Xerophilia NR 7 SD

Volume 2, No.
4 (7) December 2013 1

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Summary
Contributions
About the use and abuse of Peyote (Lophophora williamsii
(Lem. ex Salm-Dyck) J.M. Coult.) pag. 4
by Pedro Njera Quezada et al., Mxico
On the Turbinicarpus of Tamaulipas, part 1 pag. 33
by Leccinum J. Garca Morales, Mxico
Six desert bulbous plants from South Africa pag. 48
by Judd Kirkel Welwitch, South Africa
Aztekium valdezii dossier

Front cover: Aztekium hintonii
R.I.P Aztekium valdezii ? pag. 70
and Geohintonia mexicana
by Dag Panco, Romania
(Photo Andreas Laras)
Xero - Files
Lophophora williamsii (Lem. ex Salm-Dyck) J.M. Coult. pag. 56
by Pedro Njera Quezada et al., Mxico
Our Special Guests

Demystifying the "Aramberri enigma"
an interview with Dr. Andreas Laras pag. 19
by Dag Panco, Romania
The Changing Face of Succulent Publications pag. 79
by Graham Charles, England
Connoisseur's Notes
The Genus Austrocactus pag. 43 Back cover: Mammillaria herrerae with pollinator
by Aymeric de Barmon, France (Photo Stefan Nitzschke)
Myths and truths about Ortegocactus macdougalii pag. 71
by Tth Norbert, Hungary
Mammillaria albiflora (Werdermann) Backeberg 1937 pag. 81
by Ricardo Daniel Raya Snchez, Mxico
The passion for cacti and other succulents
Notes on Mammillaria herrerae Werdermann
in habitat and culture pag. 97 Founders and Senior Editors:
by Stefan Nitzschke, Germany
Eduart Zimer - Director and Editor (English)
Ecology - Biology - Conservation Dag Panco - PR (Romanian)
Notes on in vitro propagation of Aztekium ritteri
Valentin Posea - Graphic layout and photo
processing
and other species of Mexican cacti pag. 63
by Felipe Escudero Ganem, Mxico Associate Editor: Pedro Njera Quezada
The Salvacactus de Mxico Project pag. 87 (Spanish)
by Gabriel Milln Garduo, Mxico Articles and other contributions, photos or other materials are always
A very sad story pag. 47 welcome! Please send them to the email address below. The Editorial
Team will examine them carefully and decide on publication in one of the
by Andreas Laras, Greece upcoming issues. The next issue is scheduled to appear on March 30 2014.
The Editorial Team does not assume any responsibility for copyright; the
Xero - Arts entire responsibility is resting with the authors. By simply submitting the
papers for publication the authors confirm that they are the legal copyright
holders. Opinions expressed by the authors in the journal are not necessarily
Carl Spitzweg (1805-1885), the succulent plants lover pag. 91 those of the members of Editorial Team. The Editorial Team is committed not
by Eduart Zimer, New Zealand to use the material entrusted them in any other way except for publishing
them in the Xerophilia journal. Small alterations may be made; however, for
any major change we will seek the authors acceptance.
Bits and Pieces All rights reserved no part of this publication may be
reproduced in any forms or by any means, without
On line magazines pag.101 written permission of the Editor.
xerophilia@xerophilia.ro
Volume 2, No. 4 (7) December 2013 2

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Editorial 7
Its been a good and busy year for us, I cant complain. Four regular issues, packed with interesting
articles plus two special issues: The Stone Eaters (featuring a seminal paper on the relation between
plants and soil) and the first description of a very special new species: Aztekium valdezii. We have
amplified our workload and interactions with different groups of C&S enthusiasts, and as a direct
result we had to expand our team. Looking ahead, Im pretty confident that we will not disappoint
our readers. Fact is that producing a free online publication and sharing free knowledge got us a great
deal of satisfaction, much more than we bargained for. And its not surprising at all, that this is the
way to go for many like-minded people. What about the traditional printed magazines and books?
I always loved books, thats how I grew up... surrounded by books and it was painful for me to leave
most of them behind when moving to New Zealand almost 12 years ago. However, in time, I managed to gather a selection of
books, magazines and journals on cacti, succulents and xerophytes. I love the smell of books fresh from the print. I love to flick
trough their pages. I still learn a lot when reading books. I always have a couple of books on the bedside table, just in case. But,
at the same time, I realized that my C&S knowledge is becoming increasingly internet based so to speak, as my collection of
electronic books, journals and articles is running in the thousands now (many of them thanks to the extensive Le Cactus
Francophone e-library). It is the mark of our times, I guess. Over the last 4 or 5 years quite a few free online publications have
been established. And more important, high standards have been set right from the start. In 2013 several other new free online
publications have emerged: Crassulacea and The Cactician (written by Roy Mottram and edited by Margrit Bischofberger /
International Crassulaceae Network), Echinocereus Online-Journal (a specialist journal on Echinocerei), Sansevieria Online (the
latest specialist journal addition published by Dr. Heinz-Gnter Budweg and Peter A. Mansfeld) and, last but not least, a
spectacular publication of general interest edited by Davide Donati: Acta Succulenta, only to mention the most relevant. If the
trend will continue in 2014 (and I dont see any reason why it would not), we could speak of a global phenomenon and the
impact on printed and / or subscription publications could be considerable.
Some online journals originated from newsletters (e.g. Avonia-News, which actually evolved into much more than a newsletter),
or from society journals (e.g. : Boletn electrnico de la Sociedad Latinoamericana y del Caribe de Cactceas y otras Suculentas)
freely available online; in fact there are several other society newsletters available on the internet as well. Some other are
mirroring articles, pictures and data from long running websites (e.g. Succulentopi@, the journal of the above mentioned Le
Cactus Francophone). Some are of general interest (e.g. The Cactus Explorer and Acta Succulenta), while others are aiming to a
very specific audience (e.g. Echinocereus Online-Journal, Schtziana and the latest addition Sansevieria Online). Most of them
are condoned to national borders... well, this term is becoming increasingly outdated: there are indeed British, French,
German, Italian journals, and so on; however, all are accessible to a worldwide audience in an instant. That is powerful! In fact
and we know this from our own experience once you publish in a major language, you attract readers from all over the world,
no matter where you are based. Online journals seem to become a worthwhile substitute of printed publications. It was never
expected that traditional free websites, blogs and forums (rather shallow and providing usually minimal useful information, if
any) or the newcomer trendy socialite platforms such as Facebook will be able to completely replace printed books/magazines
any time soon in regards of the quality of the information provided. Well, printed books might still stay around for a very long
time, but printed periodicals will face a huge competition in the years to come. Exclusive prints will become less and less
attractive with the increasing number of high quality free journals around. I wonder what the cat will bring next year. Mmmm...
maybe a Mammillaria journal? That would be great!
As always towards the end of the editorial - we want to thank, once again, from the bottom of our hearts, to our loyal readers
from all over the world, from over 107 countries and territories, and to all our collaborators for this new issue!
Finally: the Xerophilia team wishes you a Merry Christmas along with your loved ones, stay safe and in good health and have a
Happy New Year, everyone! Feliz Ao Nuevo! La multi ani, cu sanatate! Guten Rutsch ins Neue Jahr! Bonne et heureuse anne
tous! Felice Anno Nuovo! Gelukkige verjaardag!
Eduart
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Contributions
About the use and abuse of Peyote (Lophophora williamsii (Lem. ex Salm-Dyck) J.M. Coult.)
by Pedro Njera Quezada, Jovana Jaime Hernndez, Claudia Lpez Martnez and Sandy Karina Neri Cardona
(Original Spanish file)
Abstract
The concern for the conservation of biodiversity in the world is no longer a new subject, and it is gaining more and
more emphasis on the protection and regulation of species. In summary, these are found in very small numbers or
populations or are excessively exploited by humans; the use of these species is generally prohibited by law or it is
strictly regulated, but in particular situations where traditional culture and conservation ideas are contradictory, it is
required a specialized analysis of the ecological situation and the possibilities of exploitation, provided sustainable, in
order to amalgamate the conservation needs with the needs of the people, their cosmogony, herbology and other
uses and customs. In this sense, the present paper is intended to address the issue of the use of Peyote (Lophophora
williamsii (Lem. ex Salm - Dyck) JM Coult.), presenting a general analysis of the historical and of the current situation,
and proposing actions to adequately protect Peyote and cultures that use it.
Introduction
Let us begin by raising some questions about the causes of the great biodiversity in Mexico as well as the use of this
biodiversity by Mexican natives. Among the causes that rendered Mexico to become a country of great biological
diversity are topography, the great variety of climates and a complex geological, biological and cultural history. These
factors have been contributing to the formation of an assortment of environmental and micro-environmental
conditions, prompting as a result a great variety of habitats and life forms. (Sarukhn, Sobern y Larson-Guerra, 1996)
The cacti (Cactaceae family) are characteristic plants from the arid parts of Mxico. The peculiarity of their
anatomical characters, adaptated to store and preserve water, and the presence of spines and delightful flowers,
gives them a particular aspect that brands them as ornamental plants. Mxico is home for 52 genera (47% of the
world total) and 850 species of cacti (42%), from which 35% of the genera and 84% of the species are endemic. The
Cactaceae family is distributed in xeric areas, thorny shrublands, semi deciduous and deciduous tropical forests, and
although in Mxico the collecting of these plants is restricted, the illegal trade is very persistent and the
overharvesting has forced cacti to become one of the plants groups in major risk of extinction, along with orchids
and cycads. No less than 17% (146 species) of them are threatened and 89% are endemic. Another factor affecting
the conservation of cacti in our country is habitat destruction, especially if we consider that many of these plants
have a restricted distribution range. (Rosalba Becerra, 1997)
Fig. 1, 2 An Indian circle; the shape formed resembles Nerikas "God eye"; it's a focal point where our forefathers
concentrates their energy to reveal and to instruct the devotes. Tanque de Dolores, Catorce, SLP.
A seized Peyote during the last seizure after the raids in the villages of Charco Cercado, Huizache and San Juan Sin Agua.

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Pedro Njera Quezada & al. - About the use and abuse of Peyote (Lophophora williamsii)
Bibliographical sources testify to the importance of various cacti in our territory, the use of stems and fruits as a
source of human food is probably the most common use that the ancient inhabitants of Mxico had for the cacti
until today. It should be noted that numerous species of the family had a medicinal use or were a source of
construction materials, such as organs. Others have come to have a divine meaning, and even today are used in
some religious ceremonies or rituals, beliefs and customs of ethnic groups. This is the case with Peyote, Lophophora
williamsii, one small cactus with hallucinogenic properties. Even to date Peyote is part of the folkloric traditions of
various ethnic groups, as the Huichol3, Tarahumara6, Cora2 and Tepehuanes7. (G. J. Alans Flores, 2008)
In Indigenous America, the uses of hallucinogenic plants were presented as a customs with deep roots and millennial
antiquity. The American continent is the geographical space where the most diversity of plants with psychoactive
principles has been registered (over 100 species). These plants contains chemical compounds Alkaloids - that are
capable to induce abnormal states of consciousness that causes visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory and even taste
alterations. Because of this reason these plants are regarded by the native cultures as carriers of intelligence and are
considered divine instruments, source of deep and profound wisdom, of beauty and inspiration, and also as a mean
to maintain cultural integrity. (Batis, A., y M. Rojas. 2002)
Fig. 3*, 4 The re-emerging Peyote buttons after a correct harvesting of Peyote.
A Peyote driven to death by desiccation due to a bad harvesting method in which the Peyote crown is harvested and the
damaged part is left unprotected and exposed to drought and insolation.
Although America is rich in entheogenic8 plants, most likely Western European cultures have lost that ancestral
knowledge, and carried on with the persistence of Christian tradition to break up with other cults and pagan beliefs
and relating or labelling them as negative or demonic customs.
Background [1]
Species description
Various species of Lophophora are known, but none has gained such wide use and fame as the Peyote (Lophophora
williamsii J.M. Coult.) from which all other existing Lophophora species have been named Peyote; similarly, other species
that contain the same or similar alkaloids also are called Peyote or variations of this name, as Ariocarpus retusus Scheidw.,
which is called peyote brujo, or the Pelecyphora aselliformis Ehrenb. called Peotillo, as well as many other plants. E. F.
Anderson (1980) reports several plants that have been similarly named, in addition to those already mentioned are
Ariocarpus fissuratus K.Schum. and Ariocarpus retusus Scheidw., the so-called peyote cimarn or Chaute, other
species, being very similarly to the genus Lophophora, such as Astrophytum asterias (Zucc.) Lem., and other cacti. There
are also reports of the use of the name for other not related plants that offer similar intoxicating sensations or have
medicinal uses, such as Sophora secundiflora (Ortega) DC. (fam. Fabaceae) and Mikania cordifolia ( L.F. ) Willd. (fam.
Asteraceae).

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Historic-cultural uses
This species, besides having a great scientific value (for their psychoactive compounds), has a great cultural value as
it is part of the worldview for many indigenous groups living in northern Mxico, such as the Huichol (Wixaritari), and
in the United States and southern Canada. These groups extract and consume it in religious rituals, following an
ancient tradition (Benitez, 1968). Recent analyzes of specimens L. williamsii with C14, found in one of the caves of
the archaeological Shumla site in Rio Grande Texas, show that the inhabitants of this place already used it since
prehistoric times (approx. 3780 BC) for religious purposes (El-Seedi et al, 2005). According to Anderson (1995),
Human activities and cultural practices have reduced and modified populations of this cactus in various locations in
Mxico and Texas. (Montero Daniela Anaya, 2010)
Ethnical use
Peyote has aroused worldwide interest because of its unique effects produced in the body when ingested. The bitter
taste is due to the presence of a high number of alkaloids - about 60. Undoubtedly its main alkaloid is mescaline,
reaching usually high levels, ranging from 1-6% of the weight of the dry Peyote "button" (0.1 to 0.6% by fresh
weight). (Batis, A., and M. Rojas. 2002) Among the historical tribes who use or have used peyote in ceremonies or as
a medicinal plant are the following: Comanche9, Cora, Huachichil1, Huichol, Kickapoo10, Kiowa11, Mescalero Apache12,
Nahuatl14, Navajo15, Omaha16, Opata17, Otom18, Pame1, Taos19, Tarahumara, Tepehuane7, Wichita20, Winnebago21,
etc. The Tarahumara consume small amounts of Peyote to combat hunger, thirst and exhaustion while going to hunt
and when running after a deer for days without any food, water or rest. (Batis, A., and M. Rojas. 2002)
Fig. 5, 6 Lophophora williamsii growing in the open between limestone slabs, SLP.
A pedestal formed by soil erosion; the area where the creosote bush (Larrea tidentata) and Mammillaria formosa are
standing is the original height of the soil surface now it has lost over 1 meter depth of soil.
The earliest account of a Peyote ritual was recorded in the latter part of the seventeenth century, by a Spanish
missionary in Nayarit. He reported on the Cora tribe: "Close to the musician was seated the leader of the singing,
whose business was to mark the time. Each had his assistants to take his place when he would become fatigued.
Nearby was placed a tray filled with Peyote, which is a diabolical root that is ground up and drunk by them so that
they may not become weakened by the exhausting effects of so long a function, which they begin by forming as large
a circle of men and women as could occupy the space that had been swept off for this purpose. One after the other,
they went dancing in a ring or marking time with their feet, keeping in the middle the musician and choir-master
whom they invited, and singing in the same unmusical tune that he set them. They would dance all night, from five
o'clock in the evening to seven o'clock in the morning, without stopping nor leaving the circle. When the dance was
ended, all stood who could hold themselves on their feet; for the majority, from the Peyote and wine which they
drank, were unable to utilize their legs." (Hofman, A. and R. E. Schultes 1979/1992)
Huichol Peyote rituals have profound roots in the archaic hunter's view of the world. Huichols follow strict rules when
they pilgrimage to collect the sacred plant in the high desert nearly 400 kilometers northeast of their homeland. They

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publicly confess their sexual transgressions and abstain from sex and salt. They testify that the Creator was destined to
take the form of deer and Peyote. Because Peyote embodies the spirit, and is the heart of Deer-Person, they must hunt
him with arrows. When they eat his heart, incarnated in the Peyote cactus, they eat it raw, honoring the precedent set
by their elder brothers, the immortal wolves. To commemorate the wolves eating the deer raw, our Peyote hunters
must do likewise when they eat his heart (Peyote). As the deer escaped from the ancestor-deities, he took the form of
Peyote there in Wiricuta (the holy land where Peyote is collected). (Jay Fikes; 1996)
Fig. 7, 8* Another "pedestal" from erosion, the amount of soil loss reaches over one hundred tons of soil per each two
acres. New shoots sprouting after adequate harvesting, the adult heads are also a product from an older harvest.
The Huichol Peyote hunt is seen as a return to Wirikuta or Paradise, the archetypal beginning and end of a mythical
past. A modern Huichol "Mara'kame26" expressed it as follows: "One day all will be as you have seen it there, in
Wirikuta. The First People will come back. The fields will be pure and crystalline; all this is not clear to me, but in five
more years I will know it, through more revelations. The world will end, and the unity will be here again. But only for
pure Huichol." (Hofman, A. and R. E. Schultes 1979/1992)
The Tarahumara Peyote dance may be held at any time during the year for health, tribal prosperity, or for simple
worship. It is sometimes incorporated into other established festivals. The principal part of the ceremony consists of
dances and prayers followed by a day of feasting. Oak and pine logs are dragged in for a fire and oriented in an east-
west direction. The Tarahumara name for the dance means "moving about the fire", and except for Peyote itself, the
fire is the most important element. (Hofman, A. and R. E. Schultes 1979/1992)
We have many early, brief descriptions of Peyote use among natives of northwestern Mxico, and two Inquisition
reports from Santa Fe, New Mxico, which document Peyote's use in divination, showing that by 1630 it was already
being used five hundred miles north of its natural habitat. Serious study of its use, however, did not begin until the
1890s, when James Mooney, an anthropologist from the Smithsonian Institution, researched Peyote meetings
among the Kiowa in Oklahoma. From there he went on to study Peyote rituals on other reservations, as well as its
use by the Tarahumara in Mxico. In 1918, after testifying in favor of Native American peyotists at Congressional
hearings, Mooney advised peyotists from various Oklahoma tribes to obtain a legal charter to protect their religious
freedom. With Mooney's help and encouragement, the Native American Church was officially incorporated in 1918.It
was the Kiowa and Comanche Indians, who apparently during visits to a native group in northern Mxico, first
learned of this sacred American plant. Indians in the United States had been restricted to reservations by the end of
the nineteenth century, and much of their cultural heritage was disintegrating and disappearing. Faced with this
disastrous inevitability, a number of Indian leaders, especially from tribes re-located in Oklahoma, began actively to
spread a new kind of Peyote cult adapted to the needs of the more advanced Indian groups of the United States.
(Hofman, A. and R. E. Schultes 1979/1992)
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Fig. 9 Lophophora williamsii habitat.

Ritual peyote use among North American tribes began in the early 20th century after a process of diffusion from the
South. The Carrizo Indians of Southeastern Texas and Northeast Mxico spread peyotism to the Lipan22, Apache13
and Tonkawa23, who in turn took it to the Kiowa, Kiowa-Apache, Comanche and other tribes in present-day
Oklahoma. The Peyote Religion quickly formed from the earliest peyotists, Lipan Apache Billy Chiwat and Pinero, to
include the major tribes of Indian Territory. Mythologies of the Peyote plant were incorporated into tribal belief and
expressed in the two primary ceremonies of the Peyote Religion: the Half-Moon, originating among the peoples
living in the Peyote growth area, and the Big Moon, introduced by John Wilson. Both ceremonies incorporate aspects
of Native American culture and Christianity and share many commonalties. "Both emphasized the divine role of
peyote and its power to teach and heal; both opposed the use of liquor and believed that peyote destroyed the taste
for it". (Champagne, Duane 1999)
[4]
Fig. 10** A typical ecotone where Lophophora williamsii grows under creosote bush (Larrea tridentata).

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Peyote was accepted as a remedy and inspiration by members of many Oklahoma tribes during an era of agonizing
cultural disintegration, which reached a peak during the 1880s. By 1874, the Kiowa and Comanche, once proud
warriors of the Southern Plains, were confined to reservations in Oklahoma. The loss of liberty intrinsic to
reservation life brought great pain and suffering to all Native Americans. Perhaps because it provided a powerful
alternative to both ancient tribal religions and missionary-controlled versions of Christianity, the Peyote religion
spread like wildfire. In the 1880s, two new religious movements were popular among Native Americans. One of
them, the Ghost Dance, tried to renew the old ways. Following the Wounded Knee Massacre [2] of 1890, the Ghost
Dance practically disappeared. The other, the Peyote religion, allowed members to establish a new identity which
combined aboriginal and Christian elements. Except for the secular Pow-Wow [3], Peyote meetings are now the most
popular Native American gatherings. (Jay Fikes; 1996)
Success in spreading the new Peyote cult resulted in strong opposition to its practice from missionary and local
governmental groups. The ferocity of this opposition often led local governments to enact repressive legislation, in
spite of overwhelming scientific opinion that Indians should be permitted to use Peyote in religious practices. In an
attempt to protect their rights to free religious activity, American Indians organized the Peyote cult into a legally
recognized religious group, the Native American Church. This religious movement, unknown in the United States
before 1885, numbered 13,300 members in 1922. Membership of the Native American Church at the present time is
claimed to be a quarter of a million Indians. (Hofman, A. and R. E. Schultes 1979/1992)
Fig. 11, 12 Caespitose forms generated after correct harvesting practices and given time for regrowth, pictures taken on the
historic-cultural route for the Huichol people.
Spanish tabu and inquisition

Most of the early records in Mxico were left by missionaries who opposed the use of Peyote in religious practice. To
them Peyote had no place in Christianity because of its pagan associations. Since the Spanish ecclesiasts were
intolerant of any cult but their own, fierce persecution resulted. But the Indians were reluctant to give up their
Peyote cults established on centuries of tradition. (Jay Fikes, 1996)
From the very beginning, immigrants to the New World have misunderstood the Native American adoration of
Peyote. In 1620, sixty years after the sacramental use of Peyote was first reported by the Franciscan Friar Sahagun,
the Spanish Inquisition denounced it as diabolic and made its use illegal. Inquisitional persecution of Mexican Indian
peyotists included torture and death. (Jay Fikes; 1996)
In Spanish chronicles is referred to "those natives who ate Peyote were possessed by terrifying demonic visions." The
use of Peyote was severely punished by the Inquisition starting with 1617, in 1720 its use being prohibited in Mxico
at that time part of the Viceroyalty of New Spain. In 1997, representatives of 22 ethnic groups of the country
sought the decriminalization of the use of plants and animals required for rituals and ending persecution against
charges of drug traffic. (Batis, A., and M. Rojas. 2002)
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General perception
Industrial societies do not value the transformation of consciousness as positive or adaptive; however, indigenous
societies have often resorted to the transformation of consciousness to fulfill various duties in the service of the
group or its members and it is often an institutionalized value. Likewise, Western society has defined Peyote,
mushrooms and other herbs as recreational drugs with no therapeutic value, while for dozens of different tribes and
cultural groups mestizos these plants are defined as medicines, sacred or prodigious plants. (Nierika, 2011)
The peyoteros' techniques are learned from family members or neighbours. Since the plant lies close to the ground,
harvesting - slicing the drug-containing "buttons" from the roots - is backbreaking work. Experienced harvesters,
however, can pick 1,000 buttons in an hour. Once collected, the buttons are either used immediately or dried
naturally on long, slanted tables, a process that can take as long as a month or as little as a week in the searing
summer temperatures of south Texas. (The Economist, 1999)
The Texas Department of Public Safety licenses seven peyoteros and monitors them on a quarterly basis. The federal
Drug Enforcement Agency keeps an eye on things too, and reports very little abuse of the drug by non-Indians.
Advocates of Peyote say it actually reduces alcoholism among Indians, a serious health problem in most tribes. (The
Economist, 1999)
Fig. 13*, 14* People of the Huichol tribe during the harvesting of Peyote on their sacred lands "Wirikuta".
Harvested Peyote, ready for transport to Huichol homeland.
Salvador Johnson, of tiny Mirando City, is one of the youngest peyoteros; he is 52. He employs up to a dozen
labourers, most of them relatives, to pick peyote buttons all year round on about 30,000 acres. His business is
booming. "You can have 100 church members come down in a weekend," he says, "and the least that each of them
will take is probably a couple of thousand buttons." Mr Johnson himself may not supply all those customers, but at
$150 for 1,000 fresh buttons - or $170 for 1,000 dried buttons - the maths works out well enough. "By June, I take a
break because I'm exhausted," he says. (The Economist, 1999)
With fewer lands available to harvest, the supply of Peyote is shrinking even as church demand increases. There is an
easy solution: using Peyote stocks that stretch 300 miles or more into Mxico, a reserve that might produce twice
the output of the United States. Yet, ironically for a government that has often run into trouble with American
officials for enforcing drug laws too weakly, Mxico continues to stand firm on Peyote, preventing any harvesting or
possession of the cactus on its side of the border. (The Economist, 1999)
If Mxico were to liberalize its peyote laws, or if the Native American Church4 were to buy land and harvest its own
Peyote, America's seven licensed peyoteros could suffer from falling prices. But Mr Johnson says he would be willing
to put up with that if it meant an increased supply of Peyote for congregants who need it. "We will never have
enough to meet the demand," he says. "There's no way in the world we can meet it. It's sad, because this is
something these people use for their church. And without Peyote, there is no church." (The Economist, 1999)
Anderson (1995) observed in a population of L. wlliamsii south Texas, that after three years, without the exploitation
of "peyoteros", the population showed signs of recovery and high toughness.

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Traffic, illegal commerce and legal situation

Although Mexican law allows the potential use of some species, in fact the effect and use fall more in some than in
others, the intensity of use is not distributed among all species allowed and this is due to utilization rates that
authority determines for each species, on the other hand, it is also a function of the relative abundance of species
populations and their own distribution in the national geography, fragmentation of ecosystems, the differential
access to areas that were wild before, and finally also depends on the preferences of users and the prevailing market
conditions (Prez-Gil et al., 1995).
Because the Peyote is part of the customs of the Wirrarika3 (called Huichol), the Tarahumara and Cora, Executive
Mexican authorities have in effect provided certain individual rights for these indigenous groups, excluding them
felony charges from consuming and port this cactus. (Nierika 2011)
NOM059-SEMARNAT-2010 is the legislation which states the species that are in some degree of protection by the
law; this provides the Peyote (Lophophora williamsii) as a species subject to special protection (Pr).
The whole legal situation in regard to the plant is remarkably complex, but according to current law, it is prohibited
to own any members of the genus Lophophora except for members of some Native American religious groups, and
whether we as cactus growers and enthusiasts like it or not, thats the law were stuck with. (Fred Dortort, 2007)
During their DNA sampling Fred Dortort and company chatted about the marginal state of the goat business and
local attitudes about Peyote with a local goat shepherd from Wirikuta. He said that in spite of the supposedly strict
enforcement of laws to punish outsiders who might extract Peyote from this area (which is protected as Wirikuta,
the sacred land where the Huicholes come annually to gather Peyote) there were people who had hauled out great
quantities of Peyote from local populations for sale in some unspecified distant market. (Fred Dortort, 2007)
The factors responsible for the rapid growth and tenacity of the Peyote religion in the United States are many and
interrelated. Among the most obvious, however, and those most often cited, are: the ease of legally obtaining supplies
of the hallucinogen; lack of federal restraint; cessation of intertribal warfare; reservation life with consequent
intermarriage and peaceful exchange of social and religious ideas; ease of transportation and postal communication;
and the general attitude of resignation toward encroaching Western culture. In 1995 Bill Clinton permitted the use of
Peyote to the members of the Native American Church. (Hofman, A. and R. E. Schultes 1979/1992, 2008)
Fig. 15*, 16* Harvested Peyote, ready for transport to Huichol homeland.
Discussion
The conservation of a species, as already mentioned is a purely anthropocentric concept, in which the man
anticipates to replace the ecosystem while sustaining the species, rather than seeking to protect the ecosystem as
such. We often consider a threatened species as exclusive and independent individuals, while in fact all species are
the result of biotic relationships, adaptations, genetic continuity and survival in certain eco-systemic conditions. This
is what makes a plant or animal behaving that way because they are a directly proportional outcome of genotype,
phenotype and its environment. When trying to protect a species in captivity these factors and its capacity to
change, as captive population, and survive the ecosystem become increasingly weaker with every generation
because it facilitates genetic dilution of the adaptations needed to survive its environment.

