Morangaya
Echinocereus pensilis (synonym of Morangaya pensilis)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Cactaceae
Genus: Morangaya
G.D.Rowley
Species:
M. pensilis
Binomial name
Morangaya pensilis
(K.Brandegee) G.D.Rowley
Synonyms[2]
  • Cereus pensilis K.Brandegee
  • Echinocereus pensilis (K.Brandegee) J.A.Purpus

Morangaya is a monotypic genus of ribbed, usually small to medium-sized, cylindrical shaped cacti, that is native to north western Mexico.[3] The only species is Morangaya pensilis. It is found in the mountains and rocky hills.[4]

Description

It has a mostly clumping form with basally branching vine-like stems. That are at first erect, but then become arching and prostrate or hanging, usually with aerial roots. The stems are cylindrical and taper toward the tips, up to 2 m (6 ft 7 in) long or more, 2.5–4 cm (1–2 in) in diameter. It has 8 - 10 ribs which are low, rounded and tuberculate (small tuber-like). The areoles are 1–2 cm (0–1 in) spaced apart. The needle-like spines are yellow that turn reddish as they age. It has 1 central spine, 1–2.5 cm (0–1 in) long, with 6 to 10 radials more or less radiating, on young areoles. When the plants are older, they can have up 70 or more radials. The flowers which bloom between April and May, are orange or reddish at the stem tip or on older parts, 5–7 cm (2–3 in) long and 4–5 cm (2–2 in) in diameter. They are tubular to narrowly funnelform in shape. The areoles of the tube and ovary, have white or yellowish wool and chestnut bristly/silky spines. After flowering, it produces a fruits (or seed capsule), which is globose to elongate in shape, spiny, red with red pulp 1.5–2 cm (1–1 in) in diameter. Inside, it contains black and rugose seeds, which are very oblique at base.[5]

Taxonomy

It has the common names of 'snake cactus' and 'pitayita hanging cactus'.[5]

The genus name of Morangaya is in honour of Reid Venable Moran (1916–2010), an American botanist, Edward G. Gay (1916–1997) and Betty Gay (1919–2013) who were experts on the flora of Baja California.[6]

The genus and the species of Morangaya pensilis (K.Brandegee) G.D.Rowley were circumscribed by Gordon Douglas Rowley in Ashingtonia vol.1 on page 44 in 1974.[3]

The name Echinocereus pensilis was first published in Monatsschr. Kakteenk. 18: 5 in 1908 by J.A.Purpus. Morangaya pensilis then became a synonym of the older name. Until it was re-established as a separate species with its own genus, Morangaya.[3] Due to molecular phylogenetic studies in 2015.[7] Also anatomical evidence supported this moment.[8]

Although, it is still named as Echinocereus pensilis in some sources.[5]

Conservation

The species suffers from various damages to its native habit,[9] including fragmentation, illegal collection and trade, and also land use changes, especially to farming and cattle ranching, which have impacts on the habitats. Therefore, it passes the requirements for categorization as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.[10]

References

  1. ↑ "The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2010-05-11. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
  2. ↑ "Morangaya pensilis (K.Brandegee) G.D.Rowley | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 "Morangaya G.D.Rowley | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  4. ↑ John Pilbeam Cacti for the Connoisseur: A Guide for Growers & Collectors (1987), p. 100, at Google Books
  5. 1 2 3 "Echinocereus pensilis". www.cactus-art.biz. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  6. ↑ Burkhardt, Lotte (2022). Eine Enzyklopädie zu eponymischen Pflanzennamen [Encyclopedia of eponymic plant names] (pdf) (in German). Berlin: Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum, Freie Universität Berlin. doi:10.3372/epolist2022. ISBN 978-3-946292-41-8. S2CID 246307410. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  7. ↑ Sánchez, Daniel; Arias, Salvador; Terrazas, Teresa (October 2014). "Phylogenetic Relationships in Echinocereus (Cactaceae, Cactoideae)". Systematic Botany. 39 (4): 1183–1196. doi:10.1600/036364414X683831. S2CID 84505202.
  8. ↑ Sánchez, Daniel; Grego-Valencia, Dalia; Terrazas, Teresa; Arias, Salvador (January 2015). "How and why does the areole meristem move in Echinocereus (Cactaceae)?". Annals of Botany. 115 (1): 19–26. doi:10.1093/aob/mcu208. PMC 4284107. PMID 25399023.
  9. ↑ "Morangaya pensilis, plants for sale • Mondocactus nursery". www.mondocactus.com. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
  10. ↑ de la Luz, José Luis León (26 April 2005). "Evaluation of the conservation status of Morangaya pensilis (Cactaceae), a little known endemic monotypic genus of southern Baja California, Mexico". Oryx. 39 (2).

Other sources

  • Taylor, N. P. 1988. Supplementary notes on Mexican Echinocereus: 1. Bradleya 6:66.
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