>/
1. spirally disposed/
2. borne in longitudinal series/
3. borne along the margins of the flattened branches/
4. scattered on the surfaces/
5. terminal/
#56. The morphologically geminate, super-imposed buds <separate or very close together>/
1. very close, forming single areoles/
2. separated, with the lower one in the axil of the conspicuous tubercle that bears the upper one at its tip/
#57. The areoles <form>/
1. simple <circular or elliptic>/
2. <elongated,> with the abaxial spine cluster at the tubercle tip connected to the adaxial floriferous meristem nearer its axil by a recessed linear isthmus or a ridge/
3. distinctly bipartite, with the abaxial spine cluster at the tubercle tip and no recessed isthmus or other visible connection with the adaxial, floriferous meristem near its base <e.g. Mammillaria>/
#58. The flowering areoles <whether differing from the rest>/
1. differing in form from the non-flowering ones/
2. resembling the non-flowering ones/
#59. The areoles <association with extra-floral nectaries>/
1. associated with extra-floral nectaries/
2. not associated with extra-floral nectaries/
#60. The areoles <hairy or not>/
1. hairy/
2. without hairs/
#61. The areoles <whether woolly>/
1. woolly/
2. not woolly/
#62. The areoles <bristles>/
1. with bristles/
2. without bristles/
#63. The areoles <presence of glochids <see Notes>>/
1. with glochids/
2. without glochids/
‘Glochid’: a fine, barbed, readily detachable spine characteristic of Opuntioideae.
#64. The areoles <whether developing spines>/
1. with spines <representing the short-shoot leaves>/
2. without spines/
#65. The <areolar> spines <arrangement>/
1. solitary/
2. paired/
3. clustered/
#66. The <areolar> spines <number>/
#67. The <areolar> spines <length>/
cm long/
#68. The <areolar> spines <radials/centrals>/
1. with radials and centrals differentiated/
2. showing little or no difference between radials and centrals/
#69. Central spines <number>/
#70. Central spines <whether forming a cross>/
1. conspicuously forming a cross/
2. not forming a cross/
#71. Radial spines <number>/
#72. The <areolar> spines <sheathed or not>/
1. sheathed/
2. without sheaths <implicit>/
#73. The <areolar> spines <flexible or stiff>/
1. stiff/
2. flexible/
#74. The <areolar> spines <presence of hooks>/
1. usually including some hooked members/
2. never hooked <implicit>/
#75. The <areolar> spines <straight, curved or hooked>/
1. straight/
2. curved/
3. hooked/
#76. The <areolar> spines <flattened or cylindric>/
1. flattened/
2. terete/
#77. The <areolar> spines <colour>/
#78. The mature stems <presence, constitution of leaves>/
1. with well developed leaves/
2. with much reduced leaves/
3. leafless/
‘Reduced leaves’ denotes leaves present and identifiable as such, but more or less vestigial.
#79. Leaves of mature stems <maximum size as reflected by their greatest dimension: a ‘casual’ character (see Notes)>/
1. minute <5mm or less>/
2. small <3mm to 3cm>/
3. medium-sized <2 to 30cm>/
Uncertainties in the descriptive data and liberal overlaps in these state definitions indicate the need for extreme caution in their application during identifications, and the advisability of entering broadly inclusive ranges.
#80. Leaves of mature stems <texture>/
1. ‘herbaceous’/
2. fleshy/
3. membranous/
#81. Leaves of mature stems/
1. flat/
2. terete/
#82. <Leaf> laminae <venation>/
1. veined/
2. veinless/
#83. <Leaf> laminae <venation system, closed or open>/
1. <conspicuously> cross-venulate <currently very inclusive - including ‘reticulate’>/
2. without <conspicuous> cross-venules/
Inflorescence, flowers, fruit and seed
#84. Flowering <nocturnal or diurnal>/
1. at night/
2. during the day/
#85. Pollination <type>/
1. anemophilous/
2. entomophilous/
3. ornithophilous/
4. cheiropterophilous/
Poorly recorded.