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The difference between use and drug addiction is a very thin line, but well defined; the ancestral cultures have used
the so called "plants of power" for purely productive means of one or another form, either with purposes of
spirituality, to exercise labors, or for medical purposes, but never or rarely recreational and of mere entertainment,
and never stole, traded or misused them, in the same way a Catholic does not abuse consecrated bread; the abuse of
this plant is considered for them something negative for their deity.
After this brief panoramic review we can distinguish different types or categories of Peyote consumers:
Traditional consumers are all those who use it traditionally with a religious and cosmogonist mean, and are falling in
the following categories:
Primary Traditional Consumers; as the Huichol, Cora, Tarahumara, etc., and the extinct Chichimeca1 tribes
(Huachichiles, Zacatecos , etc.)
Secondary Traditional Consumers; as the Yaquis24 and Tepehuanes that rarely consume it and mainly for medicinal
purposes and only obtained by barter with the Huichol.
Tertiary Traditional Consumers; are all those like the Native American Church members who use Peyote, with only
very few historical records of ritual use, but with a growing number of consumers.
This type of use has been practiced since immemorial times, but as never before Peyote faced such a devastating
impact on its populations, since from the change in land use and plunder, through the pasture management
practices to agricultural, industrial or urban developments and to excessive over-collection is overcoming Peyote.
Now, that Peyote twinned with the Native American Church increased consumption, it means that their numbers will
be smaller in supply and, in agreement with the preservation of the traditions and customs of the native people, it
should be allowed to prioritize consumption for those who use it for their rituals.
Fig. 17*, 18* Here, the modifications on the harvesting habits of the Huichol people is evident; this is due to the plant
scarcity in the area that makes them to take more root from each plant in order to fulfill the yearly amount of Peyote they
need to take back to their homeland.
As a result, trafficking Peyote north of its range to supply the members of the Native American Church should stop
and be considered illegal, this in order to prevent exacerbate the pressure that could jeopardize Peyote populations
and to pressure the U.S. government to encourage management plans for the collection of Peyote that are
appropriate for the Texas region, where they occur naturally.
It is estimated a consumption of more than two million Peyote a year (Nierika, 2011) that are legally distributed only
to the Native American Church in the U.S. and Canada. Considering that there are between 250,000 and 500,000
members who take part in the ceremonies, this would be something between 4 and 8 pieces per year; in one
ceremony is consumed between about 2 and 4 pieces, sometimes even more. This high level of consumption cannot
be sustainable at all as a practice that ensures the survival not only for Peyote, but for the culture itself.
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Consumers Imitators are all those who try to imitate the manners and customs of national or foreign ethnic group;
they are generally westernized mestizo [5], the ones who intend to adopt a type of culture and worldview that is
not theirs. Such practices must be stopped immediately since they only help to create a misperception of the
intrinsic and cultural value of Peyote; this can be achieved through raising awareness and education in schools.
Commercial Consumers - all who provide or obtain any financial reward from its use or exploitation fall into this
category:
Usual Commercial Consumers are consumers who use Peyote repeatedly and are usually carriers and truckers who
eat in false cafeterias that are installed along the roads only to sell the famous liquefied Peyote.
Local Commercial Consumers are those obtaining from the use of Peyote a steady income, whether by direct sale
of the plant, as there is the case with inhabitants of the Charco Cercado town, from San Luis Potosi, or as mentioned
above, in the form of liquefied Peyote in clandestine "coffee shop" scattered along the highway MEX57.
Outsider Commercial Consumers are Peyote dealers who come from other parts of Mxico or even from other
countries to transport either seeds or plants to other sites for sale.
Recreational commercial consumers is the most common type, and occurs when people are visiting and consuming
Peyote within the distribution areas; this type of consumption is mainly generated by young people between 16 and
30 years and are often supported by local guides or paid tours.
Ornamental Commercial Consumers are those who collect or buy Peyote and other cacti, only to have them in their
home for ornamental purposes. All such use should remain coined as illegal practices and should be indistinctly
pursued as long as is not generated by legal reproduction models of this species.
Research Consumers, although the most challenged, but also the less common, are those who consume or cut
Peyote for botanical, medical-therapeutic, social-anthropological or theological purposes; these consumers do so
with a clear and specific purpose and generally comprehend the effect of the abuse of natural resources and they
just take advantage only for their research. This type of consumers should regularize their research by submitting
applications to the previously mentioned instances to carry out their activities, including all botanical and
anthropological collections.
Fig. 19 A municipal dumping ground on the area were Anderson decided to take the type specimen of L. williamsii, In this
place the rubbish is burned constantly to reduce its volume because there is no waste management.

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Although people generally dont want to admit the impact of native cultures to the species, this happens and in
various ways. The "pseudo Marakames" (fake ceremonial guides) remove large quantities (sacks) of Peyote to sell on
private ranches along with a "Huichol experience" and charges large amounts of money for this act. The fact alone
that new tribes are invited to consume Peyote created a subsequent aura around this custom and caused it to spread
beyond reasonable limits. The ritual of Peyote medicinal use (the Native American Church) contributed to the
decimation of plant populations in the U.S.; later on they lobbied to the government for support of DEA raids, which,
without permission by the SEMARNAT and the Mexican Government, entered into Mexican territory to collect and
transport to the United States and Canada thousands of heads of peyote that are requested by the Native American
Church in both countries.
It has been observed that many Huichole have changed the way in which they used to collect Peyote heads and as a
result of having fewer plants available they tend to cut progressively deeper in order to obtain a larger amount of
plants and thus replenish the absence of Peyote heads; this practice reduces the regeneration potential of the
species since it removes most of the storage tissue.
Hunger, the urgency of meeting basic needs, loss of identity and westernized Mexican trends and all the propaganda
that it entails, are pushing the native people to consider or try certain habits that would be dishonorable to their
culture and their ancestors, such as alcoholism and drug addiction, and mainly the loss of traditions, values and
customs.
Fig. 20, 21 Lophophora williamsii - a caespitose form from the Huizache valley, this are natural clusters formed without any
human intervention of any kind. L. williamsii and P. aselliformis - Peyote and Peotillo.
The consumption of peyote for recreational purposes had its origin during the early 60's when the hippie movement
began to dabble in the use of new psychoactive substances. Although shortly before the real lootings occurred, the
60's were made famous by the generalized use of drugs, well sought by literary and musical icons of the time, such as
Aldous Huxley known for his book "The Doors of Perception, 1953," author and journalist Hunter S. Thompson, and
musicians such as The Beatles and The Doors, who all caused a great interest in the Peyote ritual. Since then, waves
of domestic and foreign visitors are flooding the region annually, roaming where Peyote is known to exist.
Unfortunately, this place is the valley west of the Sierra de Catorce, which is sacred to the Huichol who call this place
Wirikuta.
The current situation and the future of Peyote is not well established, especially if we are held by the wrong ideas
and mysticism reasoned mainly around the "neo-hippies", who want too to feel, by chewing Peyote, "in tune with
nature". Being illegal in two ways according to NOM -059 -SEMARNAT- 2010 and the Health Act supported by the
Federal Criminal Code, the forfeited Peyote species usually ends in police custody and its way out is usually
completed by incinerating the specimens. Rare these are delivered to botanical gardens, universities, research
centers and hospitals; rarely because of the highly complicated steps necessary to make arrangements for research
to benefit from controlled species. And because all these plants remain in custody, it becomes impossible to have a
benefit of it in any way from them, nor germinate their seeds, nor collect their pollen, and neither hybridizing the

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different species; however, it is not stipulated what to do with the seeds obtained. These plants cannot be returned
to their original habitat because it is generally not known where the Peyote heads were collected from, and if so
there is a risk to be removed again. In the same way, the seeds obtained cannot be returned due to unknown genetic
purity and source of the germplasm.
Fig. 22, 23 As can be seen in the village shop, harvested Peyote is not the only produce sold here, but it is sold with the
[6]
skins and other animal by-products and even live animals. Peyote seized by PROFEPA in the state of San Luis Potosi. For
more than 20 years this plant is under care of the National Institute for Forestry, Agriculture and Livestock.
Conclusions
The lack of popular knowledge about ecology and sustainability concepts represents a limiting condition for the
prosperity not only of this species, but of all natural resources, both biotic and a-biotic. To promote cultural values
and respect for Peyote, it is needed to create botanical gardens in situ, to establish interpretive trails where tourists
can appreciate the flora and fauna of the desert and learn from a holistic perspective, and favor a potential and
direct economic benefit for the residents. There should be increased security systems in areas where these species
are known to be found, affecting individuals for consumption or marketing. Production and marketing of this species
must be allowed for specialist nurseries to provide the regular market with ornamental plants, and foster the
appreciation of the species by noting, among other things, the long time it takes for these plants to reach an
acceptable size for consumption.
The production of mescaline and other alkaloids produced by cultivated plants should be studied, this in order to
know the difference in the production of mescaline, which we speculate as connoisseurs to have fewer amounts of
active compounds due to the proportionally rapid growth in cultivation, as opposed to field specimens. In this way
we ensure that the consumption of commercially grown Peyote, using conventional nursery methods for mass-
produced cacti becomes somehow impossible, because of the poor cost-benefit ratio obtained in these
circumstances.
Replanting programs of these species seem quite remote; it is first needed to create forestry nurseries and seed plots
at each site that is intended to be replanted. However, even so strict sanitary controls become absolutely necessary,
in order to prevent the release of pests, diseases and parasites, such as cactus beetles (Moneilema sp.), and various
species of nematodes that would be far more damaging than the over-collection itself. To avoid such risks is
preferable to exclude the populated areas or where livestock exists, to allow the natural seed bank to support
repopulation, as well as permitting the reproduction of adult specimens that have remained and can thrive as they
naturally do.
Livestock cannot be maintained in this type of ecosystem rather than through a rotational grazing system known as
the Savory system (Alan Savory, 1983), because the ecosystem is not able to support livestock beyond that. On the
contrary, old buffalos that migrate in immense herd from north to south, grazing on these plains are leaving for the
rest of the year the ecosystem to recover.
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The change in land use is a key factor since it permanently stops the possibility of natural restoration of the
ecosystem, so we have that Peyotes greatest threats are in ascending order: the induction of cattle pastures,
conventional farming and modern agriculture greenhouses, also population growth and development that entails,
such as roads, dams and levees, etc.., and mining and exploitation materials such as sand quarries, lime kilns and
quarries. Employment and social welfare should be encouraged to prevent people from being edged to find and
traffic these species in order to survive.
It should be avoided the creation of propagandistic media, such as films, magazines, alluding to abuse of Peyote as it
only encourage misinformation and makes use of this sacred entheogen8 plant merely a fashion that is not only
adopted by nationals, but also by many foreigners trapped by fame and mystique of Peyote. Even now there are
many who live in towns like Real de Catorce, Estacin Catorce, Wadley, etc.., or where there word came out of
abundance of Peyote.
Fig. 24 Caespitose forms generated after correct harvesting practices and given time for regrowth, pictures taken on the
historic-cultural route for the Huichol people.
The effects of intensive harvesting of the plant has been noted in several studies (E. F. Anderson, 1969, 1980, 1995;
Schultes, R.E. y A. Hoffman. 1982; Fred Dortort, 2007; Glafiro J. Alans Flores, Carlos G. Velazco Macas, 2008; Martin
Terry, 2008; Daniela Montero Anaya, Oscar R. Garca Rubio, 2010; M. Abul Kalam, 2013) and abuse is indicated in all
corners of its distribution area. It is necessary and crucial for the continuity of the species to prohibit transportation
of Peyote heads toward the U.S. by the Native American Church, consumption must be secured for the native
Mexican tribes (Huichol, Tarahumara, Cora, etc.) in order to perpetuate their cultural and traditional customs, and
only allow those who practice it for religious purposes. Unless the legal production of Peyote in nurseries for
medicinal, recreational or ornamental purposes is not allowed, the irrational uses of this natural resource should
remain penalized.
The municipality of Catorce in San Luis Potosi has become the focus of attention to the point that many people
believe that there is nothing else but Peyote in this municipality. This perception is so common and frequent that by
purely mentioning of Real de Catorce, Wirikuta, Wadley or some other towns or regions of the municipality, it is
immediately linked in ones mind to the harvesting of Peyote. This reputation is actually well earned because of the
hill called El Quemado, located in the area and that represents the most important ceremonial center for the Huichol

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culture, which, as mentioned above, uses Peyote in religious ceremonies because in their worldview Peyote
represents the heart of one of their major deities, the Deer.
The Wirikuta sacred territory and the cultural-historical route for the Wirraritari3 people (Huichol people) should be
elevated as federal protection area. It also should be considered expanding the protection area in order to protect
more endemic species which are found in areas immediately outside the polygon of the Natural Protection Area, as
the case with:
Ariocarpus bravoanus subsp. hintonii (Stuppy & N.P.Taylor) E.F.Anderson & W.A.Fitz Maur.
Ariocarpus kotschoubeyanus (Lem.) K. Schum.
Coryphantha poselgeriana (D.Dietr.) Britton & Rose
Lophophora alberto-vojtechii Bohata, Mysk & Snicer
Mammillaria coahuilensis (Boed.) Moran
Pelecyphora strobiliformis Frid & Schelle
In this way you can increase the biological importance of the reservation as all these plants mentioned are in the
NOM-059-SEMARNAT 2010 or are newly discovered and therefore endemic.
The possibilities for legalization of Peyote are very remote; it will be difficult to legalize its production while
indiscriminate consumption exists. While use and
possession are not legalized yet, it becomes
necessary at the same time to intensify the
surveillance of Peyote in their respective
localities; however, this requires first of all
extensive research in populations, to understand
their degree of vulnerability when facing change
in land use, looting or other human activities that
are adverse. It requires creating security and
surveillance systems in localities that have been
designated, after evaluating the populations of
Peyote, as the most affected. In parallel it
becomes authoritative to teach children from
schools, especially in areas where these
important plants" grow, to preserve the
environment for future generations.
Fig. 25*** A colony formed after correct
harvesting practices and given time for regrowth,
Charco Cercado, 9 km from Huizache.
Contrary to what Nierika 2011 and C. Gamboa,
2013 refers, it is firstly required to educate the
public so that it can accept in the first place its
position as a Mexican citizen, and secondly that
there are different races and cultures, and
although according to art. 2 of the Constitution of
the United States of Mxico, the Mexican nation
is one and indivisible, it does not mean that they have to unify multicultural beliefs and customs that make Mxico
the most mega-diverse country, as it not only has a wide biodiversity, if not also a great diversity of cultures, which
also must be warranted, protected and respected.
Any new piece of legislation must regulate the collection and trade or "barter" by the indigenous tribes and consider
the existence of the already known false "Marakame" that perform private ceremonies near Mxico City. It should

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stop the peyoteros who, with American permission, collect Peyote, which drive into Mxico and make available their
collections and distribution networks to the headquarters of the Native American Church in the U.S. and Canada.
Since they have Peyote in Texas they do not have to cross over and affect biodiversity and put in risk populations of
Peyote of another country only because their excessive consumption has decimated the populations of this plant in
Texas. These actions seek to pressure the government of the United States of America to allow private Peyote
cultivation that would permit to members of the Native American Church and to perform their practices without
jeopardizing the populations of their so called sacred plant.
In order to slow down the population growth and the impact that this entails, to reduce the pressure from
population growth and land use change that this is supposed to encourage, agricultural practices in the highlands
should be planned differently, by promoting less invasive traditional agricultural practices in the rural areas and
conduct modern intensive agricultural practices only in regions around the major population centers.
Fig. 26*** Another colony formed after correct harvesting practices and given time for regrowth, Charco Cercado, 9 km
from Huizache.
A compilation of the seizures recorded in newspapers or preliminary investigations over the last few years,
Bibliography, Authors Notes and Editors Notes can be accesed and consulted at Annexes & Notes.
Legislation: Following this link you will find brief summary of the articles that refer to federal provisions in regards to
production, transportation, traffic, trades, and even provide for any free or prescribed of the narcotics referred to in
Articles 237, 245, sections I, II, and III and 248 of the General Law of Health in Mxico.
* Photos published by courtesy of Epifanio Candelaria Rodrguez

** Photos published by courtesy of Jorge Xolapa Plancarte
*** Photos published by courtesy of Leo Rodriguez
O traducere prescurtat a articolului Uzul i abuzul de Peyote poate fi accesat la Abridged Romanian translation.

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Our Special Guests
Andreas Laras
Born and raised in Athens, Greece during the daunting times of
the military dictatorship but the best years of rock, I started
high school with some great records under arm: Machine
Head, LA Woman, Aqualung, Led Zeppelin IV. I studied Biology
and got my Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from Brown University
in 1991 on the gene regulation of Human Immunodeficiency
Virus (HIV). Since 1993 I have been working on Hepatitis B
Virus (HBV) gene regulation and drug resistance at the
University of Athens.
I have been collecting cacti since I was a teenager, however
systematically only since my return home in 1991 when I
began to raise them from seed. The breakthrough in my
passionate relationship with Ariocarpus came with my first
field trip to the Big Bend National Park area in Texas, in 1999 with the encouragement and direction of Steven Brack, to whom I
will be forever indebted. What ensued you already know.
Other than studying Ariocarpus in habitat and cultivation, in the back of my head there is this idea of assembling an Ariocarpus
genetic reserve. I am not sure if this would ever be of practical use (in terms of re-introduction) but the sad fact is that several of
my documented populations already face dire prospects or no longer exist.
Current projects include processing field data, writing articles, an Ariocarpus book that is likely to take me a few years and
learning new skills with the making of an Ariocarpus web site, hopefully a rudimentary version will be up at www.ariocarpus.gr
as you are reading this.
Demystifying the "Aramberri enigma" an interview with Dr. Andreas Laras

: Hi, Dr. Laras, our readers will be pleased to know how did you actually start your lifelong passion for
C&S? And in what extent have you been influenced in your C&S hobby by your profession?
Dr. Andreas Laras: Hello Dag, first of all thank you for giving me the opportunity to communicate with your readers
and hopefully, to share with them something of interest. A good deal of our passion with these plants has to do with
communication and sharing and in its short lifetime has contributed a great deal to this exchange.
Fig. 1 The mystifying Rayones Valley, NL (left). Fig. 2 The distinctive habitat of Ariocarpus scapharostrus (right).
Ever since I was a young child I had a fascination with nature and all of its miraculous creations. I used to snorkel for
hours, collect seashells, rocks, fossils, insects, you name it! Eventually I got to plants and cacti and succulents quickly
captured my attention and sparked my imagination. My very first succulent was a Haworthia fasciata, others quickly
followed and soon I had assembled everything spiny or succulent that I could find in Greece at that time, the early 70s,

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which was not a lot but enough to get me hooked forever. My other passion was my chemistry set and microscope, I
wanted to grow up to be a mad bioscientist and a jungle explorer. I suppose, I am lucky enough to have realized a
version of both aspirations, jungles replaced by deserts and madness evaded, though others might attest otherwise.
Being a molecular biologist has certainly influenced my approach to the hobby in many ways; some straightforward,
a solid understanding of biology and genetics is certainly helpful to growing and breeding plants or even
understanding molecular phylogenetics. Others complex, a methodical scientific approach to collecting plants,
acquiring knowledge, gathering data, paying disproportionate attention to microscopic detail, understanding form
and function and so on...
I do not believe that anyone without scientific training would be nutty enough to go measuring stems, tubercles,
areoles and flowers of every Ariocarpus that grows in Mexico and Texas! Actually, self-sarcasm and objectivist
mythology aside this Baconian enumeration and tabulation of data from Ariocarpus populations in habitat has
recorded a great deal of interesting data that would have otherwise gone unnoticed. If you do field work, grab a
measure and a pencil, you will be surprised how much evades the eye and the camera. So, for a brief answer, my
profession is in many ways inextricably intertwined with my hobby.
: You travelled extensively and saw plant in their natural habitat; of all places which one has overwhelmed
you most? and of all plants which was the ONE that left you breathless when you first saw it?
Dr. Andreas Laras: This is a tough one, selecting the one place and the one plant. Mexico and the Big Bend area
in southern Texas are places of exceptional beauty. So, what is more memorable? Descending over the Sierra Madre
Oriental down the snaking road to the valley of Rayones to discover A. scapharostrus and Aztekium ritteri? Watching
the mountain ranges encircling Aramberri from a hill top painted with the palate of flowering A. confusus?
Fig. 3 to discover Ariocarpus scapharostrus (left). Fig. 4 a huge pristine ostentatious A. retusus in full flower (right).
Or having the desolate sense of being the

only person alive on earth in the wild and
austere splendor of central Coahuila? And
the one plant, of course it has to be an
Ariocarpus, but which one? An
inconspicuous tiny A. kotschoubeyanus
sunk in a cracking mud puzzle, a huge
pristine ostentatious A. retusus in full
flower, a perfectly sculptured A. fissuratus
v. lloydii with metallic epidermis or a rare
creeping Ariocarpus crest?
Fig. 5 Ariocarpus kotschoubeyanus lost in a
magic puzzle of cracking mud,
Tanquecillos, NL.

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But, I have to give you an answer, so it is going to be one of personal narrative rather than a measure of the natural
beauty of a place or plant. And that is easy to pick: my first encounter with Ariocarpus in habitat, Big Bend National Park
in 1999. The sight of rock-like rough A. fissuratus growing imbedded in pure bright white limestone and the desolate
beauty of white crested hills sheltering Ariocarpus among Mesozoic shell fossils at the southernmost tip of the park will
be with me forever. It was the spark for the Ariocarpus field study spree that has led me to everything else.
Fig. 6 The southern territories of Big Bend National Park, Tx, USA. Fig. 7 A. fissuratus among limestone fossils in BBNP, Tx.
: You are well known as an Ariocarpus aficionado. What can you tell us about your experience about this
genus in habitat? What are the health conditions and what are the dangers threatening these populations?
Dr. Andreas Laras: Since 1999 I have made 13 field trips to Mexico and Texas, some short, some long, and studied
over 300 Ariocarpus populations. What has struck me the most is the enormous morphologic variability of Ariocarpus
populations one encounters in habitat. With the exception of A. bravoanus ssp. hintonii which is immutably constant,
all other species show noteworthy variability, in some cases, confined in just a few hundred square meters (A.
bravoanus ssp. bravoanus) or within the boundaries of a single valley (A. confusus or A. scapharostrus) and in others
stretching over a distance of hundreds of kilometers (A. fissuratus or A. retusus). In some cases it is difficult to find
two populations with the exact same characters/characteristics.
Fig. 8, 9 perfectly sculptured Ariocarpus fissuratus v. lloydii with metallic epidermis

Epidermal structure variability of Ariocarpus fissuratus v. lloydii in a single locality, southern COA.
The other astonishing observation is the immaculate condition of Ariocarpus plants in undisturbed natural
populations. It is something hard to relate or believe unless one sees it (habitat photos of course speak of only part
of the story), perfectly grown spotless specimens embedded in rock or mud, basking in the sun or sheltered under a
shrub, well-watered from the summer rains or even thirsty after severe drought, looking better than any Ariocarpus
plant that you have ever seen on a show bench. They are perfectly adapted to admittedly harsh and unfavorable
environments, champions of evolution.
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Unfortunately, to the joy and wonder of discovering a new healthy undisturbed population in pristine condition
there is sometimes an opposite emotion, the anger and despair of witnessing its deterioration and destruction. In
too many instances I have witnessed the slow decline or unnecessary devastation of natural populations. The
dangers are many and we all know them. I will start with human idiocy and greed for profit; Ariocarpus populations
are still being destroyed by merchant poachers and I am not talking about some rare novelty but about plants like A.
fissuratus and A. hintonii both of which are readily available in all sizes and for all budgets in cultivation. I have also
documented the removal of single or few plants from several sites probably by individual collectors but I am here
referring to large scale removal obliterating entire populations.
Fig. 10 A spotless specimen of A. bravoanus ssp. hintonii at an unknown undisturbed habitat (left). Fig. 11 The single sad
remaining plant, where hundreds of A. bravoanus ssp. hintonii use to grow, at a widely known locality of the taxon (right).
Although this is the most infuriating practice and probably detrimental to the survival of certain taxa (A. bravoanus
ssp. bravoanus and A. bravoanus ssp. hintonii), the most prevalent danger in extent and impact is grazing livestock,
goats and cattle, which by trampling and/or eating the plants slowly and persistently destroy the population. The
problem is that Ariocarpus populations safe from other human activity, for example on a rocky hill or mountain side,
are liable to destruction by grazing animals. Other dangers include expansion of agriculture, spreading of rural or
urban communities, public works like road building, etc and they all differently affect different Ariocarpus taxa
depending on their prevalence.
In closing this answer, I would like to make a plea to all collectors: Please do not buy field-stolen plants and when you
see them on sale (usually on the internet) write the seller and tell them why you refuse to buy them and if you are in
the mood, please, go ahead and harass them on top of it!
Fig. 12 Ariocarpus retusus eaten by goats at a highly threatened habitat, General Cepeda, COA (left).
Fig. 13 The vast majority of previously majestic Ariocarpus confusus plants is now severely damaged by cattle in the
westernmost locality of this species (right).

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: What can you say about the variability and the inter-specific sexual compatibility of the species of this
genus vs. the current lumping taxonomy?
Dr. Andreas Laras: Anyone who wants to appreciate or study the genus should at the onset understand that
Ariocarpus, or at least certain sections of the group, are actively evolving in the present time; they are in the process
of speciation as we speak. This is exciting for the collector, endless variants and forms to grow, but even more so for
student of the genus. It is mesmerizing to watch evolution at work, the stunning variability which I mentioned
before, the different ecotypes, intermediate forms, and populations segregating and developing distinct morphology
or others merging and recombining their characters.
Given this realization however, we must reconcile ourselves with the idea that not all natural Ariocarpus populations
can be shoehorned into the neat little boxes-categories of species, subspecies and variety, but this makes life all the
more interesting. This is most obvious in the A. retusus group, where most collectors would like a different name to
go with each different retusus form they are growing, but in most instances they have to compromise with a field
number and locality, which in my opinion is at this point more valuable and meaningful. Understanding the
relationship between all the retusus forms (Figs. 36, 38, 39) will require first and foremost extensive fieldwork,
aided by observations in cultivation and hardcore modern science such as DNA phylogenetic studies.
Regarding interspecific (between different species) hybridization, it is no longer considered as a valid criterion for
conspecificity (belonging to the same species), certainly not among plants; this is actually a relic notion originating
from an animal-defined species concept. We can all infer this from experience, take A. asterias and A. coahuilense or
A. fissuratus and A. retusus, each pair readily hybridizes producing fertile (often attractive) offspring but they surely
do not belong to the same species. In fact, interspecific hybridization has been recognized as a significant speciation
mechanism especially in angiosperms (flowering plants). So, lumping based on the presence of hybrid populations
alone is simply incorrect.
Lumping prevails in Ariocarpus not only as a consequence of its ideological dominance in the scientific field of
taxonomy but for another, let us say, objective reason. Ariocarpus generally lack two of the most useful
morphological features used for the classification of cacti. First, they have minimal morphologic variability of their
reproductive organs (flowers) and second and perhaps most important, they do not have spines (except in their
juvenile state and save A. agavoides). To illustrate the significance of this, how many Mammillaria species do you
thing would be erected if one re-classified the genus based on tubercle and areole morphology alone?
Fig. 14 The enigmatic Aramberri Valley, NL, home to a 15 meter pliosaurus and Ariocarpus confusus.

