Opuntia megarrhiza

Opuntia megarrhiza Rose is a species of plant in the family Cactaceae. It is endemic to the state of San Luís Potosí in northeastern Mexico.[2]

Opuntia megarrhiza
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Cactaceae
Genus: Opuntia
Species:
O. megarrhiza
Binomial name
Opuntia megarrhiza

It is known only from 5 populations, around the summits of La Trinidad and Álvarez Mountain Ranges, in San Luis Potosí, northeastern Mexico.[1] Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland.

It is an endangered species, threatened by habitat loss, grazing, and harvest for traditional medicinal uses.

Synonyms
  • Opuntia megarrhiza Rose, Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 10:126. 1906.[3]
    • Opuntia macrorhiza var. potosina Hernández-Valencia, Acta Cientifica Potosina 10:155-162. 1988.[4]

References
  1. Hernández, H.M., Gómez-Hinostrosa, C. & Goettsch, B. 2002. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Opuntia megarrhiza. accessed 3.23.2013
  2. H.M. Hernández, C. Gómez-Hinostrosa, & R.T. Barcenas. 2001. Studies on Mexican Cacti II: Opuntia megarrhiza, a poorly known endemic from San Luís Potosí, México. Brittonia 528-533.
  3. Rose, Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 10:126. 1906
  4. Hernández-Valencia, Acta Cientifica Potosina 10:155-162. 1988.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.