#86. Pollination <entomophilous>/
1. via beetles/
2. via hymenoptera/
3. via lepidoptera/
4. via diptera/
#87. The flowers <aggregation>/
1. solitary/
2. aggregated/
#88. The flowers <terminal or lateral>/
1. terminal <arising near stem apices, associated with nascent areoles>/
2. lateral <arising at mature areoles>/
#89. The flowers <number per areole>/
1. one per areole/
2. more than one per areole/
#90. The flowers <form>/
1. tubular/
2. funnelform/
3. campanulate/
4. bowl-shaped/
5. rotate <saucer shaped>/
6. salver-shaped, the perianth limb broad <with a widely spreading perianth more or less at right angles to a narrow tube>/
#91. The flowers <shape>/
#92. The flowers <whether pedicellate>/
1. sessile/
2. pedunculate/
#93. The flowers <size; a ‘casual’ character reflecting their greatest dimension, whether diameter or length (see Notes)>/
1. minute <3mm or less>/
2. small <2mm to 2cm>/
3. medium-sized <1 to 6cm>/
4. large <4 to 20cm>/
5. very large <greater than 15cm>/
#94. The flowers <length>/
cm long/
#95. The flowers <odour>/
1. fragrant/
2. malodorous/
3. odourless/
#96. The flowers <symmetry of K, C and A, exclusive of G>/
1. regular <actinomorphic, radially symmetric>/
2. somewhat irregular <fairly regular alternation of components but posterior perianth members larger, etc.>/
3. very irregular <including monosymmetric, zygomorphic, bisymmetric, bilaterally symmetric, asymmetric etc.>/
#97. The floral irregularity <components most conspicuously involved>/
1. involving <all or part of> the perianth/
2. involving the androecium/
#98. The receptacle and the ovary <embedded or free>/
1. embedded in the branchlet/
2. free <not embedded: implicit>/
#99. The receptacle <floral, whether produced into a tubular hypanthium>/
1. conspicuously produced beyond the ovary into a tubular hypanthium <implicit>/
2. scarcely produced beyond the ovary <only a slight floral tube>/
3. not produced beyond the ovary <floral tube absent>/
#100. The receptacle <ornamentation>/
1. naked/
2. not naked/
#101. The receptacle <scales>/
1. with scales/
2. without scales/
#102. The receptacle <spines>/
1. with spines/
2. spineless/
#103. The pericarpel <proximal part the flower/receptacle, enclosing the ovary: details>/
#104. The hypanthial tube <details>/
#105. The hypanthial tube <whether S-shaped>/
1. bent into an S shape <Weberbauerocereus>/
2. not S-shaped <implicit>/
#106. The hypanthial tube <when present, ornamentation>/
1. naked/
2. not naked/
#107. The hypanthial tube <presence of scales>/
1. with scales/
2. without scales/
#108. The scales of the hypanthial tube <whether spine-tipped>/
1. spine-tipped/
2. not spine-tipped <implicit>/
#109. The axils of the scales of the hypanthial tube <whether more or less naked>/
1. more or less naked/
2. not naked/
#110. The hypanthial tube <spines>/
1. with spines/
2. spineless/
#111. The perianth <exposure during bud development>/
1. exposed during bud development <implicit>/
2. obscured by the tube during bud development/
Perianth
#112. The perianth <constitution>/
1. with distinct calyx and corolla/
2. sequentially intergrading from sepals to petals <with intermediates>/
3. <exclusively> petaline <more or less convincingly interpretable as petals>/
4. of ‘tepals’ <not readily resolvable into calyx and/or corolla>/
‘Calyx’: the outer component of the floral envelope, represented by sepals or equivalent structure(s).
‘Corolla’: the inner component of the floral envelope, represented by petals or equivalent structures.
‘Perianth’: floral envelope(s), inclusive of calyx, corolla, tepals and all morphologically equivalent structures.
‘Tepal’: a segment or unit of a whorled perianth which is not resolvable into calyx and corolla.
Very inadequately recorded in the descriptions seen. Alternative interpretations have been encoded in the descriptions where this seemed appropriate, but the character has often been left uncoded, and is best avoided for purposes of identification.
#113. The perianth <regardless of its morphological interpretation, total number of parts: ‘many’ encoded as ‘to 50 or more’>/
‘Perianth’: floral envelope(s), inclusive of calyx, corolla, tepals and all morphologically equivalent structures.
The DELTA system currently has no device for encoding/interpreting the loose botanical convention ‘many’ (= ‘too many to bother counting’), application of which varies from character to character and from person to person. In compiling the descriptions, ‘many’ has been interpreted so as to encompass the number specified in the character list. The actual ranges entered usually represent guesswork, and are not reliable.