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: What do you think about "Aramberri enigma"? Does it deserve an infra-generic name or is it just a form
of A. retusus? For you, is Ariocarpus trigonus - maybe an ancient parent of this "enigma" - a subspecies of A. retusus?
Dr. Andreas Laras: Perhaps we need to explain this ario-jargon a bit. The term Aramberri enigma is a fancy title for
two questions pertaining to an Ariocarpus population in the valley of Aramberri, described as A. confusus. First
question is if this population can be regarded as a distinct taxon and if yes, does it deserve specific or sub-specific
recognition? Second, what is the relationship of this taxon to the A. retusus and A. trigonus populations that flank the
valley to the east and to the west, respectively?
Figs. 15 - 18 Flower colour variability within a single Ariocarpus confusus colony.

Much confusion (and hence the specific epithet) and in a way the enigma itself were created by two deservedly
respected authorities in the field, Anderson and Fitz Maurice, when in their revision of the genus in 1997 gave a
single wrong answer to both questions. Based primarily on the extraordinary morphological variability of the
Aramberri populations, they concluded that these unique plants are no more than a natural hybrid between A.
retusus and A. trigonus. They even went one step further following the lumping pied piper and concluded that the
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existence of this hybrid population predicates that A. retusus and A. trigonus are one species! To me it seems tragic,
not only did they fail to recognize the taxonomic importance and integrity of this taxon but because of this mistake
ended up submerging A. trigonus under A. retusus as A. retusus ssp. trigonus. This subspecific nomenclature of A.
trigonus is often used out of propriety but in reality it has not been widely embraced by most scholars of the genus.
So, what are the correct answers to the enigma questions? A. confusus variability is indeed mesmerizing: tubercles
can be short or long, wide or narrow, curved or straight, pointed or blunt, with or without keels, areoles present or
absent, epidermal colour from green and grey to reddish and purple, flower colour white, cream, yellowish, light
pink, rose, magenta or purple and I could go on in more details but I will spare you, I think you got the point. Clearly
this striking phenotypic variability is not the result of hybridization but rather it requires a genetic wealth that sets
apart this taxon from either A. retusus or A. trigonus. For this and some other reasons that would require a more
lengthy and detailed presentation, the specific recognition of the Aramberri populations as A. confusus by Halda and
Horacek in 1988 was in my opinion correct.
Fig. 19 Tubercle morphology and
epidermal colour variation of Ariocarpus
confusus in cultivation representing a
single locality (first four rows of plants,
four plants each row).
Now, regarding the relationship of this

pluripotent taxon to its two neighbors,
as we discussed with Geoff Bailey and
John Miller during our first visit to
Aramberri in 2000 and is presented on
the Living Rocks of Mexico site, it is
probably the other way around. To put it
a little different than John, given the genetic wealth of A. confusus, a quite possible hypothesis is that the Aramberri
taxon descended from an ancestral population which gave rise both to A. retusus and A. trigonus by migration to the
west and to the east of the Sierra Madre Oriental. A common ancestry of these three taxa, if correct, simply means
that they are related, not conspecific.
I have formulated a more elaborate and well documented answer to the Aramberri enigma but I need to do a little
more research on it before I can present it. So, please be patient.
: Regarding your "Aramberri enigma" theory, it is interesting to know your opinion about some hybrid
populations of A. retusus x A. trigonus. I have in my mind a natural hybrid between the both mentioned species, from
an apparently established population at nearly 400 km from Aramberri, in Nuevo Leon (see our March 2014
issue). Can those hybrids become in time other 'enigma'? And if your answer is yes, in how many
generations this new specificity can be recognized and accepted?
Dr. Andreas Laras: I think this question was partly answered above. Interspecific hybrids, such as the A. retusus x A.
trigonus population you mentioned, can indeed be the seed for the genesis of a new taxon, although there are many
conditions that must be met for this to occur. Two important and illustrative conditions are geographic and/or
genetic isolation, if the hybrids are within a bees flight from either of the parental populations the hybrids can be
diluted (regressed) back to either species, unless there are geographic and/or genetic barriers. Of course, even if
circumstances conspire for speciation, this hybrid will never become A. confusus but rather something else, another
enigma for us to tackle in the distant future.
The time frame for speciation is something of a mystery and certainly the subject of much debate among
evolutionary biologists. There is certainly not a single time mode, some speciation is cataclysmic, some gradual. Plant
hybrids sometimes can quickly generate genetic distinctness by polyploidy (having more than the basic two
chromosome sets) however, the delineation and establishment of a new species is a long multistep and multifactoral
process that requires countless generations and for Ariocarpus that certainly means a very long time.

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: Now, about the A. kotschoubeyanus ssp. elephantidens, is it or isn't it a subspecies of A.

kotschoubeyanus for you? And if we have already found a population of this plant more than 200 km north, in an
ecological environment almost typical for A. kotschoubeyanus ssp. kotschoubeyanus, can we assume that the
segregation reason based on areal rupture is still valid...?
Dr. Andreas Laras: A. kotschoubeyanus ssp. elephantidens is both morphologically distinct and geographically
isolated from other A. kotschoubeyanus populations and hence it constitutes a discrete biological-taxonomic entity. I
think the subspecific ranking is correct, at least for the time being. A specific (or varietal, not to be biased) status
could be considered in the future but only in
the light of some hard genetic data.
If hypothetically this newly discovered
population is A. kotschoubeyanus ssp.
elephantidens (I personally believe that despite
the reported morphological similarity, it is likely
to be genetically distinct from the Queretaro
populations) and it manages to maintain its
morphological characters and distinctness
despite its geographic proximity to other A.
kotschoubeyanus populations, it would actually
strengthen the argument for a taxonomic
distinction, not the reverse.
Fig. 20 The gigantic A. kotschoubeyanus ssp.
elephantidens growing in Queretaro.
: Which is your Ariocarpus preferred complex of species and why?
Dr. Andreas Laras: Aesthetically I rank the A. fissuratus complex number one, be it the roughest A.fissuratus or the
smoothest v. lloydii, I find them captivating,
irresistible and magical. The fact is that A. fissuratus
is the most rock-like living rock among living
rocks. Its rough sculptured tubercles adorned with
fissures, grooves, pimples and wrinkles form a hard
compact depressed hemispherical structure that
not only looks like a rock but it also feels like one! I
am also partial to A. fissuratus since it was the very
first ario (excuse the term of affection) to hold in
my hands and grow and the first one to see in
habitat.
Research wise, I believe that the A. retusus complex
with its myriad of taxa, forms and ecotypes offers
more challenges and enigmas than one could
tackle in a few lifetimes. Horticulturally, I would still
opt for the alien rocky weirdness of the A. fissuratus
complex, although A. confusus with all its
morphological and floral permutations is very
enticing.
Fig. 21 Part of my cherished Ariocarpus fissuratus
collection, the four (and later five) left rows are 9 to
14 year-old seedlings from several Texas localities.

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: And now, for all the ones who are waiting this: how can you describe your experience in growing
Ariocarpus species? What kind of special tips can you give us about?
Dr. Andreas Laras: For this we probably need a full article, if not a book! I have been quite verbose already so I will
try to be more to the point. Let me start by saying that I strongly believe that the beginning and the end in growing
Ariocarpus must be the seed. This is why I wrote the Growing Ariocarpus from Seed article so long ago, to help and
encourage growers to take this alluring journey. If you do not mind, to save some space and time we can refer your
readers to it (The Cactus and Succulent Journal (U.S.), Vol. 71, 1999, p210-215 or at http://www.living-
rocks.com/laras.htm)1 where I expound on the reasons, benefits and how to grow living rocks from seed. Some are
discouraged by the timeframe of this enterprise, thinking that our lifespan is insufficient, too short, but our
endearment with these plants has to do with slowing down, taking time, observing, enjoying. In return they do slow
down time for us; I hope that you all have noticed.
Fig. 22 Caught weary in a long moment of intimacy, pollinating from morning until sundown.
Fig. 23 Freshly repoted A. bravoanus ssp. hintonii at the age of 10; it is a good idea to plant part of the caudex above
ground, plants will quickly retract by themselves to the desired depth (see previous dirt level).
Fig. 24 Even the most modest of all, Ariocarpus agavoides, will make a dazzling specimen given care and time, a clustering
plant at the age of twenty. Fig. 25 Ariocarpus scapharostrus; given a deep pot, a generous layer of top dressing and
appropriate conditions, most Ariocarpus will assume their natural pose (compare to the habitat photo earlier).
Arios believe it or not are easy plants to grow. Excepting the first few years of their life when most activity is
underground, as most resources are directed downwards for the formation of their sustaining tap root, growth is
constant, steady and measurable. In fact after a certain age it becomes hard to keep up with repotting the largest
growing species like A. trigonus and A. retusus.
For some practical advice, I have found that most problems growers face start at the root, using the wrong substrate.
Ariocarpus grows primarily on soils of limestone origin and in cultivation they detest acidic material such as peat
moss but thrive on mixtures based on mineral soils. My basic ario-recipe is nothing fancy and I will gladly share it
with your readers: 2 parts mineral based surface soil (mine is rather clayish) - 1 part leaf compost (not peat!) - 1 part

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crushed marble bits 3-4mm (or dolomite) - 1 part pumice 6mm-12mm - 1 part perlite. Several modifications can be
made to the above mix depending on the availability of raw material in your home country but remember to keep it
mineral-based and heterogeneous in size (for good drainage and aeration). With this recipe as a starting point or a
safety net, please do experiment, good horticulture starts with experimentation, you and your collection are unique.
No one else has the exact conditions that you do: climate, microclimate, shelter, soils, water, light, temperatures,
techniques and personal idiosyncrasies and so your substrate must also be unique.
Fig. 26, 27 Ariocarpus retusus and Ariocarpus bravoanus ssp. bravoanus protesting my repotting practices; if forgotten in a
clay pot, most Ariocarpus will throw a temper tantrum and break their domicile.
Another common problem is too little water, often
responsible for the living-fossil as opposed to the living-
rock look of cultivated plants. Arios should be watered
deeply and as much as other cactus plants, the rule being
do not water unless completely dry from the previous
watering. As your arios thrive and grow big they will
require larger and larger pots to accommodate their huge
root system. If you are too generous with the watering
hose or your climate is wet, it is best to add a little extra
pumice in the mix and use clay pots, this is also a good
precaution against unexpected cold-wet spells at either end
of the growing season. Do not be afraid to use large and
deep pots given of course the appropriate substrate and
some initial watering restraint. I regularly overpot my arios;
I simply do not have time for the next size up approach.
Finally for the fine arioculturist, as for the fine artist, a
vision of the final creation is primary. Am I growing a
deeply sculptured rock-hard A. fissuratus or a tight compact
A. kotschoubeyanus sunk just beneath the soil surface? Or
am I aspiring to create a smooth plump wide tubercled A.
retusus or a gigantic shiny cypress-green A. trigonus?
Fig. 28 Labour of love, mostly ages four to six.

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: Excepting the Ariocarpus species, what others genera of Mexican plants do you like and collect in your
greenhouse? And, from this point of view, what represents Mexico for you?
Dr. Andreas Laras: Mexico is just full of living jewels, how could one not grow Astrophytum, Aztekium,
Encephalocarpus, Geohintonia, Lophophora, Obregonia or Pelecyphora? I grow all of these and others species of
Ferocactus, Mammillaria, Stenocactus, Thelocactus, Turbinicarpus, etc. I surely grow more than I can handle, but I
find it difficult to scale down. I have grown just about everything in the past, but for a long time now I have stopped
growing species that do not improve their look as they grow old. To make this clearer, many plants like Mammillaria
or Turbinicarpus species reach their beauty apogee at a certain (often young) age and then deteriorate aesthetically,
losing form, symmetry and compactness. To some extent it has to do with the natural habit of the species, no one
designed Turbinicarpus to be 6cm wide and 12cm tall!
Mexico is a lot of things, not just Ariocarpus or other cactus rarities. For some reason I feel quite at home there, I see
a lot of similarities with Greece not only in its nature, like the climate or the dramatic landscape changes over short
stretches of space-time, but also in its people, the open hearted mind-set that one finds with the people of the
Mediterranean.
The people of Mexico are just as magnificent and giving as is the nature of their country. Of course, travelling alone
and speaking Spanish, certainly helps to break inhibitions and language barriers. I have been asked to share a
plentiful meal or just tortillas and bean soup alike, to drink tequila or mezcal, been invited to a birthday party of
someone I just met, to a Los Tigres del Norte concert or to revolve around the zocalo blasting loud Mexican rap
from the car stereo. I had sophisticated political conversations with goat shepherds and taco makers, been given
information, help, water or shelter and it is usually the poorest dignified folk that are most eager to share the little
they have.
Figs. 29 31 I have made 13 field trips to Mexico and Texas

Fig. 29 Proud and bright, and a keen conservationist on many matters, a goat shepherd from Galeana (left).
Fig. 30 My generous host rolling tortillas and the overview of Boquillas del Carmen, at sunset; the closing of the informal
border crossing after 9.11 brought this community that relied on BBNP tourism on the verge of extinction (top right).
Fig. 31 Morning coffee, out of the sleeping bag but still all bundled up; daytime temperatures are similar to Greece but
nighttime temps in the Chihuahuan desert can dive near freezing, even in October (bottom right).

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I would not be honest though if I did not mention that Mexico is also an escape from my reality, which no matter
how pleasant or happy we construct it to be, it is in a way imprisoning, limiting. I often feel that there are so many
different versions of our life that we could be living and I cannot easily come to terms with having to choose and be
confined in just one of them.
: Which was the most important or emotional C&S event you witnessed during your long career? A first
plant grown from seed blooming? A new discovery...? The day you saw in habitat a long time wanted species?
Dr. Andreas Laras: Really Dag, I am not very good with these exclusive most or best of questions. Of course,
firsts like the first love, the first kiss and so on occupy a special place in ones memory dump and hopefully heart;
first germination, first flowering, first seeds. I still have vivid memories, images and scents, from my first seed sowing
out of a generic Cactus seed pack almost 40 years ago.
Unquestionably, first sightings in the field, probably due to a generally heightened level of mental alertness, remain
deeply engrained in our mind. I already related my impressions from my first ario encounter with A. fissuratus in
BBNP and I would also add those with A. kotchoubeyanus and A. scapharostrus. I think in all three cases the unique
eccentric morphology of the plants combined with the strangeness of their highly specialized habitats construct a
visual image that is impossible to forget. To be fair, notwithstanding my ario-bias, I must include here Aztekiums,
Geohintonia, Strombocactus and their remarkable outlandish habitats or even the tiny pin-sized Turbinicarpus
growing in rock cracks.
Fig. 32 Ariocarpus fissuratus of typical morphology half buried in drifting sand at Boquillas del Carmen, COA (left).
Fig. 33 A. trigonus is the largest growing Ariocarpus, an immaculate monster at a Jaumave Valley locality (top right).
Fig. 34 Adorable as ever, Astrophytum asterias in habitat at the Tamaulipas Gulf Coast plains (bottom right).
A new discovery, as you correctly pointed out, surely is thrilling; whether a new taxon, ecotype or simply a new
Ariocarpus population, it sends shivers down your spine. And here is where the crux is: our hobby (dict. an activity
pursued in spare time for pleasure or relaxation) or better our mania (dict. an excessively intense enthusiasm,
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interest, or desire; a craze), as an old-timer likes to correct me, is a constant source of these emotional moments
or events as you phrased it. In the field there is always something new, something unexpected, something
exhilarating, so much to discover! Mexico is hiding many more succulent treasures; consider that most explorers
have not ventured more than a few kilometers away from any dirt road.
In horticulture as well, there is always something fresh and exciting cooking in the greenhouse: the new seedlings
sprouting, the older ones starting to show their adult morphology, later flowering (what color?), harvesting new
seed, breeding to preserve a natural population or to create an unnatural cross, painstakingly adding another
eugenics generation, one more F to your cultivars or better taken by surprise by the emergence of an unexpectedly
hopeful monster among the brood, and if you sow as much seed as I do there is always something new lurking!
Hobbyists or maniacs, we are a lucky bunch, made happy by tending natures most elementary and yet mysterious
act, nurturing the acorn to become an oak tree. I still get the same accelerating flash of warmth and joy every time I
germinate a green pot-full of A. fissuratus tiny spheres.
Fig. 35 A dense colony of healthy Ariocarpus trigonus in spectacular flower, Jaumave Valley, TAM.
: And in the end, could you present to our readers what - in your opinion - enthusiasts must do to increase
this passion in neophytes? For example, Greece has from what we know a very suitable climate for outdoors
cultivation of cacti, succulents and other xerophytes. Do you think promoting succulent gardens in Greece, is a
solution?
Dr. Andreas Laras: True, the climate in Greece, at least in the southern and sea-side parts of the country, is very
suitable for the outdoors cultivation of cacti and many succulents. There are two basic problems: winter rains which
preclude the cultivation of moisture sensitive cactus species and the Siberian weather fronts, as the news media
call them, that descent from the north once every 3 or 4 years bringing subzero temperatures to the entire country,
even down to Crete, that can destroy most tropical succulents like Euphorbias. Nonetheless, there is an enormous
gamut of suitable plants, mostly cacti and many succulents that can thrive outdoors.
The fact is that most Greeks love these plants, there is hardly any balcony, small yard or garden in Greece without
cacti or succulents and several species have become naturalized. Yet unfortunately, we do not have any C&S gardens
in Greece. In general, horticulture of ornamentals was never much developed in our country. Greece was a poor
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country and like most of the Balkan nations has a long disturbing history of wars, occupations, dictatorships, foreign
interventions and it does not seem to ever end, does it? So horticulture was destined for sustenance not for
beauty. The Hellenic Cactus and Succulent Society founded, if I remember correctly, 13 years ago and numbering
about 100 members has establish a reference collection in a small greenhouse and there are a couple of other efforts
in this direction but nothing of the magnitude and complexity you and I are thinking.
Certainly the creation of large well designed C&S gardens would expose more people to the enormous variety and
alluring beauty of C&S and attract more of them to the hobby. However, to address your question, what enthusiasts
must do to inspire neophytes? The answer is simple: they must share; they must share their passion and enthusiasm,
they must share plants and seeds, they must share their homes or greenhouses, but above all they must share their
knowledge and experience. There is a vast amount of hard earned knowledge within each one of us and it is our
responsibility to pass it on to others. There is nothing that would boost the enthusiasm of new collectors more, than
their ability to grow a perfect golden specimen of Echinocactus grusonii, not to mention a rocky Ariocarpus fissuratus!
Fig. 36 An Ariocarpus retusus form growing at 2,260 meters above sea level in Tamaulipas (top left).
Fig. 37 A rare and happy encounter with an Ariocarpus retusus crest in Nuevo Leon (top right).
Fig. 38 The southernmost form of the Ariocarpus retusus complex, known as Ariocarpus retusus ssp. scapharostroides, SLP;
note the fully exposed tiny seedlings at 11 oclock (photographed in November) (bottom left).
Fig. 39 Another attractive Ariocarpus retusus form, from Zacatecas (bottom right).
: Thank you again, Dr. Laras for this kind contribution to our knowledge free sharing effort.
Dr. Andreas Laras: The pleasure was mine Dag and if any of your readers want to ask me more about cultivation
problems or techniques, I do not feel I said enough about the subject, I will be happy to communicate and help.
1
Varianta romn este disponibil n Anexa 1.
Interviul n limba romn este disponibil n Anexa 2.

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Contributions
Leccinum J. Garca Morales - On the Turbinicarpus of Tamaulipas, part 1
On the Turbinicarpus of Tamaulipas, part 1

by Leccinum J. Garca Morales
Herbarium of the Museo de Historia Natural de Tamaulipas, TAMUX
Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas, Mxico
My interest in cacti started some near 20 years ago in 1994, when still a young boy; at that time frequent travels
from Tamaulipas to Coahuila increased the number of specimens in my incipient collection. Soon after, in 1996, the
Asociacin Cactolgica Tamaulipeca of Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas The Tamaulipas Cactus Association was
started, leaded back then by Mrs. Virgina Togno, a politician and great enthusiast of the cacti of Tamaulipas. Then
immediately we (together with my father as I was still a minor aged boy) joined this new formed group. After that,
everything was much easier; we first recorded all the specimens from our privates collections with the then recently
created SEMARNAP authorities (now SEMARNAT), as we all got at least part of our plants from the field. We have to
admit that this put us immediately on the spot in the face of the authorities, as we all kept some large field collected
plants from almost all over Northern Mxico, specialists and amateurs inside the group as well. However, that also
allowed us to report our findings in the field to people from this government agency - the Environmental Agency of
Mxico. Collecting permits began to be grated for the purpose of exploring and serving as basis for the Cactus
Collection of Tamaulipas, but there were not so easy to get at that time. The entire process lasted more than 6
months and in the end you got an authorization valid for the current year, so you have to re-apply year in, year out,
and therefore little time was left for collecting and exploration indeed. We also needed some time for sending
reports on the new collected specimens by each authorized member. Important results were accomplished
especially with the discovery of new cactus species by some of the members of the group (e.g. Turbinicarpus
nieblae), described by us few years later.
Fig. 1, 2 The habitat of T. saueri ssp. saueri, Jaumave Valley, March 2013, note the alteration on the place due to the
drought and fire. A couple of plants of T. saueri ssp. saueri in habitat, March 2013, not affected by fire or drought.
New records and new cactus populations of was a constant happening on each field trip, we got of course some
references about the richness of the Tamaulipas cactus populations, but after some years of explorations that
number was overpassed, even with the discovery of then not yet described species, some of them being later
described by other authors from neighbouring states.
The taxonomy of Cactaceae in the 1990s was quite different from what we know now, I must say that it changed
drastically each year because the use of the improved genetic tools helping to better understand their relationships,
but still not completely understood. I must admit that, as a young boy at junior school, I got special skills for
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understand the taxonomy of several of the species, but not for all. However, I combined the passion for cactus
cultivation with interest for the cactus taxonomy and, of course, got the right books at the time. This allowed me to
make assumptions and even descriptions of several species, some still not yet published.
Fig. 3, 4 An offsetting plant of T. saueri ssp. saueri, almost never seen in field or cultivated plants, probably a response to a
previous damage. A beautiful plant of Turbinicarpus saueri ssp. saueri with flowers in habitat, May 2013.
The case of Turbinicarpus is a must tell history, as the moments I found some species in field go back more than 15
years ago. At the end of the 1990s and beginning of the 2000s a frenzy for the discovery of new Turbis was
started; several new taxa from North-eastern Mxico and Central Mxico were found and described, mostly by
Czech, German and Italian amateurs, with some North Americans wanting to do the same. At the same time,
Mexican environmental politics were toughened and several European, Japanese and North American citizens were
caught with field collected plants; some were fined, some jailed and some expulsed forever from Mxico, but this did
not stop the discovery (and the illegal collecting) of new plants every year.
Fig. 5, 6 Habitat near the place of Turbinicarpus viereckii ssp. viereckii, South Jaumave Valley, March 2013.
A big clump of Turbinicarpus vierekcii ssp. viereckii in habitat, April 2002.

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The first part of this article will consider the species of Turbinicarpus subgenus Gymnocactus existing now in
Tamaulipas, Mxico; they are usually are the bigger species of the genus. The second part is dedicated to the rest of
species found in Tamaulipas, the smaller of the genus.
Fig. 7, 8 A small clustering plant of Turbinicarpus viereckii ssp. viereckii in habitat, April 2002.
A field flowering specimen of T. viereckii ssp. viereckii, March 2003.
We, as an organized group, made trips every time possible. I financed this with my Sundays tips, since I saved as
much as possible to pay for the gasoline and drive in the field as far as we could. My first Turbinicarpus collection
happened on October 29th 1995, when my friend Kurt Bergmann, his son and I travelled into the Eastern part of the
Jaumave Valley. We were looking for a mythical species that supposedly grew within the valley, we certainly had
some references of the place, but at that time the GPS devices were only for rich people. In that day we travelled to
many places in the valley and we were pretty sure we will not going to find the plant in a single afternoon. We
searched on a long hill for some hours, but when the sun just almost disappeared, Kurt and his son walked quickly
the steep down hill, as the car was almost one kilometer away. As usually, I stayed last and took another route down
hill, full of spiny Hechtia sp. and Agave lechuguilla. It was almost dark when, close to a river bed, I saw a few white
puffs of curly spines of the Turbinicarpus saueri ssp. saueri between rocks in a small spot Here they are I yelled
loudly surprising the rest they arrived few minutes later late as they had to get back up here, and they were
ahead some 200 meters.
Fig. 9, 10 The habitat of T. viereckii ssp. neglectus, besides the Ro Guayalejo, along with Neobuxbaumia euphorbioides and
Pilosocereus leucocephalus, were the plants grow on those big vertical cliff rocky walls. A group of single headed plants of
T. viereckii ssp. neglectus at its type locality, growing on the fissures of big rock walls. Photo: Manfred Stober

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That was my first encounter with such an interesting group of plants in habitat. We collected only few specimens, as
we did not see more than a dozen in the field; later in July 1997, the SEMARNAP authorities came with us to lead
them to the location of this endangered species and they took the GPS data. In 2008 the place suffered of severe
forest fires and burned part of the populations of the species; more, the severe drought that occurred at the valley
damaged and killed also several specimens, so the few known populations must be considerate as endangered now.
Fig. 11, 12 A view on the habitat of Turbinicarpus viereckii ssp. reconditus, at the North of the Jaumave Valley.
A flowering specimen of T. viereckii ssp. reconditus in habitat. Photos: Daniel Labhart
After finding my first Turbinicarpus saueri, almost one year later, we went to explore again the extreme south of the
Jaumave Valley. We were looking this time for Turbinicarpus viereckii, known at that time only from the scarcely
populated type locality in the southern edge of the valley. However, we managed to discover the largest single
population in an isolated place, on August the 10th 1996, while exploring a remote creek west from the type locality.
The plants grew in clusters, mostly on near vertical walls of the mountain, surrounded by Mammillaria klissingiana
clumps, Agave lechuguilla and Hechtia plants, among other succulents. The walk to that particular place is always
tough; most of the plants we touch during the entire walk have spines or thorns that scratch your jeans, shirt and skin,
making it painfully difficult to reach the place; this was perhaps a reminder that we must respect these plants in habitat.
Fig. 13, 14 Habitat of Turbinicarpus nieblae, near San Carlos, Tamaulipas.

Turbinicarpus nieblae growing among grasses in the type locality location.
By the time, we recognized that the plants from near the Nogales River were kind of different - all single headed -
and with darker spines, growing isolated from the main population. We thought that a description of the plant was
necessary, but we got notice that it was in process of being described already by some Europeans, and it was later
described indeed as Turbinicarpus viereckii ssp. neglectus by Donati and Zanovello in 2005, finally, after many years
of waiting. This species is in severe danger of extinction, as only a couple of dozen of plants are known to occur in
field now, but that is perhaps because of the inaccessibility of the location due to the vertical cliffs and rock walls

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beside a river canyon; probably more plants will be found on those walls if thoroughly explored. Turbinicarpus
viereckii ssp. neglectus shares here the habitat with the northernmost known populations of Neobuxbaumia
euphorbioides and Pachyphytum werdermanni.
Fig. 15, 16 A flowering specimen of Turbinicarps nieblae prior to its preservation as the type series
A field specimen of T. nieblae showing their main characters, particularly the small account of spines.
Although not many more novelties from the area were expected to be discovered, another new subspecies of the
Turbinicarpus viereckii complex was found in the extreme north of the Valley of Jaumave by Daniel Labhart, who
described Turbinicarpus viereckii ssp. reconditus in 2012, a very interesting plant indeed, which deserves more
studies.
Fig. 17, 18 The type locality of T. saueri ssp. gonzalezii, in the border of Tamaulipas and Nuevo Len States, near the town
of San Carlos. T. saueri ssp. gonzalezii with flowers in habitat, February 2010. Photo: Manuel Salazar Gonzlez.
In June 2000 I got a couple of plants collected by Mr. Sergio Niebla near San Carlos, Tamaulipas, he maintained very
insistently they are Mammillaria, but as soon I saw them I recognized they are members of the genus Turbinicarpus.
At that time the taxonomy of the group just had changed and Gymnocactus was incorporated into Turbinicarpus as a
subgenus. In January 2001 I had the chance to explore a local ranch, far from the first location of this new
Turbinicarpus, guided by a school colleague from Victoria, Edilia Martnez, who was preparing her thesis work on
cacti from the area. She collected a single specimen from an uncommon place - the side of the road leading to a local
ranch, but she did not know what this species was, cactus species keys did not helped at all So, I was invited to
have a look. We started our walk at about mid-day and some meters away from the main road she pointed to where
the plant was, amazingly on the very side of the dirt road, surrounded by a very high Matorral Espinoso Tamaulipeco
type vegetation the endemic Tamaulipan thorn scrub a very uncommon place for any species of Turbinicarpus
indeed, or for any other cactus species. The road was long, extending some kilometres inside the ranch so I

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suggested walking a bit more, probably there should be a place nearby from where the plant came and so it was!
After a mile we crossed a small creek and close nearby there was a small hill with low vegetation - thats the place I
said to her; meanwhile she did not believe me and had a laugh. In that place we saw Ariocarpus trigonus, which was
a good indicator, and also other species growing close to the road. I focused then on a rocky gentle slope of the hill
side and looked for plant and surprisingly there it was! Dozens of specimens of the new Turbinicarpus! I collected still
very excited some plants to begin the studies and preservation plans for the new species.
Fig. 19, 20 The habitat of T. saueri ssp. ysabelae, near the town of Tula, Tamaulipas. March, 2013, note the completely
damaged place due to cutting of the shrubs by locals. T. saueri ssp. ysabelae with flowers in habitat, February 2003.
By mid 2004 we learned about some Czechs, who were going to describe a new Turbinicarpus from the area too. We
urgently started work on it and finally, at the end 2004, we officially described it as Turbinicarpus nieblae. We did not
find a relation of this new species with other members of the T. saueri complex then, but certainly we did find with
the closely related species known at the time: T. laui and T. swobodae, the first from San Luis Potos State and the
later from Nuevo Len State, however, all growing far away from the habitat of this new plant. Few weeks later, at
the beginning of 2005, another closely related taxon was described by the Czechs, collected from several kilometers
north of the known populations of T. nieblae, but near the political limits of Nuevo Len State, a plant having
different evident characters: T. saueri ssp. gonzalezii, now known from several other locations in Nuevo Len State.
Fig. 21, 22 The habitat of T. saueri ssp. nelissae, near the town of Bustamante, Tamaulipas, growing among open places in a
Juniperus and Quercus forest. A mature plant of T. saueri ssp. nelissae with flowers in habitat, March 2013.
At the same time when we were describing T. nieblae another member of this interesting unknown complex of related
February 2003.
species was described from the North-Central Nuevo Len State as T. saueri ssp. septentrionalis, the northernmost
population of this small group of species. We still think all these plants are different, T. nieblae being the subspecies
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with the lowest number of spines count and probably the largest flowers for this group of taxa that grow outside the
Chihuahuan Desert Eco-region. However, it is just amazing that three new taxa of close related Turbinicarpus were
described almost at same time from different places that supposedly shouldnt contain any turbis indeed.
Fig. 23, 24 Habitat of T. saueri ssp. verduzcoi, near Bustamante, Tamaulipas, October 2013, along with Dasylirion
quadrangulatum, Hechtia hernandez-sandovali and Pinus nelsonii. A flowering plant of T. saueri ssp. verduzcoi in habitat,
March 2013, showing the purplish colored epidermis after the exposure to cold and direct sunlight in winter season.
Returning now to the south of Tamaulipas: the Turbinicarpus saueri complex is also known by other 3 taxa, all
endemic of 3 small areas. We were very fortunate toFebruary
visit the2003.
population of T. saueri ssp. ysabelae, from near Tula, in
2001. A bit later also the recently described T. saueri ssp. nelissae, from near Bustamante, and recently the habitat of
T. saueri ssp. verduzcoi also close to the Bustamante town. These latter plants probably just belong to a forma or
variety of T. saueri ssp. nelissae, that grow in a much dryer and open places, but time will define them as being
different when such adaptations force them to become more and more dissimilar; both grow near the 2000 meters
altitude mark. T. saueri ssp. ysabelae is by now very distinctive in the group, so that several authors also place the
species as an independent one; it grows in a dry open rosette-scrubland. On the contrary, Turbinicarpus saueri ssp.
nelissae and T. saueri ssp. verduzcoi grow in transitional areas of oak forest and scrubland, these being the close
relatives of T. saueri ssp. saueri that grows in the Jaumave Valley. We must keep in mind that the taxonomy of these
plants is merely artificial for most of the species, being described as they were found, and do not reflect any natural
or phylogenetic arrangement of the group.
Fig. 25, 26 The habitat of Turbinicarpus viereckii ssp. major in Tamaulipas, growing in colonies among Hechtia plants, April
2013. An uncommon crestated form of Turbinicarpus viereckii ssp. major in habitat, showing a well-developed fasciation of
the plant and flower remains, April 2013.
Volume 2, No. 4 (7) December 2013 February 2003. 39

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I will conclude that from the entire Turbinicarpus saueri complex taxa, six of seven of them grow in Tamaulipas and
all are endangered due to human activities, cattle grazing, and particularly by illegal collecting of specimens,
documented each time we visit the places. The climate change is also a trouble, as many specimens seen in some
locations, like at T. saueri ssp. saueri have died because the extreme drought periods that occurred in the Jaumave
Valley. At the same time forest fires were documented at this and other Turbinicarpus locations, but most of those
are natural phenomena we cant avoid.
Fig. 27, 28 A flowering specimen of T. viereckii ssp. major, showing their typical strong central spines and whitish flowers,
July 2013. A clump of several generations of T. viereckii ssp. major growing under the protection of Hechtia plants, April 2013.
Another very interesting species found at extreme Southwest Tamaulipas is Turbinicarpus viereckii ssp. major, of which
some authors think it should be better treated as an independent species from the Turbinicarpus viereckii complex
endemic of the Jaumave Valley and close related also with the endemic Turbinicarpus gielsdorfianus from North San
Luis Potos State. However, in my opinion I find more suitable to be included in the T. viereckii complex, even if some
characters do not match completely with the group. We have found at two different locations in Tamaulipas, west Tula;
one is near the border with San Luis Potos State, the second in near the border with Nuevo Len State. Contrary to the
rest of Turbinicarpus species, except perhaps T. beguinii, this taxon does not suffer of the extreme environmental
pressure as their cousins, and usually is found in considerably amounts in its habitat, at least in Tamaulipas. It was
suggested to me that the northern populations and the southern populations belong to two different species or
varieties; we could not confirm this, because several locations from San Luis Potos are quite scarce in individuals.
Fig. 29 The green Valley of Bustamante, Tamaulipas, after a very abnormal rainy season, October 2013.

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Despre turbinicarpuii din Tamaulipas, partea 1-a
de Leccinum J. Garca Morales
(traducere prescurtat)
Interesul meu pentru cactui a nceput acum 20 de ani, n 1994, cnd, n urma cltoriilor frecvente n Tamaulipas
i Coahuila, mi-am sporit colecia incipient de cactui. Curnd, n 1996, a luat fiin Asociaia colecionarilor de
cactui din Tamaulipas, condus pe atunci de d-na Virgina Togno, politician local i mare iubitoare de cactui.
Fiind nc minor, a trebuit s m nscriu mpreun cu tatl meu. A trebuit ns s ne nregistrm specimenele
colectate din natur cu nou nfiinata agenie SEMARNAP (n prezent SEMARNAT). Acest lucru a contribuit ns la o
mai bun cunoatere a noilor descoperiri din teren de ctre funcionarii Ageniei de Mediu mexicane. Se puteau
obine permise anuale pentru colectare i cercetare i pentru formarea coleciei statului Tamaulipas, procesul era
greoi iar fiecare membru autorizat trebuia s trimit rapoarte despre specimenele colectate. Dar, cum la fiecare
ieire n teren erau descoperite noi i noi populaii, s-a putut forma n timp o opinie n privina bogiei de specii
de pe teritoriul statului Tamaulipas, inclusiv specii care nu au fost descrise nc sau specii care au fost descrise
ulterior n baza unor colecii efectuate pe teritoriul altor state.
Taxonomia cactaceelor era destul de diferit n anii 1990 de cea din prezent. A trebuit s mbin deci pasiunea
pentru cactui cu interesul pentru taxonomia lor, ajutat i de consultarea unor cri adecvate. Acest lucru mi-a
permis s fac diverse presupuneri i chiar s descriu mai multe specii, unele nc nepublicate. Primele exemplare
de Turbinicarpus le-am ntlnit n teren acum mai bine de 15 ani, n perioada n care se strnise o frenezie pentru
descoperirea de specii noi, unele fiind descrise mai ales de amatori cehi, dar i germani sau italieni, civa
americani fiind i ei foarte dornici de astfel de performane. n aceeai perioad, politica de protecie a mediului a
fost nsprit, astfel c mai muli europeni, japonezi sau nord-americani care au fost prini cu material colectat din
natur au fost amendai sau expulzai definitiv din Mexic. n prima parte voi trata plantele mai mari ale sub-
genului Gymnocactus, iar restul plantelor n partea a 2-a.
Prima colectare a unui Turbinicarpus a avut loc pe 25 octombrie 1995, cnd, mpreun cu Kurt Bergmann i fiul
su, am cltorit n partea estic a vii Jaumave. Am cutat ndelung pe versantul unui deal fr s gsim nimic,
pn cnd soarele a nceput s apun. Kurt i fiul su au nceput s coboare n vale, spre maina aflat la aproape
1 km distan, eu lund o rut diferit, printre Hechtia sp. i Agave lechuguilla. Aproape de albia unui ru am vzut
Turbinicarpus saueri ssp. saueri printre pietre. Am colectat numai cteva specimene, ntruct nu am vzut mai
mult de o duzin de exemplare mature. Ulterior, n iulie 1997, am revenit nsoit de ageni SEMARNAP care a u luat
coordonatele GPS. n 2008 acel loc a fost afectat de incendii forestiere, care au distrus parte din exemplare. Seceta
puternic care a urmat a mai omort cu siguran i alte exemplare, astfel c aceast populaie este periclitat. Pe
10 august 1996, pe cnd exploram sudul vii Jaumave, am descoperit o mic populaie de Turbinicarpus viereckii,
la vest de localitatea tipului. Plantele creteau pe perei aproape verticali, alturi de Mammillaria klissingiana,
Agave lechuguilla, Hechtia sp. i alte plante suculente.
n acea perioad remarcasem deja c plantele din apropierea rului Nogales erau oarecum diferite, toate solitare,
cu spinii mai nchii la culoare, crescnd izolate de populaia principal. Am considerat c este necesar o
descriere a acestei plante. Am aflat ns c civa europeni lucrau la aa ceva, fiind publicat ntr-adevar n 2005
de Donati i Zanovello sub numele de Turbinicarpus viereckii ssp. neglectus. Acest taxon este n pragul extinciei,
numai dou duzini de plante fiind cunoscute n prezent n teren. Posibil ns ca multe plante s existe n zone
neexplorate pereii verticali ai unui canion. T. viereckii ssp. neglectus mparte habitatul cu cele mai nordice
populaii ale Neobuxbaumia euphorbioides i Pachyphytum werdermanni. Daniel Labhart a mai descris n 2012

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Turbinicarpus viereckii ssp. reconditus, un alt membru al complexului T. viereckii, din nordul extrem al vii
Jaumave.
n iunie 2000 am primit dou plante colectate de Sergio Niebla de lng San Carlos, Tamaulipas, despre care
credea c sunt Mammillaria, dar eu am recunoscut imediat c aparin genului Turbinicarpus. n ianuarie 2001 am
avut ocazia s explorez mpreun cu Edilia Martnez flora local, la mare distan ns de locaia acestui nou
Turbinicarpus. Ea colectase de pe marginea unui drum o specie necunoscut, aa c m-a invitat s arunc i eu o
privire. Mi-a artat unde se gsea planta la numai civa metri de marginea drumului, nconjurat de tufiuri
spinoase xerice specifice n Tamaulipas. I-am sugerat s ne deplasm n continuare pe drumul din pmnt i dup
o mil am traversat un mic pru dup care am dat peste un deal scund, acoperit de vegetaie scund. Aici am
observat Ariocarpus trigonus i alte cteva specii crescnd pn la marginea drumului. Mi-am concentrat cutarea
pe o pant pietroas i iat duzini de specimene ale noului Turbinicarpus! Am colectat, nc foarte entuziasmat,
cteva exemplare pentru studiu i planul de conservare al speciei.
Pe la mijlocul anului 2004 am aflat c exploratori cehi urmreau s descrie un nou Turbinicarpus descoperit n
aceeai zon, aa nct ne-am grbit s publicm oficial Turbinicarpus nieblae spre sfritul aceluiai an. Nu am
putut gsi nici o relaie direct ntre aceast specie nou i membri ai complexului T. saueri, dar am observat n
schimb similitudini cu T. laui i T. swobodae, habitatul ambelor aflndu-se ns la mare distan. Cehii au descris
ns la nceputul anului 2005 un alt taxon colectat doar civa km mai la nord, nrudit dar prezentnd i caractere
diferite evidente: T. saueri ssp. gonzalezii, cunoscut acum din mai multe locaii din statul Nuevo Len. Tot atunci a
fost descris i T. saueri ssp. septentrionalis, cea mai nordic populaie a acestui grup de specii. Suntem convini c
toate aceste plante sunt diferite, T. nieblae avnd cel mai mic numr de spini i n acelai timp floarea cea mai
mare. Este ns remarcabil c toi cei trei taxoni au fost descrii aproape simultan i provin dintr-o zon despre
care se credea c nu conin turbinicarpui.
n sudul statului Tamaulipas complexul Turbinicarpus saueri este cunocut i prin ali trei taxoni endemici zonei.
Ulterior am vizitat populaia de T. saueri ssp. ysabelae de lng Tula n 2001, iar puin mai trziu i recent descrisul
T. saueri ssp. nelissae, de lng Bustamante. Ultimul a fost T. saueri ssp. verduzcoi, tot de lng Bustamante.
Plantele din urm aparin foarte probabil unei forme sau varieti ale T. saueri ssp. nelissae, dar cresc n spaii mai
deschise i mai uscate, la aproximativ 2000 metri altitudine. T. saueri ssp. ysabelae se distinge de asemenea n
cadrul grupului i crete n locuri uscate, printre plante care formeaz rozete. Turbinicarpus saueri ssp. nelissae i
T. saueri ssp. verduzcoi populeaz n schimb zone de tranziie ntre tufiurile xerice i pdurile de stejar, acetia
fiind rudele cele mai apropiate ale T. saueri ssp. saueri din valea Jaumave. Trebuie s inem cont de faptul c
taxonomia acestor plante este doar artificial pentru majoritatea speciilor, fiindc au fost descrise separat, pe
msur ce au fost descoperite i nu reflect n nici un fel structura natural sau filogenetic n cadrul grupului.
n final trebuie precizat c toi taxonii grupului T. saueri 6 sau 7 se ntlnesc n Tamaulipas i sunt periclitai de
activiti umane, punat, n mod special de colectarea ilegal de specimene fapt documentat de noi la fiecare
vizit n teren. Seceta i focurile naturale produc de asemenea pagube, dar acestea sunt fenomene naturale care
nu pot fi evitate.
O alt specie interesant din sud-vestul extrem al statului Tamaulipas este Turbinicarpus viereckii ssp. major, pe
care unii autori consider c ar trebui tratat separat de complexul T. viereckii ntruct este apropiat de
Turbinicarpus gielsdorfianus din nordul statului San Luis Potos. n opinia mea, aceast plant trebuie inclus n
complexul T. viereckii chiar dac unele caractere nu se ncadreaz perfect n grup. Am descoperit dou locaii
diferite, la vest de Tula. Spre deosebire de restul speciilor de Turbinicarpus, poate numai cu excepia T. beguinii,
acest taxon nu sufer ca urmare a presiunii extreme a mediului i este ntlnit n numr mare, cel puin n
Tamaulipas. S-a sugerat de asemenea c populaiile nordice i respectiv sudice aparin unei varieti diferite, dar
nu am putut confirma acest aspect datorit numrului prea redus de exemplare cuprinse n cele cteva populaii
din San Luis Potos.
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Connoisseur's Notes
Aymeric de Barmon
Aymeric de Barmon has been interested in cacti since childhood. He lives in France and focuses on
studies of plant biology in cultivation, especially in regards to seed production process, which is rarely
documented. Within this activity he likes photographing and making weekly reports on plants life in
(*)
cultivation. Self-fertility/sterility, dioecy and other observations are checked and refined each season.
In 2006 he setup ADBLPS to sell seeds produced mostly in his greenhouse. Mother plants are all grown
from seeds with a few exceptions and challenging taxa for seeds production are much cared after. He is
very grateful to all friends who are constantly helping him all the way long.
The Genus Austrocactus

by Aymeric de Barmon, Pont-sur-Yonne, France
Austrocactus plants come from a very remote part of South America. This has prevented close investigations on
those plants until recently. In this context current taxonomy for this group is still quite confusing. This short article
will report cultivation notes made during the last decade in Western Europe.
Basically there are three groups of plants within this genus:

1. Andean plants making clumps of decumbent stems and golden flowers
2. Lowland plants with cream/orange flowers
3. The plant near Santiago de Chile (A. spiniflorus)
Plants from the first group have several names (A. hibernus, A. philippi, A. gracilis).
Fig. 1, 2 Austrocactus hibernus. Plants comfortable with

snow in December, direct sun is not mandatory in winter.
Austrocactus hibernus. Flower in May, despite having a
style all flowers of this plant are unable to develop
fruits/seeds.
They are very frost hardy and do not appreciate dry

winters. Strangely they are fully turgid when grown
outside without rain protection in winter and this does
not decrease their hardiness. Sun is not essential at that
time. These conditions seem necessary for the plants to
be healthy and able to flower in spring. Dry winters induce weak growing and smaller spines, after a few years the
plants eventually die. In spring/summer those cacti revert to standard requirements and an excess of water can
produce rot. Best period for cutting is fall due to the large water intake during cold weather.
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Aymeric de Barmon The Genus Austrocactus
Ritter mentions dioecy for his A. hibernus (reference 4, p909). This is consistent with personal observations. All
plants that Ive observed have identical flowers but some clones never set fruits despite cross-pollination. Seeds
germination is usually good without any special treatment.
Second group is quite variable with some large solitary plants and smaller clumping forms (A. patagonicus, A. bertini,
A. intertextus, A. ferrarii, A. coxii...)
Fig. 3, 4 Austrocactus coxii. Flower bud in April.

Austrocactus coxii. Deshiscent fruit in June.
Fig. 5, 6 Austrocactus coxii. Plant kept very dry plant during winter, at this stage recovering in spring is problematic.
Austrocactus patagonicus Buen Pasto. Flower in May, sprawling form of a plant from group 2.
Dry winter is less an issue than for the former group but frost hardiness is identical. Dioecy is also present but with
transitional steps, some plants being self-fertile other self-sterile and individuals amongst them rarely set fruits and,
when this occurs, fruits are small with few seeds. When the weather is not too hot spare flowers can develop in
summer.
Seeds germination is often poor without additional help (manual or chemical scarification, cold effect).
In both groups stems quickly develop into zygomorphic shapes. The upper part of the stems bear the largest spines
and flowers buds only appears there. Closest relatives seem to be Eriosyce/Pyrrhocactus.

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Fig. 7, 8 Austrocactus patagonicus Peninsula Valdez 50 m. One month old seedlings.

Austrocactus patagonicus. Rotted plant one week after flowers withering in bad weather.
Fig. 9, 10 Austrocactus spiniflorus Las Aranas 1600 m. Very large flower in June (9 cm pot) and very large fleshy fruit.
Last group consisting only of A. spiniflorus does not fit very comfortably in Austrocactus. Placed here, it might
make this genus polyphyletic.
Fig. 11, 12 Austrocactus spiniflorus Las Aranas 1600 m. Fruit section, indehisence and pulp to be noticed.
Austrocactus spiniflorus. Tuberous roots, unlike groups 1 & 2.

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Amongst the features not shared with the other Austrocactus species are:
Stoloniferous habit
Non zygomorph stems
Fleshy fruits that can persist more than one year on the plants
Much less frost hardy than the two other groups (-10 C is a lethal temperature)
No dioecy observed so far.
Corryocactus would a better genus to accommodate this group.
References :
1. KuaS 62 (1) 2011, Auf der suche nach Austrocactus intertextus, Elisabeth Sarnes & Norbert Sarnes
2. KuaS 63 (12) 2012, Austrocactus ferrarii (Cactaceae) der nrdischte Vertreter der Gattung Austrocactus, Elisabeth
Sarnes, Norbert Sarnes & Roberto Kiesling.
3. Englera 16, Eggli-Schick-Leuenberger, 1995, p 180/271
4. Kakteen in Sudamerika, Band 3, Ritter, 1981, p 907
5. The New Cactus Lexicon, DH Books, 2006
(*) The term dioecy (comes from Greek, meaning "two households"; in adjectival form: dioecious), refers to organisms having
distinct male and female morphological features or organs. Dioecy refers primarily to plants, as for animals the coined term is
gonochory.
Genul Austrocactus
by Aymeric de Barmon, Pont-sur-Yonne, France
(Abstract)
Articolul prezint succint cele trei grupe ale genului Austrocactus, un gen puin cunoscut i cu o taxonomie confuz:
1. Plantele andine cu tulpini trtoare i flori aurii;

2. Plantele de es cu flori crem sau portocalii;
3. O plant din vecintatea Santiago de Chile (A. spiniflorus).
Plantele din primul grup (A. hibernus, A. philippi, A. gracilis) sunt rezistente la ger i accept ierni umede; iernate pe
uscat produc o cretere debil n sezonul urmtor i nu nfloresc. Pe timpul primverii/verii plantele revin la cerinele
obinuite de cultivare a cactuilor putnd fi ucise de excesul de ap. Sunt plante dioice (*).
Grupul al 2-lea este mai eterogen, cuprinznd att plante solitare ct i plante mai mici care lstresc (A.
patagonicus, A. bertini, A. intertextus, A. ferrarii, A. coxii...). Iernarea umed nu mai este esenial, dar sunt la fel de
rezistente la ger. i acest grup conine plante dioice, dar exist o anumit gradare unele specii sunt auto-sterile,
altele sunt auto-fertile.
n ambele grupuri tulpinile se dezvolt rapid, lund forme zigomorfe. Par nrudite mai ndeaproape cu
Eriosyce/Pyrrhocactus.
Ultimul grup este format dintr-o singur specie - A. spiniflorus, care nu se ncadreaz perfect n gen datorit unor
caracterisitici distincte: este stolonifer, nu formeaz tulpini zigomorfe, are fructe crnoase care persist mai mult de
un an, este mai puin rezistent la ger (-10 C este fatal), iar din obsevaiile la zi nu pare a fi dioic.
Corryocactus ar fi o alegere mai bun pentru ncadrarea acestei specii.
(*)dioic - (despre plante unisexuate). Care are florile mascule i femele pe tulpini diferite ale aceleiai specii.

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Ecology -Contributions
Biology - Conservation
A very sad story
by Dr. Andreas Laras
A rare occurrence at the brilliant gypsum habitat of Geohintonia mexicana and Aztekium hintonii. Despite their
massive numbers such a happy coexistence, perfect for a joined portrait, is not at all common, so I was ecstatic to
stumble upon it.
However, an unexpected drama unfolded overnight and the next morning found the Geohintonia completely devoured
and the Aztekium half-eaten by grazing animals, donkeys or more likely goats, both beasts lurking at the site.
I felt very sad and most ambivalent. On one hand, I felt lucky or even destined to have immortalized the moment
before it was for ever lost. On the other, I could not help but think that my intrusion had disturbed some cosmic
balance or had triggered some Heisenbergian sequence of events that led to the plants demise. Or even that the
observing animals mistook my photographic interest for culinary suggestion.
Introspective speculation aside, this incidence is an illustrative example for the serious and escalating danger imposed
by grazing livestock on wild plant populations, including those that are considered safe from other human activities.

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Contributions
Judd Kirkel Welwitch Six desert bulbous plants from South Africa
Six desert bulbous plants from South Africa

by Judd Kirkel Welwitch, Johannesburg, South Africa
www.wildsucculent.co.za
(E-mail) juddkirkel@yahoo.com
Photography - copyright 2013: Judd Kirkel Welwitch
Introduction
This article aims to introduce the reader to some of the desert bulbs that are found in South Africas arid north
regions. These six species are distributed in the Northern Cape area of The Cape Province of South Africa and the
Western regions of the Richtersveld zone. This area is notorious for its succulent flora, but thats not all as there are
many other groups of wildflowers represented here. Bulbous plants create another big grouping of flora in this
amazing area resembling a desert.
The following six bulb species will be under discussion:

Lachenalia buchubergensis (fam. Hyacinthaceae)
Strumaria bidentata (fam. Amaryllidaceae)
Gladiolus saccatus (fam. Iridaceae)
Babiana namaquensis (fam. Iridaceae)
Brunsvigia pulchra (fam. Amaryllidaceae)
Colchicum circinatum subsp. circinatum (fam. Colchicaceae)
Lachenalia buchubergensis (Dinter)
Lachenalias belong in the family called

Hyacinthaceae. The Genus Lachenalia was
named after a Professor of Botany in Basal,
Switzerland, Werner De La Chenal (1736-1800).
Bulbs in this group are subterranean and have
linear to lanceolate leaves. The inflorescence is
usually a spike or raceme with the main axis
sometimes swollen. Flowers are usually sessile
or stalked, tubular or campanulate and have
different colours. Colours vary from purples,
browns, yellows to greens. There are various
species available on the horticultural market for
use in gardens and displays. They are relatively
easy to grow and get to flowering stage in a
short period of time. They are popular amongst
collectors. Buchubergensis is named after the
Buchuberg Mountains in South Western Namibia
where this plant is also known to occur. It is a
dwarf geophyte which gets about 10 cm high.
The leaf is blotched and has a zebra like
appearance. The flowers are sessile with outer
tepals olive to blue green, with a greenish to
brown thickening near the tip, inner tepals

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protruding with a bright green to purple coloured tip. This plant is known to be in flower at peak in July time. The
distribution is known to be in the southern Namib deserts and Northern Cape region. This specimen was
photographed in the Western Richtersveld Gariep zone.
Strumaria bidentata (Schinz)

This extraordinary bulb will leave you breathless.
Against the desert sands it stands out with its
white flowers and typical maroon stamens. It is
hard to believe that this small flower is in the
Amaryllidaceae family. The flowers appear by
themselves before the leaves emerge. It gives a
strange look as they are just flowers on stalks
emerging out of the desert sands. Plants get
about 12cm high and have a dense umbel
inflorescence up to 3 cm across. The white
flowers contrast well with the reddish maroon
anthers making this bulb easy to identify. The
most interesting fact is that after the flower is
pollinated the inflorescence bends over to the
side and dispels the seeds after reaching
maturity. This is very strange as other amaryllis
family bulbs actually detach and loose the whole
fruiting head and the tumbleweed structure rolls
free over the landscape thus expelling the seeds.
The fruiting head on this Strumaria species stays
on the plant.