#114. The perianth <‘tepals’, colour>/
1. green/
2. white/
3. cream/
4. yellow/
5. orange/
6. red/
7. pink/
8. purple/
9. violet/
10. blue/
11. brown/
12. black/
13. hyaline <non-exclusive state - to be removed>/
‘Perianth’: floral envelope(s), inclusive of calyx, corolla, tepals and all morphologically equivalent structures.
#115. The perianth limb <prominence>/
1. relatively large/
2. short or none/
#116. The perianth segments <of mature flowers, carriage>/
1. more or less erect/
2. spreading/
3. recurved/
#117. The perianth segments <shape>/
1. elongate, relatively narrow/
2. relatively short, broad/
#118. The perianth segments <apices>/
1. blunt/
2. pointed/
3. acuminate/
4. apiculate/
Androecium
#119. The androecium <presence of staminodes>/
1. including staminodes/
2. without staminodes <implicit>/
#120. Stamens <fertile, number: ‘many’ encoded as ‘to 100 or more’>/
The DELTA system currently has no device for encoding/interpreting the loose botanical convention ‘many’ (= ‘too many to bother counting’), application of which varies from character to character and from person to person. In compiling the descriptions, ‘many’ has been interpreted so as to encompass the number specified in the character list. The actual ranges entered usually represent guesswork, and are not reliable.
#121. Stamens <insertion>/
1. free of the perianth <includes perigone tube/hypanthium>/
2. adnate to the perianth <includes perigone tube>/
‘Androecium’: the total male component of the flower, including all recognisable ‘derivatives’ of this. ‘Androecial members’ thus include the stamens (q.v.), plus any staminodial structures (q.v.).
#122. Stamens <whether separated from the perianth by a ring of hairs>/
1. separated from the perianth by a conspicuous ring of hairs/
2. not separated from the perianth by a ring of hairs <implicit>/
#123. Stamens <whether exserted>/
1. not exserted <included>/
2. exserted beyond the perianth/
#124. Stamens <coherence, when adnate to the perianth>/
1. in groups <specify>/
2. not grouped <inserted spirally: implicit>/
#125. Stamens <coherence>/
1. coherent/
2. free of one another <implicit>/
#126. Pollen grains <number of apertures>/
aperturate/
Gynoecium
#127. Gynoecium <position>/
1. superior <free of P, K, C>/
2. partly inferior <adnate below to P, K, C>/
3. inferior <adnate to epigynous P, K, C and/or receptacle <implicit>>/
‘Gynoecium’: a collective term for the total female component of the flower, including all recognisable derivatives of this.
#128. The stigma lobes <colour>/
1. white/
2. green/
3. yellow/
4. red/
#129. Locules <of syncarpous ovary, whether exhibiting ‘false septa’>/
1. secondarily divided by ‘false septa’/
2. without ‘false septa’ <<implicit>>/
‘False septa’: secondary septa, representing ingrowths from the ovary walls or complete (fused) extrusions or intrusions from the placentas, which subdivide the primary locules into locelli (q.v.), and result in cell counts in excess of (often double) the number of carpels. Rarely, they occur as horizontal partitions, detectable only via vertical sections of the ovary. As distinct from the true septa, which divide the ovary into primary locules each supposedly representing one carpel (q.v.).
#130. Placentation <when syncarpous and unilocular>/
1. basal/
2. parietal <implicit>/
3. apical/
4. laminar-dispersed/
5. free central/
An attempt has been made on principle to encode family morphological descriptions so as to allow for likely alternative interpretations or ‘misinterpretations’. The same device has been used in families where the ‘true’ state of affairs seems sometimes to be deducible only from comparative morphology. Its implementation has necessarily been somewhat selective, however, in view of the complications arising from character dependencies.
#131. The ovules <whether differentiated prior to fertilization>/
1. differentiated <<to become implicit>>/
2. not differentiated <prior to fertilization>/
#132. The ovules in the single cavity <number in the unilocular ovary: ‘many’ indicated by 100>/
An attempt has been made on principle to encode descriptions so as to allow for likely alternative interpretations or ‘misinterpretations’. The same device has been used where the ‘true’ state of affairs seems sometimes to be deducible only from comparative morphology. Its implementation has necessarily been somewhat selective, however, in view of the complications arising from character dependencies.