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After the flowers have passed their best, the 2 leaves will emerge which are narrow and tongue like. This plants
distribution is in the open, dry sand dune areas of the North Western Richtersveld zone.
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Babiana namaquensis (Baker)
This bulb, included in the Iridaceae family of plants, is a low growing deciduous perennial geophyte with typical
narrow, oblong curling leaves. Its flower is often eaten by insects and is short lived. The flowers are sweet and highly
scented. Flowering time is June and July. The geology it is associated with is dolomite and schist and it is often seen
wedged in cracks of these rocks. Collected from areas around Port Nolloth and Buchuberg in South-western Namibia
region, but mainly occurs around Alexander Bay region.
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Gladiolus saccatus (Klatt) Goldblatt & M.P. de Vos
This is known locally as the spoon Gladiolus, as the red flowers resemble spoons. This is a more widespread species
than the others and occurs from Richtersveld down into Namaqualand and further south into parts of the Cedarberg
Mountains. You are most likely to encounter this species if traveling in these areas from June August. The peak
flowering time is July. Plants can get 25 -80 cm high and can have 8-12 spoon flowers at a time. The flower spikes are
angled at a strong incline of about 45 degrees and the flowers are arranged vertical off this angled spike. Located on
dry shale slopes, I found plants on a south westerly aspect of the hill.

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Brunsvigia pulchra (W.F.Barker) D.Mull- Doblies & U.Mull-Doblies
Pulchra means beautiful of its kind and this is truly a spectacular sight. This perennial geophyte grows up to 30 cm
tall and at an altitude of around 1000 meters above sea level. The distribution is in central Namaqualand to Northern
Namaqualand, this is a very rare and seldom seen species. Flowers are quite large and short lived and dry up very
fast in the heat. In the photographs the flowers are at their peak, the flowers rarely open up more than this, making
it a very strange Brunsvigia. Most plants in this genus open up to form a sphere or a ball shape of flower
arrangement. Flowering time is early in March April. The leaves are not present during flowering and emerge only
after the flower has gone. They are typical flat medium sized green leaves which grow level on the ground.
Colchicum circinatum (Baker) J.C.Manning & Vinn. subsp. Circinatum
Leaves of this species die off completely in summer, so best to view these species is from March to August. The
common name is: men in a boat. They belong to the Colchicaceae family and under their synonym name they were
known as Androcymbium species. This one is very striking in that it occurs with very curly leaves and is heavily spotted.
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This makes it a very attractive species. They are relatively easy to grow as the corms store a lot of nutrient and water,
taking it through the dry, hot periods. Most of the time they grow under the shade of bushes and its very possible
that these flowers could be pollinated by rodents who visit at night.
Acknowledgements and Thanks

To Anthony and Gina Rausch: A huge thank you to my friends for an enjoyable trip through Namaqualand and the
Richtersveld zone in 2012.
References and further Readings

Graham Williamson, 2000. Richtersveld - the enchanted wilderness. Umdaus Press, Hatfield, S.A.
Abraham E. van Wyk & Gideon F. Smith, 2001. Regions of floristic endemism in Southern Africa - A review with
emphasis on succulents. Umdaus Press, Hatfield, S.A.
ase plante bulboase de deert din Africa de Sud
de Judd Kirkel Welwitch, Johannesburg, Africa de Sud

Scopul acestui articol este de a prezenta cititorilor notri cteva plante bulboase deertice care se gsesc n regiunile
aride ale Africii de Sud, n Northern Cape i n regiunile vestice ale Richtersveld, renumite pentru flora suculent.
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Sunt prezentate succint urmtoarele plante:

Lachenalia buchubergensis (fam. Hyacinthaceae)
Strumaria bidentata (fam. Amaryllidaceae)
Gladiolus saccatus (fam. Iridaceae)
Babiana namaquensis (fam. Iridaceae)
Brunsvigia pulchra (fam. Amaryllidaceae)
Colchicum circinatum ssp. circinatum (fam. Colchicaceae)
Lachenalia buchubergensis (Dinter)

Aparine fam. Hyacinthaceae, genul Lachenalia fiind numit n onoarea prof. Werner De La Chenal (1736-1800). Bulbii
acestui gen sunt subterani iar frunzele sunt lineare pn la lanceolate. Inflorescena este o racem cu flori tubulare
sau campanulate, n diferite nuane de purpuriu, brun, galben sau verde. Unele specii se gsesc n comerul de
plante, sunt uor de cultivat i nfloresc de la vrste fragede. Sunt geofite mici, care ajung la 10 cm nlime. Numele
buchubergensis provine de la Buchuberg Mountains n sud-vestul Namibiei. Perioada de maxim nflorire este iulie.
Specimenul prezentat aici a fost fotografiat la Gariep, din vestul zonei Richtersveld.
Strumaria bidentata (Schinz)
Bulbul, din fam. Amaryllidaceae, produce o remarcabil floare alb cu anthere brun-rocate. Florile apar naintea
frunzelor. Dup polenizare inflorescena se nclin ntr-o parte pentru a ajuta la eliberarea seminelor, atipic pentru
familie. n mod obinuit fructul se detaeaz complet i se rostogolete expulznd seminele. Abia dup nflorire apar
i frunzele, sub form de limb. Crete n dune de nisip expuse n nord-vestul zonei Richtersveld.
Babiana namaquensis (Baker)
Este un geofit peren tipic, cu frunze nguste ondulate i flori parfumate. nflorete n iunie-iulie. Crete pe dolomite i
isturi, n fisuri ale rocii. Centrul de distribuie este n jurul zonei Alexander Bay.
Gladiolus saccatus (Klatt) Goldblatt & M.P. de Vos
Este o specie mai larg rspndit, din Richtersveld spre Namaqualand i spre sud pn la munii Cedarberg. Uor de
observat dac se ntmpl s cltoreti n zon n perioada iunie-august, avnd nflorirea maxim n iulie. Plantele
pot ajunge la 20-80 cm nlime, florile lor roii avnd forma unei linguri. Se ntlnete pe pante uscate formate din
roci sedimentare, deseori cu expunere sud-vestic.
Brunsvigia pulchra (W.F.Barker) D.Mull- Doblies & U.Mull-Doblies
Pulchra nseamn frumos, iar imaginea acestei plante este ntr-adevr spectaculoas. Geofit peren, de pn la 30 cm
nalime, crete la altitudini n jurul a 1000 m. Aria de distribuie se ntinde din centrul pn n nordul Namaqualand,
dar este o specie rar ntlnit. Florile sunt mari dar cu via scurt, ele uscndu-se rapid n canicul. Se deschid
rareori mai mult dect se poate vedea n fotografii, ceea ce este neobinuit n genul Brunsvigia. nflorete n martie-
aprilie. Frunzele cresc numai dup trecerea florilor i stau mai mult sau mai puin lipite de sol.
Colchicum circinatum (Baker) J.C.Manning & Vinn. subsp. circinatum
Frunzele dispar complet pe timpul verii, aa nct cea mai bun perioad a anului n care se poate observa aceast
specie este martie-aprilie. Are frunze ondulate, puternic ptate. Este relativ uor de cultivat ntruct cormii
acumuleaz cantiti mari de nutrieni i de ap, ajutnd supravieuirea pe timpul perioadelor calde i secetoase. De
cele mai multe ori crete la adpostul (umbra) tufiurilor i este foarte posibil ca florile s fie polenizate de roztoare
care le viziteaz peste noapte.
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Xero - Files
Pedro Njera Quezada et al. Lophophora williamsii
Lophophora williamsii (Lem. ex Salm-Dyck) J.M. Coult.

Descriptive profile of the species
(Original Spanish file)
by Pedro Njera Quezada, Jovana Jaime Hernndez, Claudia Lpez Martnez, Sandi Karina Neri Cardona
Description
Characteristics: The Peyote cactus is a flowering plant of the
family Cactaceae, which is a group of fleshy, spiny plants found
primarily in the dry regions of the New World. Some of the
characteristics which one normally sees in cacti are not readily
evident in peyote, except for the obvious one of succulence.
Spines, for example, are present only in very young seedlings.
However, the cactus areolethe area on the stem that usually
produces flowers and spinesis well pronounced in Peyote and
is identified by a tuft of hairs or trichomes. Flowers arise from
within the center of the plant and, like other cacti, the perianth
of Peyote flowers is not sharply divided into sepals and petals;
instead there is a transition from small, scale-like, outer perianth
parts to large, colored, petal-like, inner ones. Another
characteristic which shows that Peyote belongs in the cactus
family is the absence of visible leaves in either juvenile or mature
plants. Leaves are greatly reduced and only microscopic in size;
even the seed leaves or cotyledons are almost invisible in young
seedlings because they are rounded, united, and quite small.
Also, the vascular system of Peyote is like that of other succulent
cacti in which the secondary xylem is very simple and has only
helical wall thickening. (Edward F. Anderson, 1980)
Fig. 1 The first drawing of Lophophora williamsii,
described as Echinocactus willamsii,
in Curtis Botanical Magazine 1847, vol. 73, plate 4296
Habit: Solitary or forming small clumps to 1m wide.
Roots: Long, spindle shaped.
Stem: Globose to flattened globose, somewhat firm to the touch, blue-green or occasionally reddish green, 2-6 cm
high, 4-11 cm in diameter.
Tubercles: Usually present, low and rounded or humplike, often arranged in distinct vertical ribs, 4-14, usually well
defined, extremely variable, sometimes only forming podaria.
Areole: Usually linearly arranged along the ribs or at the tips of the tubercles, each bearing a tuft of soft, yellowish or
whitish hairs.
Spines: Absent.
Flowers: Usually pink or pinkish white, sometimes red, 1-2.2 cm in diameter.
Fruits: Club shaped to elongated, pinkish red, fleshy, becoming brownish white and dry at maturity, naked,
indehiscent, 1.5-2 cm long.
Seeds: Black, pear shaped, tuberculate, 1-1.5 mm long, 1 mm broad, with a large hilum area. (Edward F. Anderson,
2001)
Lophophora williamsii is a species so widely distributed that it manifests different phenotypic shapes near its entirely
distribution area, from almost completely rounded or flattened shapes, to individuals with prominent ribs, as well as
caespitose forms covering an area of more than 1 m2. In the same way, the pilose tufts of the areolas are presented
in various forms, in some individuals are virtually absent, while in other localities they flaunt their generic epithet,
"Lophophora: The tufts bearer".
Flowers also vary in tones ranging from pink-red, deep pink to almost white, it should be emphasized that the
variations of the plants are stable in each location, so it is theorized that genetic and phenotypic lines are the results
of the differential gradient of environmental factors.

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Fig. 2, 3 Lophophora williamsii, Huizache phenotype, is the form that Anderson choose as Neotype - solitary plant in
habitat. A solitary plant in typical microphilous habitat desert scrub composed of Larrea and Yucca.
Fig. 4, 5 Roots of cultivated plant. The flattened body of a plant from Marie Gerards collection, France. Photos M. Crisbanu
Figs. 6 - 8 The small black seeds are tuberculate and have a large hilum area. The seedlings with customary spines.
Lophophora williamsii VZD 505 Matamoros. The whitish tufts are spectacular in cultivated plants. Photos V. Posea
Figs. 9 - 11 The flower that can be from pinkish to white with darker shades of pink (photo V. Posea) Closeup with buds and
opening fruits (photo D. Panco). An unharvested individual peyote on the historic-cultural route for the Huichol people.

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Fig. 12, 13 Lophophora williamsii, a caespitose form (photo D.Panco). Lophophora williamsii is a spineless cactus.
Biogeography and distribution
The genus Lophophora is one of the most widely distributed genera of cacti in Mexico, its species occur only in the
Chihuahuan Desert and on a narrow calcareous arid area extending to Queretaro.
L. williamsii specimens can be found to over 2500masl (meters
above sea level) in SLP, and less than 150 masl in Texas. Its most
northern range of distribution is from southern Fort Davis TX.
(30 30'N, 103 55'W) and southern Starr County Tx. (26 30'N,
98 45'W) in the United States, and reducing their conical
distribution so that terminates north of the capital of San Luis
Potosi, locations where there are the southernmost localities of
peyote (L. williamsii), south of the municipality of Villa de Arista
(22 28'N, 100 49'W), in Mxico.
Fig. 14 The distribution map by Martin Terry, 2008.
L. williamsii records exist in municipalities north of Guanajuato
and Aguascalientes as well as a very small region south-west of
the state of SLP, but it is speculated that these populations are not natural but ancient indigenous cultures that were
responsible for its spread since all these areas (five so far) are located near ancient pre-Columbian settlements.
Its high resilience to extreme arid climates and cold, has allowed the species to occupy a variety of desert habitats:
microphyllous desert scrub, rosetophillous desert scrub and even rarely in submontane scrub. In most microphyllous
localities it grows under the protection of shrubs such as Larrea, Prosopis, Condalia, Flourensia, Senna, and Lycium;
the L. williamsii of these locations are those that are more likely prone to poly-cephaly due primarily to harvest
mescal buttons (heads of Peyote), as well as the tendency of the plant to rapidly regenerate the aerial parts.
Fig. 15 Peyote can also be found on high places, such as rocky hills.

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In denuded localities, where almost the entire population is exposed or merely protected by leafless shrubs such
Acanthotalmnus, Jatropha and Koeberlinia. These locations are the least common and present exclusively mono-
cephalic individuals, even after harvest of the mescal buttons.
In the montane locations there are two vegetation types: the rosetophilous desert scrub which consists primarily of
Agave lechuguilla, A. striata, A. stricta, Hechtia, Dasylirion and Nolina; and the submontane scrub, which is
developed under the protection of species such as Cowania, Eysenhardtia, Gochnatia and Karwinskia, in these
localities are currently the healthiest populations, mainly due to the wildness of the mountains and the pungency of
vegetation feature that helps to deter looters.
Also, you can find Peyote growing in cracks of cliffs or rock walls, in several regions such as in Texas, Nuevo Leon and
San Luis Potosi and more rarely in halophyte-lake areas, where, during part of the year, the plants bodies are covered
with clay.
Fig. 16, 17 Typical habitat of Lophophora williamsii, microphilous desert scrub composed of Larrea and Yucca.
Lophophora probably arose from a now-extinct ancestor that occurred in semi-desert conditions in central or
southern Mexico. Morphological and chemical diversity may have then appeared in various populations as they
slowly migrated northward into drier regions which were being created by the slow uplift of mountains. Perhaps L.
diffusa represents one of the earlier forms that became isolated in Queretaro, whereas L. williamsii spread more
extensively to the northward, producing new combinations of genes that eventually led to a distinct but highly
variable species having somewhat different pollen, vegetative characters, and alkaloids from the peyote populations
to the south. (Edward F. Anderson, 1980)
Fig. 18, 19 Peyotes hidden between small rocks on the open ground. Lophophora williamsii still thrives where only few
other species manage to survive, in one of the localities where it grows on the open and practically without vegetation,
presenting a coverage of 10 to 15%.

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It is difficult to determine when the first specimen was discovered as Peyote used to be a plant formerly consumed
by the natives for centuries before the Spanish conquest.
It is not known whether or not the Chichimeca were the first Indians to discover the psychoactive properties of
Peyote. Some students believe that the Tarahumara Indians, living where Peyote abounded, were the first to
discover its use and that it spread from them to the Cora, the Huichol, and other tribes. Since the plant grows in
many scattered localities in Mexico, it seems probable that its intoxicating properties were independently discovered
by a number of tribes. (Hofman, A. and R. E. Schultes 1979/1992)
Fig. 20, 21 Peyote and Peotillo (Lophophora williamsii and Pelecyphora aselliformis) coexisting on the most extremophilous
localities for Lophophora williamsii. Pelecyphora aselliformis, La Tinaja SGS1 the type loc, the second subpop - known as
Peotillo or Falso Peyote is often confused with Lophophora williamsii despite their broad differences.
Peyote was first described by western man in 1560 but it was not until the nineteenth century that any plants
reached the Old World for scientific study. Apparently the French botanist Charles Lemaire was the first person to
publish a botanical name for Peyote, but unfortunately
the name that Lemaire used for the plant, Echinocactus
williamsii, appeared in the year 1845 without
description and only in a horticultural catalogue.
Therefore, it was necessary for Prince Salm-Dyck,
another European botanist, to provide the necessary
description to botanically validate Lemaires binomial.
No illustration accompanied either the Lemaire name
or the description by Salm-Dyck and it was not until
1847 that the first picture of Peyote appeared in Curtis
Botanical Magazine.
Threats
Over the past few decades Peyote has become scarce
in many parts of its historical geographic range. The
largest part of the reduction in Peyote population size
is clearly habitat destruction associated with urban
sprawl and adverse agricultural practices, notably root-
plowing, which uproots and kills Peyote along with the
native brush, effectively exterminating the Peyote
along with the associated plants of its natural habitat,
so that the damage to Peyote in a root-plowed tract is
absolute and permanent. Another major cause of the
decline of Peyote is overharvesting of the plant for
ceremonial use by the Native American Church.
Fig. 22 Peyote Lophophora williamsii and Peotillo - Pelecyphora aselliformis.

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Overharvesting of Peyote has several different adverse effects on the wild populations:
(1) It reduces the harvestable population size, and selectively removes the largest crowns first, as these are most
valued in the peyote market. (Terry et al. 2013)
(2) That reduces the quantitative reproductive output of the population, as a direct consequence of the removal of
the largest crowns that produce most of the seed in an unharvested population. In terms of population genetics,
while such selective harvesting of the largest plants may not have a marked short-term effect on population size
(assuming good harvesting practices, benign weather, and consequently a low mortality rate in harvested
individuals), it has the immediate effect of reducing the effective population size. (Terry et al. 2013)
Fig. 23, 24 Lophophora williamsii - blooming Peyotes, at Guanam, Venado and on Catorce's Valley "Wirikuta". At times
the plants body is completely buried in the soil.
(3) Concomitantly, there is a qualitative genetic loss in the selective loss of seed production from the oldest
individuals, which are ipso facto best adapted to local conditions. That loss may be temporary, if the harvested plants
survive to produce regrowth buttons that are allowed to mature after a few years, or it may be permanent, if
mortality occurs in the old plants due to repeated harvesting of regrowth buttons (Terry et al. 2012).
(4) The phenomenon of post-harvest regrowth of new crowns arising from areoles of the subterranean stem
(Terry & Mauseth 2006) temporarily increases the number of crowns in the population, but severely decreases both
the average size and the total combined weights of crowns in the population (Terry et al. 2011).
Fig. 25, 26 Two special plants from colection of Basarab Popa (photos V. Posea).
(5) The decreased size of Peyote buttons available to the Native American Church means that an individual in an
Native American Church Peyote ceremony must consume more buttons to equal the weight of the smaller number
of buttons that would be consumed if mature crowns were available. This leads to a vicious circle of more frequent
harvesting to supply the demand for greater numbers of buttons, which leads to the early harvesting of yet smaller
buttonsbut now fewer, as the overharvested plants exhibit signs of decreased energy reserves for the production
of more new crowns following repeated harvesting at two-year intervals (Terry et al. 2012).
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(6) Looking at the quality of peyote for ceremonial use in purely pharmacological terms, there would appear to be
yet another disadvantage to regrowth buttons for ceremonial use, apart from their small size, and that is the
possibility that the dry-weight concentration of mescaline in the small regrowth buttons is substantially lower than in
mature peyote crowns, which now constitute a minor percentage of the total offering in the regulated peyote
market. (Terry et al. 2013)
Fig. 27, 28 A juvenile Peyote, with a speculated age of 10 years, protected from the harsh sun by a small rock, at El Tule,
Garabatillo, Moctezuma and an old plant.
Conclusions
The conservation of a species, as already mentioned is a purely anthropocentric concept, in which the man intended
to replace the ecosystem to sustain the species, rather than seek to protect the ecosystem as such.
Often considered a threatened species as exclusive and independent individuals, when species, all are the result of
biotic relationships, adaptations, genetic continuity and survival eco-systemic conditions, and is what makes a plant
or animal having that way because they are directly proportional outcome of genotype, phenotype and its
environment. When trying to protect a species in captivity these factors and capacity change, as captive population,
to survive the ecosystem becomes increasingly smaller over generations because it facilitates genetic dilution of
adaptations to survive its environment.
To get a better view of the problem had to conduct a thorough investigation solely to understand the problems and
possibilities that encompass the world of Peyote and those who use it. You will find this in an article that is also
published here and which we have called About the Use and Abuse of Peyote.
_______________
All habitat pictures by Pedro Njera Quezada and Jovana Jaime Hernndez, except where stated otherwise.
Bibliography and reviewed literature:

Anderson, Edward F. (1980), Botany of Peyote, University of Arizona Press.
Anderson, Edward F. (2001), The Cactus Family, Timber Press.
Hofman, A. & R. E. Schultes (1979/1992/2000/2008). Plants of the gods. Rochester, Vermont, Healing Arts Press.
Martin, Terry (July 2008), Stalking the wild Lophophora Part 1: Chihuahua and Coahuila. Cactus and Succulent Journal (Cactus
and Succulent Society of America) 80 (4): 181186.
Martin, Terry (September 2008), Stalking the wild Lophophora Part 2: Zacatecas, San Luis Potos, Nuevo Len, and Tamaulipas.
Cactus and Succulent Journal (Cactus and Succulent Society of America) 80 (5): 222228.
Martin, Terry (November 2008), Stalking the wild Lophophora Part 3: San Luis Potos (Central), Quertaro, and Mexico City".
Cactus and Succulent Journal (Cactus and Succulent Society of America) 80 (6): 310317.
Martin, Terry & K. Trout, B. Williams, T. Herrera , and N. Fowler (2011), Limitations to natural production of Lophophora
williamsii (Cactaceae) I. Regrowth and Survivorship two years post harvest in a South Texas population. J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas
5:661675.
Martin, Terry & K. Trout, B. Williams , T. Herrera , N. Fowler (2012), Limitations to natural production of Lophophora williamsii
(Cactaceae) II. Effects of repeated harvesting at two-year intervals in a South Texas population. J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas,
6:567577.
Martin, Terry & Keeper Trout, M. Abul Kalam, Molly T. Klein, Diana Hulsey, Paul Daley (2013), A PRELIMINARY REPORT OF
Mescaline concentrations in small regrowth crowns vs . mature crowns of Lophophora williamsii (Cactaceae): cultural, economic,
and conservation implications; J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 7(1): 435 440.
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Ecology - Contributions
Felipe Escudero Ganem
Felipe Escudero Ganem was born in Acapulco, Mexico. He studied at the
Universidad Autnoma del Estado de Morelos, becoming horticulturist engineer. He
specialized in plant tissue cultivation at the Centro de Plantas of Biotechnology of
the University of Villa Clara, Santa Clara, Cuba. He did Master in Plants
Biotechnology at the Universidad Internacional de Anda Lucia of Rabida, Espaa;
strictly personal reasons have delayed his dissertation. He is currently a researcher
in plant biotechnology at the Facultad de Ciencias of the Universidad Autnoma
Agropecuarias del Estado de Morelos, Cuernavaca, Mxico.
Notes on in vitro propagation of Aztekium ritteri and other species of Mexican cacti
by Felipe Escudero Ganem, Cuernavaca, Mxico.
Introduction
This article aims only to spread the knowledge regarding the benefits obtained from using in vitro (*) propagation
techniques, a very useful tool to reproduce plant species in danger of extinction. Technical details on the work
carried out are not mentioned since it is too much information for a general knowledge article. These works
described below were performed in the laboratory of plant tissue culture, of the Research Biotechnology Center
(CeIB) of the Autonomous University of the State of Morelos, Mxico.
Fig. 1 Aztekium ritteri, mother plant from habitat, for seeds production and inoculation in vitro.

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Felipe Escudero Ganem - Notes on in vitro propagation of Aztekium ritteri and other species of Mexican cacti
Background
Mexico is one of the countries possessing a great biodiversity, but unfortunately this has been drastically weakened
by various factors such as the change of land use allowing large tracts of land to become agricultural areas, livestock
grazing areas, industrial and housing facilities, since demographic growth demands ever more resources. There are
some other factors as well, such as the indiscriminate plunder of the species from the habitat, the indiscriminate
illegal collection, or natural disasters like wildfires, flooding, landslides, etc. All these factors combined or separately,
have placed a large number of species in serious danger of extinction. These species include cacti, plants that are
native to the American continent and which are distributed especially in arid and semi-arid regions. The widespread
hobby of collecting and purchasing these exotic plants represents a pressure for wild populations.
Fig. 2, 3 Two of the threatened cacti Obregonia denegrii and Pelecyphora aselliformis.
Fig. 4 In vitro inoculation under aseptic conditions in a laminar flow.

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Fig. 5, 6 Aztekium ritteri - plants of more than 12 years left, photo provided by Deawcactus Nursery, Bankgkok, Thailand
and multiple shoots generated in vitro right.
In the first half of the 20th century, wild species were abundant; but due to the extensive collections that have been
subjected by unscrupulous traders, who were providing mainly for the European markets, populations have
decreased at an alarming rate and in such a way that the Government of the Republic of Mxico is determined to
enforce laws prohibiting their export. However, despite all of this, the harmful activity of these merchants has
continued and cactus smuggling is still a common place.
Fig. 7, 8 Aztekium ritteri - rooted shoots and Pelecyphora aselliformis - multiple outbreaks generated in vitro.
Fig. 9, 10 Pelecyphora aselliformis - shoots rooted in vitro; and Obregonia denegrii multiple outbreaks generated in vitro.
Prices people were willing to pay for a certain plant reached really impressive levels; in 1994, for example, Japanese
buyers offered 2,000 dollars for a Geohintonia mexicana or Aztekium hintonii. This circumstance has led to the
development of a complex network of illegal trade which has decisively affected natural populations and has put
many species at risk. The official Mexican norm (NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010), which lays down the specifications for
the protection of species of wild fauna and flora, included in 1994 a number of 257 species of cacti in some category
of risk, of which 24 were endangered, 96 threatened, 135 rare and two subject to special protection; as a matter of
fact close to one third of the Mexicans flora is threatened in a way or another.
From the long list of species of cacti that are threatened or on the verge of extinction, we can mention Aztekium
ritteri, Obregonia denegrii and Pelecyphora aselliformis, three endemic species with a very restricted distribution
area within the Mexican territory and a very high commercial demand both within the legal trade and in the black
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market of illegal trafficking of species. Therefore, the in vitro plant tissue culture method becomes a powerful tool
for the propagation of threatened cacti.
Fig. 11, 12 Obregonia denegrii - multiple in vitro sprouting from tuber and shoots rooted in vitro.
The objective of this study was to obtain an in vitro production system of these plants, which then allows us to
establish an effective method of mass propagation that can be used for commercial purposes or
replanting/reforestation. And, as a direct result, reduce the pressure on the habitat. The in vitro plant tissue culture
can be defined as the regeneration of whole plants under aseptic and artificial physico-chemical conditions from
cells, tissues or organs of plants. The advantages of this technique are: high rates of multiplication, an efficient
phytosanitary control, uniformity in production, short production cycles of obtaining sexually mature specimens,
being a highly profitable option.
Figs. 13 - 15 Obregonia denegrii - generated in vitro shoots directly grafted on pattern of Myrtillocactus geometrizans,
Aztekium ritteri produced in vitro within 16 months of grafted from the flask and Pelecyphora aselliformis produced in vitro
within 14 months of grafted from the flask.

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Interlaced vegetable cultivation in vitro leverages a quality of plant cells known as Totipotency, which means that
plant cells contain the genetic information needed to develop in an organism full if provided the physicochemical
conditions, (i.e., water, light, temperature, growth regulators, vitamins, nutrients). This methodology has been
applied successfully to the commercial production in forestry, fruit, vegetables, medicinal, ornamental plants and
endangered species or in danger of extinction.
Figs. 16 - 18 Aztekum ritteri produced in vitro ten years after being grafted from the bottle,
Epithelantha micromeris and Ariocarpus agavoides produced in vitro.
Some cactus species, such as Aztekium ritteri, Strombocatus disciformis among many others, have an extremely slow
development. A seedling of Aztekium ritteri, grown from seed, takes up to 9 years or even more to reach sexual
maturity. In nature this time triples; in addition, seedlings in habitat have low rates of survival, which, in the best of
cases, it is less than 5%.
For the present work, there were used one year old seedlings previously obtained from seed collected from adult
plants and cultured in vitro. Culture medium was based on minerals (macro and micro nutrients), to which vitamins,
amino acids, carbohydrates and regulators of plant growth (hormones) were added (Murashige & Skoog, 1962). The
manipulation of the concentrations and combinations thereof in the culture medium enables us to direct the
response of plant tissues towards the results that we hope to get. That means that we can direct to plant cells to
regenerate only in roots, organs such as stems and leaves or whole organisms (seedlings), even embryos similar to
those containing sexual seeds.
Fig. 19, 20 Callus of Aztekium hintonii regenerating multiple shots on in vitro culture;
Grafted Aztekium hintonii after 16 months from the flask.
For Aztekium and Pelecyphora were used entire one year old plants, of approximately 1 to 1.5 cm in diameter, as
well as plants sectioned lengthwise in half. For Obregonia we also used both, whole one year old plants of
approximately 2 cm in diameter, and plants that have been sectioned lengthwise in half; in addition, tubers extracted
from dissected seedling were used. Each combination of different plant growth regulators concentrations was
prepared within Gerber type jars and inoculated with various explants (**) of the aforementioned.

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Results
Excellent results in terms of production and number of outbreaks, as well as in terms of the size of these three species
were obtained in a period of 90 days. Aztekium ritteri and Pelecyphora aselliformis produced multiple shoots, while
Obregonia denegrii, in addition to multiple outbreaks, also presented embryonic formation (somatic embryos) (***).
Among the most interesting results that we were able to obtain, within a period of three months of culture, was the
number of shoots per explant.
Figs. 21 - 23 Turbinicarpus, Strombocactus disciformis and Aztekium ritteri

For Aztekium ritteri the number of shoots obtained was from 5 up to 120, in Pellecyphora aselliformis up to 15
outbreaks, while with Obregonia denegrii the number of shoots was up to 13 per explant, but the number of somatic
embryos exceeded 50.
Figs. 24 - 26 The grows and sexual maturation of extremely slow plants is accelerated by in vitro culture.
Here some grafted plants age from the flask: Geohinthonia mexicana, 18 months; Pelecyphora aselliformis, 14 months;
Strombocactus disciformis 18 months.
In studies carried out with other species were also obtained impressive results, the largest response being with
Strombocactus disciformis, with more than 500 shoots per explant. While the outbreaks, isolated and rooted in vitro,
were established and adapted perfectly to the external conditions of cultivation under greenhouse, its growth from
the moment out of the flask was reduced to normal rates. The best results, and the most surprising, were when the
seedlings obtained in vitro were directly grafted on Myrtillocactus geometrizans.
Figs. 27 - 29 RARE FORMS OBTAINED IN VITRO: crested forms of Mammillaria pectinifera, Strombocactus disciformis,
Pelecyphora aselliformis, Aztekium ritteri and Obregonia denegrii.
It is worth mentioning that Aztekium ritteri started flowering at eleven months when grafted on Myrtillocactus
geometrizans, that means from seed germination to a flowering plant were spent only 21 months, compared with 9-
15 years it takes to grow up to sexual maturity in normal culture conditions; the work was a resounding success.
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Literature:
Bravo Hollis y Snchez-Mejorada R. LAS CACTACEAS DE MEXICO. Vol. I UNAM. Segunda edicin. Mxico, DF. 1978.
Bravo Hollis y Snchez-Mejorada R. LAS CACTACEAS DE MEXICO. Vol. II UNAM. Segunda edicin. Mxico, DF. 1978.
Bravo Hollis y Snchez-Mejorada R. LAS CACTACEAS DE MEXICO. Vol. III UNAM. Segunda edicin. Mxico, DF. 1978.
Murashige, T. & F. Skoog. A revised medium for rapid growth and bioassays with tobacco cultures. Physiol. Plant 15:473-497,
1962.
Pizzeti M. GUIA DE CACTUS. Primera edicin. Editorail Grijalbo. Barcelona, Esp. 1987.
http://www.dipbot.unict.it/sistematica_es/Cact_fam.html
http://redescolar.ilce.edu.mx/redescolar/act_permanentes/conciencia/biologia/acertijos_biologicos/acertijos01-02/res8.htm
http://www.reduaeh.mx/investigacion/biologia/investigadores/lopez_escamilla.htm
http://www.conabio.gob.mx/institucion/conabio_espanol/doctos/cactos.html
With special thanks to Miguel Angel Gonzalez Botello for his suggestions and corrections.
(*)
In vitro propagation (or micropropagation) is the practice of rapidly multiplying stock plant material to produce a large number
of progeny plants, using modern plant tissue culture methods. (Wikipedia)
(**)
In biology, explant culture is a technique used for the isolation of cells from a piece or pieces of tissue. Tissue harvested in
this manner is called an explant. (Wikipedia)
(***)
Somatic embryogenesis is a process where a plant or embryo is derived from a single somatic cell or group of somatic cells.
Somatic embryos are formed from plant cells that are not normally involved in the development of embryos, i.e. ordinary plant
tissue. (Wikipedia)
Note despre propagarea in vitro a Aztekium ritteri i a altor specii de cactui mexicani
de Felipe Escudero Ganem, Cuernavaca, Mexic

(abstract)
Articolul i propune s fac cunoscute avantajele propagrii plantelor in vitro i prezint rezultatele lucrrilor
efectuate n cadrul Centrului de Cercetare Biotehnologic al Universittii Autonome a Statului Morelos, Mexic.
Mexic este o ar cu o biodiversitate deosebit, din nefericire afectat de o serie de factori: extinderea exploatrilor
agro-zootehnice, dezvoltarea urban i industrial, ca urmare a dinamicii demografice i a necesarului de resurse
suplimentare. Exist ns i factori de alt natur: distrugerea i jefuirea habitatelor, precum i efectele calamitilor
naturale (incendii, inundaii, alunecri de teren, etc). n prima jumtate a sec. XX, Mexicul, cunoscut pentru o
extraordinar abunden de specii endemice a devenit prada unor negustori lipsii de scrupule, specimene fr
numr, find comercializate n principal pe pieele europene i asiatice unde s-au vndut la preuri uneori exorbitante.
Astfel, n 1994 colecionarii japonezi au ajuns s ofere 2.000 de dolari pentru un specimen de Geohintonia mexicana
sau de Aztekium hintonii. n acest context s-au format reele complexe de trafic ilegal. Guvernul Mexican a fost
determinat s introduc legi pentru protecia speciilor periclitate (n jur de o treime din numrul total de specii
native). Printre speciile endemice cele mai periclitate se numr Aztekium ritteri, Obregonia denegrii i Pelecyphora
aselliformis.
Obiectivul acestui studiu a fost obinerea prin metoda propagrii in vitro a unui sistem de producere n mas a
acestor plante. Cultivarea in vitro a esuturilor poate fi definit ca regenerarea unor plante complete, din celule,
esuturi sau organe, n condiii fizico-chimice artificiale, aseptice. Este o metod foarte util n producerea de plante
cu ritm de cretere ncet cum ar fi: Aztekium ritteri, Obregonia denegrii i Pelecyphora aselliformis. Au fost utilizate
esuturi obinute de la plantule n vrst de pn la un an.
Rezultatele au fost excelente n ceea ce privete numrul de focare de cretere (5-120 pentru Aztekium ritteri, pn
la 15 pentru Pelecyphora aselliformis, pn la 13 pentru Obregonia denegrii i peste 500 pentru Strombocactus
disciformis), n timp ce numrul embrionilor somatici a depit 50 la o plant. Plantulele obinute in vitro au fost
altoite pe Myrtillocactus geometrizans. S-au obinut Aztekium ritteri florifere la 11 luni dup altoire (deci un total de
21 de luni din momentul germinrii) fa de 9-15 ani n condiii de cultur, ceea ce este un succes deosebit.

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Aztekium valdezii dossier
R.I.P. Aztekium valdezii ...?
by Dag Panco, eghe, Romania
As predicted in early summer, when the imminent first description of Aztekium valdezii was still a rumour, we face
mainly a soaring spectacle of show off sale offers on the black market and sustained protests a of dedicated
conservation groups. Almost simultaneously with the scientific proposal of this new species, the first plants appeared
on sale on e-Bay, this becoming increasingly a common occurrence. It all started from a couple of well-known nurseries
in the Czech Republic, launching the sale of portioned seed at an extremely hefty price, directly from their websites (1,
2) next to photos of habitat plants, none of them made available by the discoverer or by the authors of the description.
It is worth noting on the one hand the total disregard of the European set of laws by both the seller and the local
authorities, as, on the other hand, it is worth drawing attention that harvesting seeds in habitat without a license from
the Mexican authorities is considered by law a crime, in the same way as illegal collected plants.
After a first stage of portioned seed sale first 5, later on 10 seeds and some plants that have been sporadically
traded, both in Europe and in Japan via Thailand, (1, 2), we recently encountered a new import wave of Aztekium
valdezii seeds and plants, on which we draw a desperate warning. Starting with November there is a new seed offer,
this time more discreet, sent on e-mail to people likely to be interested in such offers. This offer is much more
aggressive, targeting wholesale buyers as well, as besides 10 seeds sachets, are offered also packets of 100 and even
500 seeds. We wonder how was it even possible to harvest these seeds during one of the wettest Mexican autumns
in many years, because if the seeds would have been harvested in the summer, then at that time the offer would
have been poles apart from what it really was. We wonder who could travel into the habitat to harvest thousands of
seeds from plants completely washed out by rain ... Various rumours are circulating. One is about the existence of a
single new supply source located in Mexico. Another one talks about the centralization of seeds in the Czech
Republic, in the hands of one distributor placed out of the spotlight Due to a certain lack of factual evidence, we
cannot afford to go into more details here, but the fact is that questions grow overwhelmingly and then painfully
dwell around unanswered (yet).
The uneasiness comes precisely from the fact that beside seeds, there is a really huge offer of plants distributed by
dealers. If you are reliable and have the proper referrals youre good! They will certainly not tell you its been
sold out! We also note that the price is much lower now compared to the early summer prices and, considering the
new exciting species; it is neither large nor exaggerated at all! These are signs of a massive stock! We consider this
inflation of irreplaceable biological material collected directly from the habitat as extremely worrying.
In this context, we can not overlook the campaign of the official discoverer of the species, Mario Valdez Maroquin, in
the Monterrey media and social platforms, also complaining to the Mexican authorities (PROFEPA). Backed up by
other well-known Mexican cactus experts, Mario Valdez Maroquin does not miss any opportunity to point out who
the habitat looters are, sometimes even naming and directly accusing the involved nursery owners. We do not know
what effect may have his approach in Mexico; however, in Europe this protest is totally ignored. This will allow the
black trade to flourish, and will certainly lead to the disappearance of a species which we just learned about and of
which probably we will not ever get to know anything. We also regret that none of those who have promised to start
a protection management project, subject to debate and public support, did not want to contribute with first-hand
information and specific documentation for this file ... But perhaps the project consists only in grandiose statements,
not on paper! It now looks like those who had to design and hand over this project, are more interested in their own
quite noisy local image campaign, than to save this new species almost completely destroyed. Will be this claim in an
European journal even less heard in Europe and throughout the world, than a newspaper from Monterrey, Nuevo
Leon, Mexico ...? Match this question with the fact that here, in Europe, the plants in question are illegally sold, not
in Mexico, Nuevo Leon, where they come from.
We regret that instead of presenting our readers comprehensive data about the biology of the species, or reports on
the number of plants in habitat and on how they survived the recent tropical storms and flooding, or on
conservation matters, we are bound to express grief about this disturbing situation. It is entirely possible that the
cover of one of our future issues to be half-mast flagged and a rhetorical interrogation "RIP Aztekium valdezii ...? " It
could be a harsh reality against which we can only powerless bow our foreheads in resignation.
Versiunea romn este disponibil n Anex.
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Connoisseur's Notes
Tth Norbert
I live in Hungary, in Debrecen, which is the second largest city of the country. I collect cacti and
other succulent plants since 1992, when I finished my studies. My favourite genera are
Ferocactus, Echinocactus, Stenocactus, Turbinicarpus, Mammillaria, Thelocactus, Coryphantha,
Eriosyce, Copiapoa and the small Mexican genera, but virtually I like the entire cactaceae family
and also many other species from the succulent world. My recent passion is the genus
Adenium. I am the co-author of a monograph on Ferocactus, written few years back in
Hungarian together with my colleague Libnr Antal. In addition I contribute with articles for
the Hungarian cactus journals and I'm one of the co-editors of Debreceni Pozsgstr journal.
I've been to Mexico several times, travelled through this wonderful country, from the tropical
southern part to the northern succulent territory. Baja California is the region, which is next to
my heart. I am a member of several Cactus Societies, and Hon. Treasurer of the Hungarian
Cactus and Succulent Society.
Myths and truths about Ortegocactus macdougalii (*) (**)
by Tth Norbert, Debrecen, Hungary
At the beginning of this century, while browsing the Internet, I discovered purely by chance a Thai website
presenting, among other very interesting things, excellent pictures from a local cactus show. I was very impressed
especially by a Ortegocactus macdougalii colony filling a 30 cm wide planter. This was something I have never seen
before and, I have to say this, nor since. Years have passed... and when I planned in 2007 a Mexican trip, in the
southern states, together with my friend Dr. Fehr Mt, it was an obvious choice to include a visit in the
Ortegocactus habitat. However, all the research and all the specialized literature we consulted on this rather
mysterious monotypic cactus, was rather in vain. Apart from the name of a locality in the state of Oaxaca, San Jose
Lachiguiri, there was no specific information we could possibly find (at that time at least). We realized that we have
not researched well enough, only after we returned home. Again, purely by chance, I flicked through an English
cactus magazine, namely the British Cactus and Succulent Journal (2004, no.2), where, to my surprise, I found a very
informative travel report by Bill Weightman on this plants habitat.
However, things went pretty well for us too. Guided by a local
and we found yet in spring 2007 the species in its natural habitat.
We described the entire quest for Ortegocactus macdougalii in
Debreceni Pozsgstr 2011/4 magazine. Later on, comparing the
account of the renowned explorer with our own observations we
discovered several inaccuracies. But before that, a few words
that ought to be known about Ortegocactus.
During the winter of 1951-52, Thomas Baillie Macdougal (1895-

1973), a well-known explorer and plant hunter of that time,
while browsing the Mexican state of Oaxaca, discovered in a very
remote and almost inaccessible location near the small town of
San Jose Lachiguiri, a very strange small globular cactus. He
immediately realized this species was new for the science by
considering its habitus and the extraordinary epidermis of this
plant. To hear a second educated opinion, he sent few plants for
study to the curator of the New York Botanical Gardens, E. J.
Alexander.
Fig. 1 Ortegocactus macdougallii flower (photo Tth Norbert).

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Tth Norbert Myths and truths about Ortegocactus macdougalii
In time, the rest of the imported specimens have acclimatized very well and started flowering and producing for the
plants owner plenty of fruits and seeds. However, the Botanist E. J. Alexander was facing a problem while trying to
identify the plant, or at least to circumscribe it within a certain genus. He observed obvious traits hinting towards
Coryphantha and Mammillaria, but also noticeable differences. Based on the rather peculiar characteristics of this
new plant, after several years of observations on the plant, he decided to establish a new genus - named after a local
family, Ortega, who greatly helped MacDougal in his field research. So, the new genus was named Ortegocactus,
while the species was named macdougalii, in honour of its discoverer. New discovered plant, named therefore
Ortegocactus macdougalii, has been revealed and described first in 1961 in the Cactus and Succulent Journal of
America, Vol. 33, pages 39-40. The few black and white photographs that illustrated the article of the plant have long
been the only published photos of Ortegocactus macdougalii in habitat, until the appearance of that 2004 article
mentioned above.
E. J. Alexander stated very clearly in the first description that although Ortegocactus macdougalii presents similar
traits to the old genus Dolichothele, but also to Coryphantha, the differences in the flower structure and also in the
fruit and seed were significant and enough to justify the separation from the two genera mentioned before.
Later on several botanists have come up with many different theories regarding relationship with different genera
and other taxonomic matters. In making up theories excelled Leo Kladiwa, who included Ortegocactus in the genus
Neobesseya and even creating a subgenus to accommodate it. Our plant was therefore recombined as Neobesseya
macdougalii. This classification has long been accepted even by famous botanists such as Helia Bravo-Hollis and
Hernando Sanchez-Mejorada, in the primary work which is the multi-volume Las Cactaceas de Mexico (2:395),
volume 2 being published by the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico in 1978, where they shared Kladiwas
point of view. Few years later, in 1985, Alain Zimmermann came up with another interesting idea. According to A.
Zimmermann, based on phylogenetic analysis, Ortegocactus is placed on the Coryphantha clade together with
Escobaria and Neobesseya. Despite these theories trying to classify our plant in different genera, most of today
botanists believe - given the evidence we have currently available - the existing classification of Ortegocactus
macdougalii in a monotypic genus is correct. In conclusion of this brief taxonomic history of the plant, we must admit
that it would be necessary some modern genetic studies in order to clarify without any doubt the affiliation and
taxonomic position of Ortegocactus macdougalii.
Fig. 2, 3 Ortegocactus macdougallii detail of spination and dotted epidermis (photo Valentin Posea).
And now lets have a closer look at Ortegocactus macdougalii: generally the plant is offsetting freely and develops in
time in small colonies. It has a globular body, or only a bit elongated, having only 3-4 cm across and a characteristic
grey-bluish colour. The tubercles have a rhomboidal shape, are less prominent, and sometimes all are flattened, in a
spiralling arrangement, while the epidermis is sporting small dots. The woolly whitish-grey areoles bear only one
central spine; its colour can vary from completely black to grey, but the tips are always darker than the rest. The
spines are straight and 4-5 cm long. Radial spines are 7-8, they are whitish or greyish, having a darker tip exactly like

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the central spine. Radials are straight as well and are 5-10 mm long. The yellow funnel form flowers develop in the
mostly woolly axiles near the meristem. The daytime flowers are 2-3 cm long and 1.8- 2.5 cm wide. The ovary is a bit
woolly, covered with soft hairy yarn, without scales. The petals are yellow, while the sepals are also yellow but with a
reddish tint in the middle. The filaments are orange or yellow, the anther is yellow as well, the style is green and is
significantly longer than the stamens. The fruit is very small, spherical, red, and it dries up when ripe; in time the
parchment-like film breaks up releasing the spherical seeds. Their colour can vary from black to brown, and have
about 1 mm. Their surface is finely dotted, the hilum is unusually big. The only known habitat is Mexico, in the
southern part of the Oaxaca state, near San Jose Lachiguiri and Cerro el Cantaro, at 1600-1700 m altitude.
Fig. 4, 5 Ortegocactus macdougallii with bud and the flower (photo Dag Panco).
Ortegocactus is spread across a barren, rocky, country side. The distribution in these areas is far from being uniform.
The two observed populations revealed quite a big difference in the density of plants. While in the first population
there, were just small numbers of individuals scattered in the area, leaving large gaps between them, in the second
population the density was so great that I had to be careful not to trample on small plants. The succulent vegetation
in the surrounding region occupied by Ortegocactus macdougalii did not present too much diversity; here and there
few Opuntia specimens seemingly infamous haunted by weather, a species of Agave we failed to identify, a few
Ferocactus recurvus ssp. greenwoodii and finally a dwarf species of Echeveria with sunburned leaves were actually
the only plants representing succulent flora in the area. Beside these only few small aromatic shrubs and sunburned
herbs and by all appearances barely surviving in the dry heat, could be noticed around.
Fig. 6, 7 The axilla is the secret nestling place for the small fruits (photo Dr.Jrgen Menzel); Seeds (photo Stefan Nitzschke).
I have omitted on purpose to describe the habitat conditions, but the reason will be revealed soon.
Now I would like to go back a bit to the circumstances in which I found the plant habitat. When after long and
unsuccessful searches we finally managed to find our plant, in locations near Cerro Cantaro and San Jose Lachiguiri,
several oddities caught my attention. I first have intrigued by the rock type these plants were growing on. The first

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specimens we found in crevices of rocks of different shades of dark grey. Although I cannot consider myself not even
close an expert in petrography, examining more closely these rocks, it seemed as if it would not be calcareous rocks.
Of course I knew there is no specific colour in limestone rocks, which can have different colours depending on the
minerals content. The grey colour may be given by high clay content or by other contaminants. For this reason I
became cautious in expressing a firm opinion in regards to the composition of the rock, but this kept bothering me.
Fig. 8, 9 Habitat of Ortegocactus macdougallii. Antigoritic serpentine this is the kind of substrate the plant grows on
(photos Tth Norbert).
So, I looked for several smaller pieces of rock to submit them for further examination by specialists, because I did not
suspect that the next Ortegocactus location we found there were huge amounts of rubble form the same rock lying
around, just enough to fill few monster trucks. In the following location, no more than 4-5 km from the first location
in which we found our plant, we came across the same type of rock, and again this time mostly as rubble. I collected
some samples from here as well. One thing caught my attention regarding this rock: the larger areas were covered
with patchy green-brown spots, which could indicate the presence of primitive micro-organisms or exudation of
inorganic salts. The story continues when I arrived home and handed the samples to my friend Dr. Csajbk Jzsef for
analysis. He intermediated the rocks to be analyzed in the laboratory at the University of Debrecen, one of the top
Hungarian Universities becoming increasingly popular with international students. Conclusion - antigoritic serpentine.
Fig. 10 the density was so great that I had to be careful not to trample on small plants.
(photo Tth Norbert).

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From the literature we learn that antigoritic serpentine is a volcanic rock that formed at great depth by crystallization
of silicates under pressure and high temperatures after volcanic activity. Although it usually contains various
impurities such as Fe, Ca or others, in the samples collected from Cerro Cantaro there was no calcium carbonate, and
also no organic compounds.
And here comes the big novelty - almost everyone who wrote about Ortegocactus macdougalii has pointed out that
the plant grows on limestone, and therefore in cultivation the soil needs to be limestone rich as well. We must
recognize that this statement - after having analyzed soil samples from the habitat cannot be really confirmed. In
any case, as a result of this more than unexpected found, I repotted all my Ortegocactus macdougalii specimens (the
ones grown on own roots) in a mainly mineral soil mixture composed primarily of volcanic rock rubble, zeolite and
rhyolite tuff. And.... see the miracle! My plants, who once suffered visibly in calcareous soil, seemed to revive in the
first year after being repotted, only to thrive during the second year like never before! In spring all plants were
covered in yellow flowers, one after another. This flowering show was simply impressive and quite unexpected I
would say. At first I thought this was because of the unusually sunny period preceding autumn and winter, but the
appearance and increased plant growth in the first year after being repotted confirmed that Ortegocactus
macdougalii does not require lime in the soil mixture, of course, they neither have it in their original habitat.
Fig. 11, 12 Seedlings (photo Balzs Zoltan).

We can already expect to flower after exceeding a diameter of 1 cm (photo Agcs Gyrgy).
Otherwise, in the rather modest literature that deals with Ortegocactus macdougalii authors generally emphasize
the fact that the plants epidermis becomes affected at temperatures below 10C by some rust spots becoming
sometimes big enough to stretch as a continuous coating towards the base of the plant. Although these spots do not
cause plants death, they may become a nuisance and wrecks good sized plants from the aesthetic point of view;
they will be especially for the unwitting a kind of silent witness to an alleged inadequate care of the plant. This is not
necessarily true. In the above mentioned article Weightman recalls that the epidermis of most plants observed in
habitat were sporting these rust spots; from here his conclusion that these spots are more likely caused by a
physiological phenomenon. Since the plants habitat is characterized by a mild and not so cold climate, even in
winter the temperature only rarely drops below 8-10C, Bill Weightman's theory can be somewhat accepted. But if
low temperatures are not to blame, then what else is causing these rust spots? It might happen that this is a defence
mechanism of the plant against the heat emanating from rock or gravel, as they become extremely hot in high
summer, like a hot oven? To make a judgment in this matter is not an easy task at all, primarily because prolonged
observation in habitat would be required, but as a starting point I noticed that most plants I met and were covered
by these rust spots were growing in very exposed places. Those individuals who have received partial protection
from herbaceous shrubs and possibly bigger rocks were much less affected by these spots. The Ortegocactus
specimens exposed to huge amounts of direct sunlight very often get rust on 80% of their epidermis, while for others
growing in slightly shaded places spots were sometimes almost insignificant. These facts cannot be accidental, but
the final diagnosis has to be given by botanists, as they are the ones able to clarify the matter. So, Im looking
forward to their opinion in this regard.

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I will present you now another interesting addition to this subject. I placed my Ortegocactus specimens high up on
the top shelves in the solarium, in the sunniest position. In winter we usually have temperatures of 5-6C, and of
course during sunny days temperatures go up a lot. However, it happens sometimes during winter (even several
times in a season) that the sun remains hidden by thick clouds for a longer period of time, even for several weeks in a
row, and then the temperature in solarium does not exceed 6C, not even in the warmest corners. Since I grow my
Ortegocacti on mineral substrate (without any lime) I observed that, although in winter it gets so cold that
sometimes teeth chattering could be heard coming from their direction, these rust spots that make life a hell for any
dedicated Ortegocactus collector strangely stopped appearing. Could it be only a coincidence? In any case I
recommend to all present and future collectors and owners of Ortegocactus macdougallii, to plant these outstanding
globular plants in mainly mineral substrate, containing a high percentage of volcanic rock rubble, such as zeolite,
rhyolite, and so on, and adding only small amount of organic compounds. Plants will be grateful if you place them in
the sunniest spot in the greenhouse, and in this case you can keep them in winter even below 10C, which is the
minimal temperature that has been insistently and so far exclusively recommended in all specialized literature.
Fig. 13, 14 Ortegocactus macdougallii - grafted seedlings (photo Balzs Zoltan).