The DELTA system currently has no device for encoding/interpreting the loose botanical convention ‘many’ (= ‘too many to bother counting’), application of which varies from character to character and from person to person. In compiling the descriptions, ‘many’ has been interpreted so as to encompass the number specified in the character list. Any actual ranges entered usually represent guesswork, and are not reliable.
#133. The ovules <morphological orientation: data on this and ovule developmental features extensively from Davis 1966>/
1. orthotropous/
2. hemianatropous <semianatropous, hemitropous>/
3. anatropous/
4. campylotropous/
5. amphitropous/
#134. The funicles <of the ovules, circinotropous>/
1. circinate/
2. not circinate <implicit>/
Fruit and seeds
#135. The mature fruit <length>/
cm long/
#136. The mature fruit <shape>/
1. globose/
2. ovoid/
3. ellipsoidal <oblong>/
4. clavate/
5. pyriform/
6. turbinate <top-shaped, inversely conical>/
7. barrel-shaped/
#137. The mature fruit <colour>/
1. white/
2. green/
3. yellow/
4. orange/
5. brown/
6. red/
7. purple/
8. blue/
9. purplish bronze/
10. pink/
11. greenish with violet sheen/
#138. The mature fruit <naked or not>/
1. naked <apart from any terminal floral remains>/
2. not naked/
#139. The mature fruit <spines and glochids>/
1. spiny/
2. with glochids/
3. without spines <or glochids>/
#140. The mature fruit <floral remains>/
1. with persistent floral remains/
2. without persistent floral remains/
#141. The mature fruit <persisting style>/
1. with the style alone persisting after the other floral remains have fallen/
2. without the persistent style characteristic of Cereus (q.v.) <implicit>/
#142. The mature fruit <texture at maturity>/
1. <at least partially> fleshy/
2. non-fleshy when mature/
#143. The mature fruit <whether having translucent and watery pulp>/
1. with characteristically watery and translucent pulp <Cipocereus>/
2. without watery and translucent pulp <implicit>/
#144. The mature fruit <syncarpous, dehiscence>/
1. dehiscent <opening to release the seeds>/
2. indehiscent <neither opening nor breaking up in any precise fashion at maturity>/
‘Dehiscent’: a fruit opening in anatomically organized, predetermined fashion to release the seeds.
‘Indehiscent’: a fruit with no precise, anatomical mechanism for opening to release the seeds (rotting, irregularly rupturing, ruptured by seedling germination, opened by external agencies, etc.).
#145. The mature fruit <manner of dehiscence>/
1. dehiscing vertically by one slit/
2. dehiscing vertically by more than one slit/
3. dehiscing via basal pores/
4. dehiscing transversely near the top/
5. dehiscing via a circumcissile cap and a dorsal slit/
6. irregularly dehiscent/
#146. The seeds <length>/
mm long/
#147. The seeds <colour>/
1. white/
2. brown/
3. black/
#148. The seeds <whether hairy>/
1. conspicuously hairy/
2. felted/
3. not hairy <<implicit>>/
#149. The seeds <shape>/
1. globose or sub-globose/
2. ovoid/
3. obliquely ovoid/
4. pyriform <obovoid>/
5. reniform/
6. helmet- or hat-shaped/
7. hemispherical/
8. cochleate <helicoid, snail-shaped>/
9. flat/
#150. The seeds <whether curved>/
1. curved/
2. not curved/
#151. The seeds <keeled or not>/
1. keeled/
2. not keeled/
#152. The seeds <compression>/
1. <somewhat> compressed/
2. flattened/
3. concave/
#153. The seeds <whether winged>/
1. winged/
2. wingless <<implicit>>/
#154. The seeds <perisperm>/
1. with perisperm/
2. with little or no perisperm/
#155. The seeds <whether enclosed in the bony aril>/
1. encased in their bony arils/
2. not encased in bony arils/
#156. The seeds <strophiolate>/
1. with a strophiole obscuring the hilum/
2. without a strophiole hiding the hilum <implicit>/
#157. The seeds <hilum and micropyle>/
1. with hilum and micropyle disjunct/
2. with hilum and micropyle conjunct/
3. with hilum and micropyle fused/
#158. The seeds <mucilage sheath>/
1. with a mucilage sheath/
2. without a mucilage sheath <dubiously implicit>/
#159. The testa <shiny or matt>/
1. shiny/
2. dull/
#160. The testa <ornamentation>/
1. papillate/
2. tuberculate/
3. with minute hairlike projections/
4. spiculate/
5. verrucose <warty>/
6. rugose <wrinkled>/
7. reticulately or striately patterned/
8. pitted/
9. spotted/
10. smooth, without ornamentation/
#161. Embryo <shape>/
1. straight/
2. curved/
3. spiral/
#162. Cotyledons <form>/
1. foliaceous/
2. linear/
3. reduced or vestigial/
General anatomy
#163. Laticifers <presence, comprising cells or coenocytes>/
1. with laticifers/
2. without laticifers <implicit when anatomy ‘known’>/
The data compiled here for Cactaceae are sparse and inadequate.