A flowering plant grafted on Harrisia (photo Barta Laszlo).
Another hot topic was grafting the plant. For many, many years common knowledge was that Ortegocactus
macdougallii is very difficult to keep on its own roots, but we can definitely say now that this theory is at least
exaggerated. If grown in a suitable substrate (as described above) it is somewhat slower than grafted, but altogether
poses no particular problem.
Propagation can be done by seeds or by rooting offsets removed from the plant. However, if we want our plants to
set fruit and obtain seeds, it is necessary to obtain specimens by generative means, i.e. grown from seed, given that
Ortegocactus macdougallii is autosterile. Seedlings from seeds grow quite slowly, but we can already expect to
flower after exceeding a diameter of 1 cm. Grafting can accelerate their growth, but this method often leads to
distorted growth, plants losing their characteristic appearance.
The fruit is hidden between axils and ripens relatively quickly. Often, we see it only when dry skin cracks and small
seeds start falling on the substrate. We have to be unbiased mind; otherwise we might sow without our will.
In the end, an oddity. Several years ago an Italian nursery obtained a chimera of Ortegocactus macdougallii from a
specimen which was grafted on Opuntia compressa. From the joint of the graft and the rootstock rose a strange
plant that resembles Ortegocactus macdougallii as it retains the ovoid shape characteristic for the young shoots and
the epidermis. However, older pads and spines resemble Opuntia; it was named + Ortegopuntia Percy. The plant
seems to be much easier in cultivation than the Ortegocactus parent, but there is quite a challenge to avoid offsets
reverting to the Opuntia shape and colour. According to the nurserys website overwatering and overfeeding

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stimulates Opuntia like growth. Sometimes patches of the epiderm revert to ordinary Opuntia epidermis.
Propagating this chimera is also a big challenge as most of the time rooted offsets produce only reverted Opuntia
pads or offsets with patched epidermis.
In any case, I can highly recommend Ortegocactus macdougallii, a cactus of great beauty, to all fellow cactus
collectors; through proper care a special gem can be obtained in any collection.
Fig. 15, 16 Ortegocactus macdougallii - old plants from Dag Panco and Basarab Popa collections (photo Dag Panco).
Literature:
Anderson, E.F. 2001: The Cactus Family, Timber Press Inc., Portland, Oregon
Nemes, I.-Szabo, D. 1981: Kaktuszok.Mezgazdasgi kiado, Budapest
Weightman, B. 2004: Ortegocactus in the wild-warts and all. BCSJ Vol.22(2) 69-71.
Pilbeam, J. - Weightman, B. 2006: Ariocarpus et cetera. BCSS, Essex.
(*) An earlier version of this article was published in Debreceni Pozsgstr, 2012, No. 1, pages 41-50.
(**) The English version is based on a Romanian translation by Lvai Melchior and Lvai Magdolna.
(***)The serpentine group describes a group of common rock-forming hydrous magnesium iron minerals; they may contain
minor amounts of other elements including chromium, manganese, cobalt or nickel. Antigorite is an iron-bearing secondary
mineral found in serpentine. (Wikipedia)
Mituri i adevruri despre Ortegocactus macdougalii

Tth Norbert, Debrein, Ungaria
La nceputul secolului am descoperit un site thailandez care prezenta imagini de la o expoziie de cactui i am fost
foarte impresionat de o colonie de Ortegocactus macdougalii avnd 30 cm n diametru. Cnd, n 2007, am planificat
expediia din Mexic mpreun cu prietenul meu Dr. Fehr Mt am stabilit s vizitm i habitatul acestei plante. Nu
am gsit dect date superficiale care includeau ns numele localitii - San Jose Lachiguiri, Oaxaca. Din nefericire nu
am descoperit, dect la ntoarcere, articolul bine documentat al lui Bill Weightman publicat n 2004.
Planta a fost descoperit n iarna 1951-52 de Thomas Baillie Macdougal (1895-1973), un cunoscut explorator i vntor
de plante al vremii i imediat a realizat c este o specie nou. Pentru confirmare a trimis pentru studiu cteva
exemplare botanistului E. J. Alexander, pe atunci curator al Grdinii Botanice din New York. Acesta a observat
caracteristici similare cu Coryphantha i Mammillaria (vechiul gen Dolichotele), dar i deosebiri marcante n structura
florii i fructelor i n aspectul seminelor. A decis n final s creeze un gen nou i a descris noua specie n 1961 ca
Ortegocactus macdougalii. Numele genului i speciei onorau pe dl. Ortega (care l-a ajutat mult pe Macdougal n
expediiile sale) i respectiv pe descoperitorul acesteia. Pn n 2004 nu au mai existat alte fotografii ale acestei plante
n habitat.
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Ulterior Leo Kladiwa a inclus Ortegocactus n genul Neobesseya (ca Neobesseya macdougalii), idee meninut i de
Helia Bravo-Hollis i Hernando Sanchez-Mejorada n monumentala lucrare Las Cactaceas de Mexico (2:395). n 1985
Alain Zimmermann, bazndu-se pe analiza filogenetic, a concluzionat c Ortegocactus se situeaz pe aceeai clad
cu Coryphantha, mpreun cu Escobaria i Neobesseya. n prezent marea majoritate a botanitilor susin aceast
poziie taxonomic i consider genul Ortegocactus ca fiind monotipic.
Singurul habitat cunoscut este n sudul statului Oaxaca, n apropierea localitilor San Jose Lachiguiri i Cerro el
Cantaro, la altitudini de 1600-1700 m. Sunt cunoscute numai dou populaii distincte de Ortegocactus, ntr-un inut
stncos i arid, avnd o distribuie neuniform: n timp ce n prima exist un numr redus de indivizi, cu spaii mari
ntre acetia, n cea de a doua populaie densitatea era att de mare nct trebuia s fiu atent cnd calc s nu strivesc
plantele tinere. Vegetaia suculent nu este prea divers n zon: cteva specimene de Opuntia bntuite de vreme, o
specie de Agave pe care nu am putut s o identific, civa Ferocactus recurvus ssp. greenwoodii, iar n final o specie
minion de Echeveria avnd frunzele arse de soare. n rest, cteva erbacee aromate i tufiuri care preau c abia
reuesc s supravieuiasc caniculei uscate.
n habitat a existat o ciudenie care mi-a atras atenia n ambele locaii: tipul de roc, avnd diferite nuane de
cenuiu, n crevasele crora crete Ortegocactus. Cretea exclusiv pe acest tip de roc, fie n crevase formate n
blocuri compacte, fie n grohoti. Fr a fi expert, am avut impresia c nu sunt calcare. Am cutat deci cteva sprturi
din ambele locaii i le-am dus pentru analiz prietenului meu Dr. Csajbk Jzsef de la Universitatea din Debrein.
Rezultatele au confirmat absena carbonatului de calciu i a componentelor organice, roca fiind serpentin antigoritic.
Am citit c se formeaz la adncime prin cristalizarea silicailor ca urmare a presiunii i temperaturilor nalte
generate de activitatea vulcanic.
Este o constatare surprinztoare i cu o doz de noutate. Aproape toi cei care au scris despre Ortegocactus au
menionat c planta crete n natur pe calcare i ca urmare recomandau insistent utilizarea calcarului n cultur.
Acest lucru a fost infirmat de analize. Ca urmare am transplantat toate specimenele mele crescute pe rdcin
proprie folosind un substrat preponderent mineral format din sprturi de roci vulcanice, zeolit i tuf riolitic. i...
miracol! Plantele mele care preau suferinde n substratul calcaros au nceput s-i revin n primul an, pentru a
vegeta viguros i nflori abundent n al doilea sezon. Am confirmat prin aceasta c Ortegocactus nu necesit calcar n
amestec, aa cum nu-l are de fapt nici n natur.
Un alt aspect des menionat este c epiderma este afectat la temperaturi sub 10C de formarea unor pete de
rugin, inofensive dar inestetice, care pot deveni uneori destul de mari, ntinzndu-se spre baza plantei. Nu este
adevrat. Temperaturi de 8-10C se ntlnesc ocazional i n habitat, n ciuda climei blnde. Mai mult, Bill Weightman,
care a observat aceste pete i la plante din habitat, susine c acestea pot fi rezultatul unor fenomene fiziologice. M
gndesc c pot fi un mecanism de protecie al plantei fa de cldura infernal emanat de roci n verile uscate i
toride. Desigur, pentru a confirma acest lucru sunt necesare observaii extinse n habitat. Totui, ca punct de pornire
doresc s fac urmtoarea remarc: n habitat am observat aceste pete mai ales la plante extrem de expuse -
ocupnd uneori pn la 80% din suprafaa epidermei; specimene protejate fie de tufisuri, fie de stnci mai mari erau
mult mai puin afectate, la cele mai umbrite petele fiind nesemnificative. Acestea sunt simple constatri, botanitii
fiind cei care vor trebui s lmureasc acest aspect.
n solarul meu iarna am de obicei 5-6C i desigur mult mai mult n zilele nsorite. Deseori iarna pot trece ns i 2-3
sptmni fr soare i atunci temperatura rareori trece de 6 C. Totui, de cnd am trecut ortegocactuii pe mineral,
aceste pete de rugin au ncetat s mai apar. Pentru muli ani s-a considerat c Ortegocactus este dificil de crescut
pe rdcin proprie, fiind de regul altoit. De cnd am schimbat substratul pot spune ns c aceast teorie este
exagerat. Propagarea se poate face din semine sau prin nrdcinarea butailor. Pentru a obine semine este ns
nevoie de plante obinute generativ, adic din semine, ntruct specia este auto-steril. nflorete de mic, dup ce
depete 1 cm diametru. Fructul este ascuns ntre axile i elibereaz seminele n momentul n care se usuc.
Recent, o nurserie italian a obinut accidental o himer, pornind de la un lstar aprut la mbinarea altoiului cu
portaltoiul (Opuntia compressa), numit +Ortegopuntia Percy.

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Our Special Guests
Graham Charles - The Changing Face of Succulent Publications
Graham Charles
Graham Charles started growing cacti and succulents at the age of 12, and
soon after joined National Cactus and Succulent Society. In 1972 he
qualified as a competition judge and started building his extensive
collection of documented plants. His interest rests mainly with South
American cacti. He has a very enthusiastic but practical approach on
conservation, reducind the demand of habitat collected plants by growing
seedlings from documented seed collections. He made over 20 visits to
South America in order to study and document cacti in their natural
environment.
For his contribution to the hobby, the CSSA made Graham a Fellow of their
Society in 2005. He has given hundreds of talks at BCSS meetings and
conventions in Europe, America and New Zealand. Graham authored
several books (Copiapoa, 1998; Gymnocalycium in habitat and culture,
2009) or co-authored several other books. He was a member of the
editorial team of the New Cactus Lexicon, contributing many photographs to the picture volume. Graham founded
the Cactus Explorers Club and launched the first free on-line journal for cactus and succulent enthusiasts, 'The Cactus
Explorer', in 2011. He currently is editor of Bradleya, the yearbook of BCSS.
The Changing Face of Succulent Publications
by Graham Charles, Ketton, Stamford, England
Succulent journals have been published for more than a century. They have been the principal way to disseminate
information about the plants and their cultivation. Until recently, traditional printing has been the only way of
producing journals, whether they were aimed at professional botanists or amateurs.
The arrival of new technologies presents the publishers with more possibilities. Conventional printing is expensive for
small quantities, but now digital printing has improved in quality and offers a cheaper alternative for printing a few
hundred copies, a choice favoured by many small specialist Societies.
It is difficult to remember what life was like without the internet. It has had a major effect on many aspects of our
lives and publishing is no exception. The Portable Document Format (PDF) was invented more than 20 years ago as
a universal format for illustrated document files on computers. The PDF reader is distributed free and allows anyone
to view files saved in this format whilst preserving the exact appearance of the original.
So, as the internet became available to most of the population, PDF offered a new way to deliver journals,
particularly as the internet speed improved, so allowing the download of large files in a reasonable time. This
publishing method was given a further boost when the ICBN (International Code of Botanical Nomenclature) changed
the rules concerning the publication of new names and allowed it to be done on-line.
Distributing a journal on-line has a number of advantages for the publisher. Firstly, it is cheap, since there are no
printing costs, nor an increasing bill for postage. It is also quick to produce, offering authors rapid publication, and
quick to deliver. If any issue becomes larger than expected, there is no problem, unlike with conventional printing.
For readers whose first language is not English, PDF files give them the chance to run the text through an on-line
translation program which can help them to understand the content.
But what do the readers think? Do people like reading on-line journals? Are they more likely to read an on-line
journal? When I talk to people who download the Cactus Explorer, the free on-line journal I created in 2011, they

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Graham Charles - The Changing Face of Succulent Publications
often tell me that they print it out to read and keep. I lay out the pages with double-sided A4 printing in mind, a
format which most similar journals have also adopted. If it was intended for on-screen reading, a journal could be
any size and would probably be better with just a single column of text.
Speaking personally, I still prefer a printed book or journal. They are more convenient to refer to or read. You can
read them in bed or in the garden on a sunny day. Perhaps I am old fashioned, but there is something about a book
which suggests authority and reliability, and they feel good!
The arrival of so many free on-line journals coincides with diminishing numbers of people subscribing to succulent
Societies. Such numbers have been in decline for many years, so I dont believe the two are directly linked. Rather, I
think that now the internet is so often the first place to look for information, on-line journals are more likely to be
seen by new converts to the hobby, and this may lead to them joining a Society.
In conclusion, I think there is a place for both and indeed, as the editor of Bradleya as well as the Cactus Explorer, I
produce both. I enjoy the contact with people around the world who share my interest in cacti and succulents. It is
really all about communication, so we need to use all the media available to inform and entertain fellow enthusiasts.
(Pictures taken in Graham Charles greenhouses - courtesy of Trevor Wray).

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Connoisseur's Notes
Mammillaria albiflora (Werdermann) Backeberg 1937
by Ricardo Daniel Raya Snchez, Celaya, Guanajuato, Mxico
Mammillaria albiflora is a small cactus species that grows only about 5

cm high and 3 cm wide, rarely offshooting. It has multiple areoles,
about 60-80, topped with white radial spines of just a few millimeters
and without any central spine, covering almost 100% of the plants
body. This provides a unique shape and its main particular feature
within the genus. The plant also has a large turnip-shaped root that
can be up to 8 cm long and 3 cm wide, which stores water for the dry
season. The plants are flowering from April to June, they have daytime
flowers, and white colored occasionally with light pink stripes and
reach 4 cm in diameter, which is quite a huge flower for such a small
body, sometimes the flowers becomes larger than the plant itself.
Fig. 1 Mammillaria albiflora in habitat
FEATURE MAMMILLARIA HERRERAE MAMMILLARIA ALBIFLORA

100 or more, unequal, interlaced, white
60-80, unequal, with no central spine, interlaced,
or gray, 1-5 mm long, with no central
spines white or gray, 1-5 mm long, covering almost 100%
spine, covering almost 100% of the
of the plant
plant
size 8 cm high and 5 cm wide 5 cm high and 3 cm wide
flower color magenta white, occasionally with a small pale pink stripe
flowersize 3-5 cm of diameter 4-6 cm of diameter, funnel-shaped
root fibrous, shallow up to 5 cm long napiforme up to 8 cm long and 3 cm wide
few millimeters black color, protruding mammilas

seed within the plant body, blackish brown,
on a white coat
Fig. 2 The habitat. Locality type 1.

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Ricardo Daniel Raya Snchez - Mammillaria albiflora (Werdermann) Backeberg 1937
Mammillaria albiflora was initially included as a variety in Mammillaria herrerae, as Mammillaria herrerae var.
albiflora Werdermann 1931, main reason being the superficial similarity of the two and then was separated as a new
species after considering several differences; compared to the Mammillaria herrerae type the most notable
variances are: smaller body and flower size, totally different flower color, fruiting and root type (napiform in M.
albiflora).
Fig. 3, 4 Mammillaria albiflora in habitat locality 1.

Mammillaria albiflora is endemic to the state of Guanajuato in central Mexico, growing on small hills with lots of
limestone rocks, at about 1200 meters altitude. It prefers denuded areas with great sunlight exposure; you can see it
growing there together with companion plants such as Mammillaria pseudocrucigera, Mammillaria magnimamma,
Coryphanta erecta, Mammillaria perbella, Ferocactus latispinus, Ferocactus histrix, Jatropha dioica, Agave applanata,
Acacia schaffnerii, etc.
My first encounter with Mammillaria albiflora was after several years of research and more than 7 expeditions to the
area. At that time I did not have accurate information in regards to their location, neither the right tools for its
search, or further information on their growth habits, distribution and general data. Information was very scarce,
virtually no useful information contained in books, magazines or websites. Only few details were briefly mentioned
about it, which made my search in the field like seeking a needle in a haystack. So I decided to seek the small
Mammillaria by quadrants, each of them covering different places I was visiting and so I walked much of the
territory, which actually was very pleasing because I could find other rare and beautiful species, and, after several
trips, I finally was successful in finding this wonderful plant.

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I first discovered this cactus in habitat in its type locality, where the population of Mammillaria albiflora is currently
very scarce, due to illegal collection and land use change, in that particular location I had found only 6 plants during 4
hours of search and after covering quite a large area.
Figs. 8 - 11 Mammillaria albiflora in habitat locality 2.

I read about this location that it was purchased by the CANTE A.C. now CHARCO DEL INGENIO and that it would be a
privately owned area where the plants would be secure. Now, cattle corrals are overgrazing carelessly the entire

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habitat of Mammillaria albiflora and therefore there is no certainty that this plant could do well and populations
recover in a foreseeable future.

After my first visit a good friend told me about the existence of other M. albiflora populations which are far from the
type locality, little known to the people and in which human impact has not diminished populations. Knowing this, I
planned another expedition.

In these new localities I could see lots of plants of different sizes which indicate that the populations are healthy and
thriving, and despite the presence of small herds of sheep and cows, there is no serious and imminent problem for
plants from this direction. However, there is a threat of considerably greater concern: the planned construction of a
golf course and a number of housing developments, designed to build lodges and relaxation facilities for the upper
class. All of these are planned to be built on a large area (470.61 hectares) in the Pozos community and
(unfortunately) in the Mammillaria albiflora habitat.
The project comprises a first step to be developed in an area of 253.82 hectares, which includes the construction of a
golf course, subdivisions for lots of housing, roads and services. This project is part of a comprehensive development
plan in Pozos community in an area of 1015.82 hectares, to be completed over 30 years; this project is aimed to
stimulate a long-term improvement of touristic, residential and agroecological ventures, using historical attractions
and scenery mining haciendas in the zone.

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Fig. 15, 16 Mammillaria herrerae vs. Mammillaria albiflora. Photos Miguel Angel Chavaria.
Even if there was conducted an environmental impact study, this is not realistic and does not provide the correct and
complete information on the biodiversity of the area. This document is open to the general public for their
information, so you can access on the Internet with report number 11GU2010UD081 SEMARNAT (link for download
the pdf http://sinat.semarnat.gob.mx/dgiraDocs/documentos/gto/estudios/2010/11GU2010UD081.pdf); it does not
include species that are considered under some protection such as Glandulicactus uncinatus ssp. crassihamatus
CITES appendix 2 NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010 THREATENED Echinocactus horizonthalonius CITES appendix 2 among
others, perhaps this is due economic interests that are at stake, as these projects involve millions of dollars that
benefit powerful people who have no respect for nature and only seek wealth.
Fig. 17, 18 Together with Mammillaria albiflora in habitat, Acacia schaffnerii and Coryphanta erecta.
With the disappearance of its habitat the future of Mammillaria albiflora is at risk if there are not taken adequate
protection measures for the short time future; perhaps the only way to see them in future will be in private
collections, photographs, and not in their natural environment.
Will we get in such a desperate situation to require international aid to protect this species...? We don't know yet for
sure, but very probably yes!
Literature cited:
Helia Bravo Hollis, Lia Scheinvar - El interesante mundo de las cactceas, ed. 1 (1995) and ed. 2 (1999);
John Pilbeam Mammillaria, Cirio Publishing Services, Southampton (1999).

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Fig. 19, 20 Together with Mammillaria albiflora in habitat, Echinocactus horizonthalonius and Mammillaria perbella.
Mammillaria albiflora (Werdermann) Backeberg 1937

de Ricardo Daniel Raya Snchez, Celaya, Guanajuato, Mexic
Mammillaria albiflora este un cactus de mici dimensiuni, cu areole dense din care cresc spini radiali scuri si dei,
acoperind ntreg corpul plantei. Planta are o rdcin napiform ce poate atinge 8 cm lungime i 3 cm grosime.
nflorete n aprilie-iunie, floarea diurn, de 4 cm, mai mare dect corpul plantei, fiind alb, ocazional cu dungi
longitudinale roz deschis pe petale. Iniial, aceast specie a fost inclus ca varietate n Mammillaria herrerae
(Mammillaria herrerae var. albiflora Werdermann 1931), ulterior ridicat la nivel de specie distinct ca urmare a
unor diferene notabile (vezi tabel). Este o endemic a statului Guanajuato din Mexicul central, unde crete la
aproximativ 1.200 m altitudine pe dealuri coninnd calcare, n locuri puin vegetate, expuse, alturi de alte specii de
cactui i alte plante suculente.
Am ntlnit pentru prima dat aceast plant dup mai muli ani de cercetri i 7 expediii n zon. Informaiile erau
precare, aa nct am mprit zona n sectoare pe care le parcurgeam n diferite expediii i astfel am descoperit
aceast plant minunat. S-a ntmplat s fie localitatea tipului, unde populaia existent este foarte redus numeric
am gsit numai 6 plante dup cutri care au durat 4 ore. Am citit c terenul acesta a fost cumprat de o companie
privat i am crezut c plantele vor fi n siguran. Numai c terenul este punat excesiv, neexistnd deci
certitudinea refacerii acestei populaii.
Ulterior am aflat de la un prieten bun de existena altor populaii de M. albiflora, aflate la mare distan fa de
localitatea tipului. Aici am vzut numeroase plante de diverse dimensiuni, indicnd faptul c populaiile sunt
sntoase. Totui, exist un motiv de ngrijorare mult mai serios: exist planuri de dezvoltare a zonei ocupate de
comunitatea Pozos, urmnd ca pe 470,61 hectare s se construiasc un teren de golf, locuine, cabane i alte
amenajri turistice pentru nalta societate, din nefericire inclusiv n habitatul M. albiflora. Aceasta este numai o
seciune a unui proiect mai amplu care urmeaz s se deruleze pe parcursul a 30 de ani pe o suprafa de 1.015,82
hectare.
Chiar dac a fost efectuat un studiu de impact asupra mediului, acesta nu este realist i nu cuprinde informaii
corecte privind biodiversitatea zonei. Nici nu menioneaz specii considerate protejate cum ar fi Glandulicactus
uncinatus ssp. crassihamatus sau Echinocactus horizonthalonius. Exist interese economice ale unor oameni
puternici, care urmresc numai bunstarea material i care nu sunt interesai de natur. Prin dispariia acestui
habitat, viitorul Mammillariei albiflora este sumbru dac nu vor fi luate urgent msuri adecvate de protejare; nu tim
nc cu siguran, dar este foarte probabil ca n viitor s putem admira aceast plant doar n colecii private sau
fotografii, dar nicidecum n habitatul natural. Putem ajunge ntr-o situaie att de disperat nct s cerem ajutor
internaional pentru a proteja aceast specie? Nu tim nc cu siguran, dar este foarte probabil.

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Ecology -Contributions
Gabriel Milln Garduo
About me: Mexican, born in 1982. Dilettante Cactophile, budding communications expert.
Lover of literature, philosophy, history and a stubborn defender of good Spanish
language. Coordinator of contents for the Project Salvacactus of Mexico, a Facebook page
dedicated to the promotion of activities related to the conservation of Mexican cacti,
through the dissemination of knowledge for the conservation and habitat enforcement
and to promote collecting responsible and lower extraction, illegal sale and purchase.
The Salvacactus de Mxico Project
by Gabriel Milln Garduo, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mxico
By mid-2011, with the intention to start a social advertising campaign promoting succulent plants, a small project
that should have been maintained and expanded with limited financial and human resources, I came up with the
idea of creating a website focusing on Mexican cacti. Considering the large number of users we were expecting and
the abilities in creating virtual communities, Facebook was considered to be the best platform for the site.
In early 2012 the project was reinforced and named Salvacactus de Mxico. The entire project started in a quite
intuitive manner, being closer to media, marketing and advertising considerations, rather than taking shape as
botanical or ecological evidence. This approach of the entire Mexican cacti phenomenon is perfectly reflected by the
primary target of our website, which is to raise awareness and spread messages against the collection of cactus
specimens, cuttings and seeds from their natural habitats, assuming that the illegal harvesting is the greatest threat
to this plant family.
Once the first releases online, using advertising techniques and constantly applying the "trial and error" method,
Salvacactus was gaining more and more followers, albeit at a slow pace. While our interest and eagerness to learn
more about the Mexican cacti grew, the first members of Salvacactus (Gabriel Milln Garduo, Adriana Villafuerte
and Ivn Figueroa) noticed that the project cannot revolve only around illegal cactus collections, as it would leave
aside the biggest threat for the cacti: the land use change and the subsequent loss of habitat, which is the main
threat, for cacti and for other biological families alike. The transformation of its objectives at that time didnt occur
only for its members, but together with our curiosity and interest, it attracted the interest and interaction of several
other followers of Salvacactus, transforming the page due to their own input and feedback, and some of them were
experts in the field.
Fig. 1 The first postal of the campaign
"chale la mano a las cactceas" (give
a hand to the cactaceae). This image
is focusing on preventing cactus
collection from its habitat.
And so, as time passed, the
Salvacactus network grew, and more
and more members and repeat
visitors shared their pictures or
thoughts with us. In November 2012
the team was joined by Cesar
Hernandez, a young agro-ecology
student, native of San Luis Potosi.
Enthusiastic and altruistic, he began
sharing with Salvacactus page his excellent photographs of the cacti from his region, but also from other states of
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Gabriel Milln Garduo - The Salvacactus de Mxico Project
the country. Cesar Hernandez's participation marked a milestone in the history of the project and as a direct result of
the visual wealth and impact of his images Salvacactus gained much more visibility and a larger number of followers.
The quality of the images, his experience in identifying cacti and above all, the willingness to cooperate was reflected
in the page, which not only increased in followers, but achieved a much higher engagement from its audience.
Fig. 2, 3 Second and the third postal of the campaign "chale la mano a las cactceas".
The first image is focusing on preventing littering and the cactus habitat preservation and the second is focusing on
promoting trade of cacti legally produced in greenhouses.
In 2013 we considered the Salvacactus logo, aiming towards a greater brand identity and trying to craft it as a visual
reference. The logo was extracted from the Codex Boturini (also known as "Tira de la peregrinacin") (*), which
describes the journey of the Mexica tribe from Aztlan to the Valley of Mexico. One of the pages shows two globose
cacti on which human sacrifices were performed, probably Echinocactus grusonii or E. plathyacanthus. With a logo
from such an old document, Salvacactus consolidated and defined more incisively its scope: Mexican cacti.
Currently, Salvacactus can be defined as a cyber-activist
page. As a result it produces, develops, disseminates, and
promotes shared content from both own and external
sources, in order to give visibility to Mexican cacti, to
raise awareness and spread knowledge of their habitat,
characteristics, distribution, biology and threats, as well
as the biological and evolutionary richness surrounding
this plant family. This project seeks to create a new level
of awareness, to drive beyond a web-page showing
pictures of cacti and a space for dialogue, debate and
peer learning. Salvacactus does not try to "teach", but it
opens the space and creates channels for information to
flow, everything from expert commentary to rural
anecdote.
Fig. 4 Fourth postal of the campaign "chale la mano a las
cactceas", this was conducted to underline the importance
of cactus knowledge for their conservation.
Salvacactus' vision is not to be only a website. Our future vision is to build a civil society organization, to conduct
environmental education campaigns, media campaigns in order to alert the population on the importance of cacti,
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on the effect of human interventions in arid and semi-arid eco-systems, and lobbying to change rules, regulations
and legislation for the preservation of Mexican cacti.
For the time being Salvacactus is being directed by:

Gabriel Milln Garduo, media and communication
student, who coordinates the content, public relations
and also assures the Facebook users interface; Cesar
Hernandez, agro-ecologist engineer, who shares his
wonderful photographs of wild cactus life; Antonio
Arias, ecological restoration master, who serves as an
external counsel on ecologic issues; and most recently
Eva Almanza, agro-ecologist engineer, who also shared
her images for publication and began her involvement as
web-page administrator.
Fig. 5 Fifth postal of the campaign "chale la mano a las
cactceas".
This insist on the importance of not extracting cacti from
the wild and appreciate their beauty in habitat.
Although this is the only "staff", Salvacactus has received
and receives substantial contributions from many
people, some well-known, some not, who joined the
Salvacactus ideals by giving visibility to the Mexican cacti and deliver a strong message in support of their
conservation, from the virtual barricades, some even indirectly, due to their continuous involvement in this project.
Fig. 6, 7 The poster promotes the idea that mining is one of the most threating activities for biodiversity
and The Image promoting thr World Environment Day.
Among the many people who have worked together with the "Salvacactus Project" we can mention: Adriana
Villafuerte, who is preparing a series of fantastic artwork on cacti, to show that art and conservation can work
together, Silvia Rivera, who was formerly involved with the Charco del Ingenio Botanic Garden and who boarded
Salvacactus train, supporting the project and establishing a beneficial and direct relationship for both portals; Dag
Panco, a Romanian hobbyist and Senior Editor of this journal, who invited us to publish this essay, and who always
enthusiastically shared his interest on conservation; Pedro Najera, another Potosinian agro-ecologist engineer,

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passionate and having a huge determination to defend

the Mexican natural resources; Felipe Escudero, whose
experience, expertise and patience are invaluable and
who shared his knowledge without hesitation and
supports the conservation; Miguel Gonzlez, master in
management of arid wild ranges, who is a fierce critic of
publications and thanks to whom precision is a long
sought goal, and many others, some temporary, some
permanent, directly and indirectly, are part of the
Salvacactus movement, a movement that seeks nothing
but help for the conservation work of Mexican cacti.
Fig. 8 Image promoting the International Day of Biological
Diversity.
Salvacactus is always looking for people to become part
of its staff, so if you are interested please contact us
either by writing us at salvacactus.mexico@gmail.com, by
sending us a private message on our website
www.fb.com/salvacactus, or by contacting Gabriel Milln Garduo at migg8210@gmail.com.
(*)
The Boturini Codex was painted by an unknown Aztec author sometime between 1530 and 1541, roughly a decade after the
Spanish conquest of Mexico. Pictorial in nature, it tells the story of the legendary Aztec journey from Aztln to the Valley of
Mexico. Rather than employing separate pages, the author used one long sheet of amatl, or fig bark, accordion-folded into 21
pages. (Wikipedia)
Proiectul Salvacactus de Mxico

de Gabriel Milln Garduo, Cuernavaca, Morelos , Mexic
(abstract)
Proiectul a fost iniiat la mijlocul anului 2011, cu scopul de a atrage atenia asupra cactuilor mexicani i a colectrii
lor ilegale, Facebook fiind considerat o platform optim. n 2012 a fost denumit Salvacactus de Mxico. Membrii
iniiali (Gabriel Milln Garduo, Adriana Villafuerte i Ivn Figueroa) au realizat n curnd c prevenirea colectrii
ilegale a cactuilor din habitat nu este dect o latur a problemei, modificarea utilizrii fondului funciar i pierderea
habitatelor fiind probleme chiar mai acute. n timp s-au alturat numeroi susintori, expertiza unora dintre ei fiind
esenial. n luna noiembrie a anului 2012 Cesar Hernandez, un tnr student la ecologie agrar, s-a alturat acestui
proiect, acesta fiind un moment decisiv n viaa proiectului, prin calitatea materialelor, fotografiilor i contribuiilor
sale, de mare impact, care au atras muli ali susintori. n 2013 a fost desemnat o sigl a proiectului, extras dintr-
o lucrare istoric cunoscut i sub numele de Codex Boturini, definind mult mai bine scopul acestei asociaii.
n prezent, Salvacactus poate fi definit ca o pagin activist virtual. n esen ea produce, dezvolt, difuzeaz i
promoveaz informaii, att din surse proprii ct i din surse externe, pentru a sensibiliza populaia i a rspndi
cunotinele n ceea ca privete habitatul, caracteristicile acestuia, distribuia, biologia speciilor de cactui mexicani,
precum i ameninrile la care sunt expuse. Scopul este de a construi o organizaie a societii civile, care s conduc
campanii mediatice, de educare, lobby pentru modificri legislative n scopul conservrii cactuilor mexicani. Printre
persoanele care au conlucrat sau care au sprijinit proiectul putem enumera pe: Adriana Villafuerte, Silvia Rivera,
Dag Panco, Pedro Najera, Felipe Escudero, Miguel Gonzlez i alii. Salvacactus este n permanent cutare de
susintori i colaboratori. Doritorii ne pot scrie la salvacactus.mexico@gmail.com, sau mesaj privat pe site-ul nostru
www.fb.com/salvacactus, sau contactndu-l pe Gabriel Milln Garduo la migg8210@gmail.com.

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Xero - Arts
Carl Spitzweg (1808 1885), the succulent plants lover
by Eduart Zimer, Auckland, New Zealand
Carl Spitzweg is known as one of the most important

representative painters of the Biedermeier era, producing art
for the everyday man, and immortalizing with great humour
and indulgence everyday life of the German small-town middle
class. He wasnt even set to become an artist. He attempted his
secondary education in a humanistic gymnasium, but managed
to complete only two of the four years and left school in 1824
in order to start apprenticeship at the Royal Bavarian Court
Pharmacy in Munich. He appeared to have found his way in life
and started in 1830 studies towards a degree in pharmacy,
botany and chemistry at the University of Munich, where he
graduated in 1832 with honours. Subsequently he was
admitted as a practical pharmacist and worked as such in
several pharmacies, including the Erding town pharmacy.
However, in 1833, after an illness of some sort, Carl Spitzweg
broke from his pharmaceutical career and opted to become a
painter. His decision has been probably made easier as he
received at about the same time a substantial inheritance.
Fig.1 Carl Spitzweg - self portrait, ca. 1835

However, this wasnt fully unexpected as he had a predilection for drawing since being a teenager (his first known
drawing is dated 1823). In 1835 he became a member of the Munich Art Society, quitting, however, two years later
as he felt his work was largely misunderstood. At the same time he sold his first painting. For many years to come he
travelled extensively in several European countries and throughout Germany, and although he was an autodidact
and never attended an art academy himself, Carl Spitzweg was inducted as an honorary member of the Bavarian
Academy of Visual Arts in 1868, and eventually became a landmark of German culture. Since 1844, he teamed up
with the Fliegenden Bltter (a humorous publication of the time), which he illustrated with numerous humorous
drawings. A characteristic feature for many of his paintings.
As a cactus and succulent enthusiast I always
have a stray eye for these plants and it struck
me (purely by chance) how often appear
various succulents, cacti and agave in
particular in his paintings. I have not been
able to find out if he had contacts with exotic
plants fanciers but of course, he probably
knew cacti and succulents from pharmacy
showcases (this is typical European) and is
likely to have been attracted by their exotic
forms.
Fig. 2, 3 Carl Spitzweg - The Pensioner, ca.
1856 (widely known as The Cactus Lover)
and detail of the same.
However, I think theres more to it. German painters and artists used to travel, among other places, in Italy, an
almost necessary step in becoming an artist. And there, in parallel with learning the secrets of the trade, they must
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Eduart Zimer Carl Spitzweg (1805-1885), the succulent plants lover
have been exposed to the Italian gardens, so rich in succulents due to the mild Mediterranean climate. A good
example of what he could have seen there is one work of another German painter Friedrich von Nerly subsequently
established in Italy the 1834 painting The Roman Balcony, depicting a potted Agave. Although I couldnt document
if Carl Spitzweg met von Nerly, there is a drawing of a yellow flowered Aloe (erroneously called Agave) in his 1840
sketchbook of the first Italian journey. This could have been the starting point, if not the Dalmatian travel in 1839.
Figs. 4 6 Carl Spitzweg - The Cactus Lover, 1850 (known as The Cactus Enthusiast), Carl Spitzweg - The Naturalist in the
Tropics, ca. 1835 and Friedrich Nerly - Roman-Balcony, 1834.
Carl Spitzweg must have been interested in exotic plants prior to his first Italian travel since one of his first paintings,
The Naturalist at the Tropics (ca. 1835), presents a naturalist looking at a quite colourful and exotic plants
arrangement, however, inappropriatedly matched for a pristine natural habitat (Opuntia & Aloe). However, it was
only after his second Italian travel (1850, Venice) that succulent plants became an almost constant presence in his
paintings as feature element, or in the background.
Probably the most famous cacti paintings are The Pensioner (mostly referred as The Cactus Lover, ca. 1856) and The
Cactus Lover (mostly referred as The Cactus Enthusiast, 1850). Very interesting is the Italian atmosphere that
permeates from the first picture; more, both capture very accurately the passion and propensity for study, proper to

ISSN 2285 3987
all respectable cactus collectors. There also is a variant of The Pensioner (Carl Spitzweg used to produce several
versions of one work) painted in a very different style, called The Pastor as Cactus Lover. Carl Spitzweg painted also a
somewhat diluted version of The Cactus Lover few years later, in 1880 (The Writer) only this time the cacti were
replaced by a large Agave.
Especially the original The Pensioner is highly interesting for
todays cactus collectors because of the hindsight into an amateur
collection. There is a very interesting plant mix (and not a
specialized collection as such) consisting of a nice Opuntia in a large
wooden planter, few Agaves, a leafy epiphyte cactus by the looks of
it, a cereiform one (maybe Echinocereus) and couple of globular
cacti (maybe Notocacti) but not the very popular Bauernkaktus
with its triumphant trumpet flowers (that would have been a nice
one). Note the thermometer on the wall and the bird houses. A very
nice painting indeed which emanates kind of Mediterranean
warmth and tranquillity, even if the central figure looks reasonable
German or maybe Dutch?
Fig. 7 Carl Spitzweg Agave, 1840. A drawing from his 1840 Italian
travel sketchbook actually depicting an Aloe!
Among Carl Spitzwegs favourite characters are hermits, monks
and philosophers, mostly enjoying tranquillity surrounded by
dense vegetation or potted plants. One of the most interesting
paintings of this series is The Suspicious Smoke (ca. 1860), depicting a hermit concentrated on observing a suspicious
fire in the distance. Three plants have an almost central position in this work and cant be overlooked: an Agave, an
Opuntia and another plant that looks like an epiphytic cactus to me. There are several other paintings featuring
Agave plants: Old Hermit Sleeping, Hermit Reading, Music Making Hermit in Front of His Rocky Hermitage (ca. 1856-
58), With the Philosopher in the Garden (ca. 1850-55), etc.
Fig. 8, 9 Carl Spitzweg Suspicious Smoke, ca. 1860 and In the Garden, with the Philosopher, ca. 1850-1855
Visit at the Countryside (School Day Friends), 1855, is one of my favourites, with a large Agave dominating this
humoresque reunion of two old friends. As mentioned above, Carl Spitzweg used to paint several versions until
reaching perfection this is the case with The Eternal Bridegroom (1853-60), The Farewell (ca. 1855), The Portrait
Painter (1852-55), The Garden Friend (1860), and several Serenades (some Spanish, some not) all featuring, more
or less discrete, potted Agave plants.
Last but not least, a very interesting early painting called The Newspaper Reader in the Garden (1847). This is quite
tricky. Definitely, our reader is not interested in his newspaper at all! By all appearances he is checking out the young
and slender maid. There are certain things that never change. But wait, dont jump into conclusions maybe hes
actually just mindful she doesnt overturn inadvertently the potted Agave. Well, at least thats my guess.

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Fig. 10, 11 Carl Spitzweg Hermit reading and The Scribe, 1880
Apart from the preference for cacti and succulents, Carl Spitzweg was one of a kind, and one of the most
representative Biedermeier era artists. He even had a most fervent follower, namely Willy Moralt (1884-1947) who
was only one year old when Carl Spitzweg passed away. Despite the age gap and the fact that he produced his own
original works, Willy Moralt is mostly known for being a copyist and imitator of Carl Spitzweg, whose painting style
he had internalized to such extent that his paintings (if not signed) could be partially confused with Spitzwegs
originals. He created several replicas entitled The Cactus Lover.
Figs. 12 - 14 Willy Moralt The Cactus Lover

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Fig. 15 Carl Spitzweg A Visit at the Countryside (School Day Friends), 1855
Fig. 16, 17 Carl Spitzweg The Garden Friend, ca. 1860 and The Newspaper Reader in the Garden, 1847

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Fig. 18 Carl Spitzweg The Portrait Painter, ca. 1852-1855

Even today there are artists re-creating Carl Spitzwegs work (like Otto Rohrs 1889 The Farewell replica), not to
speak of an apparently very lucrative souvenir and memorabilia industry. In 2008 the Bundespost issued a stamp
commemorating 200 years since Carl Spitzwegs birth. Looking at The Pensionist (Fig. 2 -3) it becomes so obvious that
the world has little changed since, only that new cactus species have been discovered in the meantime.
Figs. 19 - 21 A portrait photo of Carl Spitzweg, ca. 1860,

The 200th anniversary of Carl Spitzweg in 2008 the silver coin and the post stamp.

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Connoisseur's Notes
Stefan Nitzschke
My name is Stefan Nitzschke. I was born in Kln (Cologne) in 1967. My passion for cacti
evolved from the common hobby involving plants from around the late 1970s. At the
beginning I used to collect all species of cacti that were available, however, after some time
I started a specialized collection, focusing initially on Turbinicarpus, then accommodating
the other Mexican species in my collection as a result of an increasing available space. My
hobby culminated with several study trips to Mexico and with the first description of
Turbinicarpus horripilus ssp. wrobelianus Nitzschke et Anaya Montes. Over the years, many
contacts were made with like-minded people all over the world including also the
meantime deceased Turbinicarpus and Mexico specialists such as Hans Joachim Bonatz,
Gerhard Frank / Vienna, Werner Reppenhagen and Alfred B. Lau. Currently, I am
maintaining an extensive Turbinicarpus collection in a 40m greenhouse and am very
interested in the exchange of Turbinicarpus cristates.
Notes on Mammillaria herrerae Werdermann

in habitat and culture
by Stefan Nitzschke, Cologne, Germany
I had my first encounter with this gem of the Genus Mammillaria at the very beginnings of my travels through
Mexico, back in 1990. After traveling for 29 km on a dirt road we finally reached the small village of Vista Hermosa.
Unfortunately we didnt find at that time the plant in its natural habitat, but we saw it collected by locals among
other cacti such as Echinocactus grusonii.
Fig. 1, 2 Junction of the MEX 120 towards Vista Hermosa and

the village of Vista Hermosa, with collected Echinocactus grusonii in the front yards.
Fig. 3, 4 Mammillaria herrerae for sale.

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Stefan Nitzschke Notes on Mammillaria herrerae in habitat and culture
In Vista Hermosa, still an existing locality for Mammillaria herrerae at that time, several plants were offered for sale
to us. However, we declined and, as a result, for expressing our concern in regards to nature protection and after
teaching them the existing Mexican laws, we ended up collecting only scorn and mockery. We left the village and
continued our travel in the direction Zimapan, crossing the Rio Moctezuma and photographing few locals during
laundry day. The residents of the village of Vista Hermosa were relocated few years later in a higher-lying village
Bella Vista del Rio, because of the construction of the dam.
Fig. 5, 6 "Retail area" with Echinocactus grusonii and a flowering Echinocactus grusonii.
Fig. 7, 8 Laundry day in Rio Moctezuma and drying the laundry.
Fig. 9, 10 Mammillaria herrerae at the site.
On later trips I saw the plants on long hikes in this region several times and in different locations along the Sierra del
Doctor till next to the present-day reservoir near the village of Bella Vista del Rio. So far, I could never find them in
mass occurrences, but every time only sporadically in small populations along the way. Mammillaria herrerae grows
in raw humus-filled pockets and crevices of limestone slabs. The location and the nature of the substrate allowed
their roots to dry rapidly. They are associated with other cacti such as Turbinicarpus pseudomacrochele ssp.
krainzianus var. lausseri, Astrophytum ornatum ssp. mirbellii and Thelocactus hastifer. All sites that are known to me
are located in the state of Queretaro. The plants use to stay predominantly solitary, which is common for both
habitat and culture plants, however, very old plants tend to offset even without any damage to the growing point,
and form multi-headed groups.

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Fig. 11, 12 Astrophytum ornatum ssp. mirbellii and Thelocactus hastifer at the site.
Im cultivating my seed-grown plants on their own roots, in the greenhouse, in a well-drained soil mixture consisting
of 1/3 pumice, 1/3 tuff and 1/3 high quality commercial potting mixture (Composana). During the growing season my
plants receive no additional fertilizer and are watered only after the potting mix becomes completely dry, that is 3-6
times in a season. Im not watering from above, but from the tray. In my experience this is the appropriate watering
method for this plant for two very good reasons: 1) the sensitive roots may rot when exposed to moisture for too
long, and 2) protects the stunning white spination (which may become brownish or chalky otherwise). This species is
flowering for me in June/July, which is in the middle of the growing season. Every now and then, with a bit of luck,
you can obtain even cristate plants. Growers who manage to keep alive even somewhat more sensitive cactus
species, should not miss this outstanding jewel.
Fig. 13 Flowering Mammillaria herrerae with pollinator in culture.

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Fig. 14 Flowering Mammillaria herrerae with pollinator in culture.
Note despre Mammillaria herrerae Werdermann n habitat i n cultur
de Stefan Nitzschke, Kln, Germania
(abstract)
Autorul evoc prima ntlnire cu Mammillaria herrerae n Mexic, n 1990, n mica localitate Vista Hermosa. Nu a
ntlnit planta n habitat, dar a gsit-o oferit spre vnzare de localnici alturi de Echinocactus grusonii. ncercnd s
explice ilegalitatea acestor oferte i expunnd opinia sa despre protejarea naturii i conservare, nu a atras dect
ironiile vnztorilor. Civa ani mai trziu Vista Hermosa a fost strmutat iar habitatul plantei a fost inundat datorit
construirii unui baraj. n cltorii ulterioare autorul a ntlnit Mammillaria herrerae n diverse locaii de pe cuprinsul
statului Queretaro, ncepnd cu Sierra del Doctor i pn la lacul de acumulare nou format, n dreptul noii localiti
Bella Vista del Rio. Crete de regul n mici acumulari de sol din crevase formate n stnci calcaroase, unde rdcinile
se pot usca rapid. Ca plante nsoitoare au fost semnalate: Turbinicarpus pseudomacrochele ssp. krainzianus var.
lausseri, Astrophytum ornatum ssp. mirbellii i Thelocactus hastifer. Autorul i cultiv plantele crescute din semine
pe rdcini proprii, ntr-un amestec bine drenant, constituit din 1/3 ponce, 1/3 tuf vulcanic i 1/3 compost comercial
(Composana), fr fertilizani. Udri rare (3-6) n sezonul de cretere, din tvi. nflorete n iunie-iulie. Ocazional pot
apare i forme cristate. Colecionari capabili s in n via specii mai dificile nu trebuie s ocoleasc aceast
bijuterie remarcabil.
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Online magazines Bits and Pieces
Online magazines
First of all we would like to introduce a newcomer among the free online journals: Acta Succulenta, having its first issue
released in early October. This outstanding quarterly journal appears in three different editions: English, French and
Italian, and is devoted to succulent and xerophyte plants and their environments, with an extra focus on European and
Mediterranean succulent flora, in a superb layout. The Editor is Davide Donati, while publisher is Collegium Europaeum
pro Plantis Succulentis (CEPS). The 94 pages of the first issue contains a selection of very interesting articles written by
Fritz Hochsttter (first description of Nolina pollyjeanniae, from Oklahoma), Davide Donati, Elvia Speranza, Moreno
Centa, Grard Dumont, Antoine Mazzacurati and Fabrizio Barbieri. Once again, this is a splendid publication of an
exceptionally high editorial quality. Well, this was the latest online addition, now lets introduce one of the longest
running online journals: Boletn electrnico de la SLCCS (Sociedad Latinoamericana y del Caribe de Cactceas y otras
Suculentas) with the first issue published in 2004 and which appears (in Spanish) three times per year. Its latest issue
we have downloaded (Vol. 10, No. 1, Jan. Apr. 2013) includes papers and articles on cacti and other succulents from
Latin-American countries. Among the authors we noticed a few familiar names: Marlon Machado, Nigel Taylor, Salvador
Arias, Eduardo Estrada Castilln, and
others.
Monthly journals: The Acc Aztekium
Journal continues its monthly
appearances (in Romanian), with the
same interesting and varied summary.
From the last few issues we wish to
mention the noteworthy plant portraits
written by Liviu Jidoveanu (e.g. on Yucca
bacatta and Agave pumila 'Nana') and
the overwhelming pictorials of important
society members racing each other to
visit collections and botanical gardens
abroad. Avonia-News is offering us
another couple of interesting issues
packed with highly interesting reports on succulent flora, written by German and International authors: Khadia
beswickii (by Gerog Fritz), Euphorbia valida (Dr. Volker Dornig), Aichryson tortuosum (by Ray Stephenson), and last
but not least a massive and highly interesting article on Euphorbia obesa & Euphorbia meloformis (by Gerhard Marx).

ISSN 2285 3987
Online magazines
Sansevieria Online (the latest specialist journal addition published by Dr. Heinz-Gnter Budweg and Peter A. Mansfeld)
just came out with its first issue in German language. According to the notice on page 2, our goals are to study the
genus Sansevieria, to publish articles, to do a continuous research on these plants (classification, morphologie,
evolution), as well as to protect the genus Sansevieria by reproduction from seeds and distribution of seedlings.
Contributors are some of the well-known specialists of this genus: Peter A. Mansfeld, Nicholas Edward Brown, Christof
Nikolaus Schrder, Jutta Rosigkeit. Succulentopi@, the journal
edited by our francophone colleagues, includes in its latest issue
(No. 7), a number of interesting articles focused specifically on the
presentation and description of cacti and succulent plants. Recent
titles: Conophytum, Lithops & Co. series Cerochlamys,
Conophytum, and Corpuscularia; a reprint from Cactus Explorer 8 -
Echinopsis oxygona by Graham Charles (an exceptional article on a
plant that gathers little esteem otherwise), From the pollen to the
ovule or the difficult path of the pollen tube (by Michel Derouet),
and many others (In French). Echinocereus Online-Journal fourth
issue (German with English abstracts), presents three high end
papers on Echinocereus koehresianus and E. ortegae (by Werner
Rischer & Dieter Felix), Echinocereus bonkerae (by Herbert Bauer)
and Echinocereus rectispinus (by Michael Lange). A total of 54
pages of echinocereoid delight for the Gymnocalycium aficionades.
Schtziana, The Cactician, Crassulacea and The Cactus Explorer we
did not see new releases by the time we had to close off our current
edition.
Semnalm cititorilor notri apariia unor noi numere ale jurnalelor

electronice gratuite : Acta Succulenta, Boletn electrnico de la
SLCCS, Acc Aztekium Journal, Avonia-News, Sansevieria Online, Succulentopi@si Echinocereus Online-Journal.
ISSN 2285 3987
Online magazines
Cactus Hobby Brno

http://www.cactus-hobby.eu/
Owner: Ing. Jaromr Dohnalk, Brno, Czech
Republic
e-mail: order@cactus-hobby.eu
All year round production and on-line
distribution of cacti and succulents seeds
and plants, with all details requested by
connoisseurs: full botanical names, exact
habitat locations and field numbers. Every
month we regularly update all our
catalogues of cacti and succulents seeds and
plants.
Quickly on-line service for worldwide
customers.
Communication in English
Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cactus-
Hobby-Brno/566667923357953
Aymeric de Barmon La Psy Serre
ADBLPS http://www.adblps-graines-cactus.com produces and sells more than

3000 entries of seeds from cacti and succulents. New list 2013 available now!
Many germination rates are available at

http://www.semeurs-de-cactus.fr

ISSN 2285 3987
Online magazines
www.aztekium.ro

ISSN 2285 3987
What else do we have prepared for our future issues?
Well, first of all we would like to announce our third special issue planned to be online in January 2014: Epiphytic
myrmecophytes of southern Asia and the southwest Pacific, by Derrick J. Rowe, New Zealand. Derrick has already
published his own DVD book back in 2010, entitled "Ant-plants: Arboreal Wonders of Nature", and co-authored
together with Attila
Kapitany "Australian ant-
plants: amazing
relationships with insects"
in 2012. Not to mention
several articles on the
subject, which have
appeared in prestigious
printed and online
magazines and journals
worldwide over the last few
years. This present paper
will cover the basic biology of these pretty much unknown plants, and will explore few hot spots where these weird
and often spectacular plants grow: Fiji, Australia and various regions of Papua New Guinea (New Britain Island,
Bougainville Island, the
Central Province, and the
Highlands). Prepare yourself
for an informative feast and
a pictorial delight. This will
be an English only issue.
And now, few other titles

from our next regular issue
( 8, March 2014):
Leccinum J. Garca Morales -
On the Turbinicarpus of
Tamaulipas, part 2; Attila
Kapitany - A new Australian intergeneric hybrid: xDisphyllum Sunburn; Gabriel Milln Garduo - Despite their
spines: Mexican cacti under threat; Mikls Ficzere - Cacti and succulents at -23 0 C.
We would like to thank to all who contributed with articles, pictures and translations to this new issue! These
are the ones who allowed us this time to share the knowledge: Agcs Gyrgy, Hungary, Andreas Laras,
Greece; Aymeric de Barmon, France; Balzs Zoltan, Hungary; Barta Laszlo, Hungary; Claudia Lpez Martinez,
Mxico; Felipe Escudero Ganem, Mxico; Gabriel Milln Garduo, Mxico; Graham Charles, England; Jovana
Jaime Hernndez, Mxico; Judd Kirkel Welwitch, South Africa; Jrgen Menzel, USA; Leccinum J. Garca
Morales, Mxico; Manfred Stober, Germany; Manuel Salazar Gonzlez, Mxico; Lvai Melchior and Lvai
Magdolna, Romania; Mihai Crisbanu, France; Pedro Njera Quezada, Mxico; Ricardo Daniel Raya Sanchez,
Mxico; Sandi Karina Neri Cardona, Mxico; Stefan Nitzschke, Germany; Tth Norbert, Hungary.

ISSN 2285 3987
Online magazines

ISSN 2285 3987

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Volume 2, No.

4 (7) December 2013 1

Aztekium valdezii dossier

Our Special Guests

Volume 2, No. 4 (7) December 2013 2

Volume 2, No. 4 (7) December 2013 4

Volume 2, No. 4 (7) December 2013 5

Volume 2, No. 4 (7) December 2013 6

Fig. 9 Lophophora williamsii habitat.

Volume 2, No. 4 (7) December 2013 8

Spanish tabu and inquisition

Volume 2, No. 4 (7) December 2013 10

Traffic, illegal commerce and legal situation

Volume 2, No. 4 (7) December 2013 11

Volume 2, No. 4 (7) December 2013 13

Volume 2, No. 4 (7) December 2013 14

Volume 2, No. 4 (7) December 2013 16

Volume 2, No. 4 (7) December 2013 17

* Photos published by courtesy of Epifanio Candelaria Rodrguez

Volume 2, No. 4 (7) December 2013 18

Demystifying the "Aramberri enigma" an interview with Dr. Andreas Laras

Volume 2, No. 4 (7) December 2013 19

Or having the desolate sense of being the

Volume 2, No. 4 (7) December 2013 20

Fig. 8, 9 perfectly sculptured Ariocarpus fissuratus v. lloydii with metallic epidermis

Volume 2, No. 4 (7) December 2013 22

Volume 2, No. 4 (7) December 2013 23

Figs. 15 - 18 Flower colour variability within a single Ariocarpus confusus colony.

Now, regarding the relationship of this

Volume 2, No. 4 (7) December 2013 25

: Now, about the A. kotschoubeyanus ssp. elephantidens, is it or isn't it a subspecies of A.

: Which is your Ariocarpus preferred complex of species and why?

Volume 2, No. 4 (7) December 2013 26

Volume 2, No. 4 (7) December 2013 27

Fig. 28 Labour of love, mostly ages four to six.

Volume 2, No. 4 (7) December 2013 28

Figs. 29 31 I have made 13 field trips to Mexico and Texas

Volume 2, No. 4 (7) December 2013 29

Volume 2, No. 4 (7) December 2013 32

On the Turbinicarpus of Tamaulipas, part 1

Volume 2, No. 4 (7) December 2013 34

Volume 2, No. 4 (7) December 2013 35

Fig. 13, 14 Habitat of Turbinicarpus nieblae, near San Carlos, Tamaulipas.

Volume 2, No. 4 (7) December 2013 36

Volume 2, No. 4 (7) December 2013 37

Volume 2, No. 4 (7) December 2013 February 2003. 39

Volume 2, No. 4 (7) December 2013 40

Despre turbinicarpuii din Tamaulipas, partea 1-a

de Leccinum J. Garca Morales

Volume 2, No. 4 (7) December 2013 41

The Genus Austrocactus

Basically there are three groups of plants within this genus:

Fig. 1, 2 Austrocactus hibernus. Plants comfortable with

They are very frost hardy and do not appreciate dry

Fig. 3, 4 Austrocactus coxii. Flower bud in April.

Volume 2, No. 4 (7) December 2013 44

Fig. 7, 8 Austrocactus patagonicus Peninsula Valdez 50 m. One month old seedlings.

Volume 2, No. 4 (7) December 2013 45

Corryocactus would a better genus to accommodate this group.

1. Plantele andine cu tulpini trtoare i flori aurii;

Volume 2, No. 4 (7) December 2013 46

Volume 2, No. 4 (7) December 2013 47

Six desert bulbous plants from South Africa