#164. Cortical bundles <presence in stems: see Notes>/
1. present/
2. absent <implicit when anatomy ‘known’>/
#165. Medullary bundles <presence in stems>/
1. present/
2. absent <implicit when anatomy ‘known’>/
#166. The <stem or wood> vessel end-walls <form of perforation>/
1. reticulately perforated/
2. scalariform/
3. <with> simple <perforations>/
Physiology, phytochemistry
#167. <Photosynthetic pathway (see Notes):>/
1. C3/
2. CAM <dubiously implicit>/
Cf. our ‘Families of Flowering Plants’ package, where the data represent an attempt at comprehensive compilation from reliable photosynthetic pathway-related data; except that no large scale, organized attempt has been made to pursue the leaf anatomical literature for illustrations adequate for anatomical predictions.
For sources of data, see references tagged PP in the ‘Families’ References. Re problems in recording CAM/C3, see Martin et al. 1982/
Geography, cytology, classification
#168. <Natural world distribution (excluding introduced aliens):>/
This text character has been comprehensively recorded, and incorporates ‘colloquial’ summaries of natural distribution.
#169. <Natural geographical distribution, excluding cultivated plants and alien introductions (see Notes) - intended for ‘field’ keys only:>/
1. North America/
2. Central America/
3. South America/
4. West Indies/
5. North Africa/
6. Central, East tropical and West tropical Africa/
7. South Africa/
8. Madagascar/
9. Indian Ocean islands/
Comprehensively encoded, and intended only for use in identification and for generating useful geographic subsets of the data. Assignments to these pragmatically defined world regions are intended to reflect likelihood of the genus being encountered ‘in the field’, regardless of floristic status, but their reliability is dubious. When borderline, for purposes of identification select adjoining regions. DO NOT use this character for identifications when the natural providence of specimens is doubtful.
Cytology
#170. <Generic chromosome numbers (preferably X (basic); n or 2n when X not specified):>/
#171. Ploidy levels recorded:/
Classification
#172. <Species number>/
species/
#173. Subfamily/
1. Pereskioideae/
2. Opuntioideae/
3. Maihuenioideae/
4. Cactoideae/
International Cactaceae Systematics Group classification, as presented by Anderson, E.F. (2001). Note that ‘tribes’ of Cactoideae (Cereae/Trichocereae/Notocacteae, Rhipsalideae/Pachycereeae) are indistinguishable in terms of the tribal descriptions they provided .....
#174. Tribe <of Opuntioideae>/
1. Austrocylindropuntieae/
2. Cylindropuntieae/
3. Opuntieae/
4. Pterocacteae/
5. Tephrocacteae/
#175. Tribe <of Cactoideae>/
1. Browningieae/
2. Cacteae/
3. Calymmantheae/
4. Cereeae/
5. Hylocereeae/
6. Notocacteae/
7. Pachycereeae/
8. Rhipsalideae/
9. Trichocereeae/
#176. <Comments on this description>/
We advise against extracting comparative information from the descriptions. This is much more easily achieved using the DELTA data files or the interactive key, which allows access to the character list, illustrations, full and partial descriptions, diagnostic descriptions, differences and similarities between taxa, lists of taxa exhibiting or lacking specified attributes, and distributions of character states within any set of taxa. See also Guidelines for using data taken from Web publications.
Cite this publication as: ‘Watson, L., and Dallwitz, M.J. 2018 onwards. The genera of Cactaceae: descriptions, illustrations, identification, and information retrieval. Version: 14th November 2021. delta-intkey.com’.