Leuchtenbergia

Leuchtenbergia is a genus of cactus which has only one species, Leuchtenbergia principis (agave cactus or prism cactus). It is native to north-central Mexico (San Luis Potosi, Chihuahua). The genus is named after Maximilian Eugen Joseph (1817โ€“1852), Duke of Leuchtenberg and amateur botanist.

Agave cactus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Cactaceae
Subfamily: Cactoideae
Genus: Leuchtenbergia
Species:
L. principis
Binomial name
Leuchtenbergia principis

It is very slow-growing but can eventually grow up to 70 cm high, with a cylindrical stem which becomes bare and corky at the base with age. It has long, slender, grayish-green tubercles 6โ€“12 cm long, with purplish-red blotches at their tips. The tubercles are topped with papery spines, making the plant resemble an agave; old, basal tubercles dry up and fall off. After four years or so, yellow, funnel-shaped flowers 5โ€“6 cm diameter may be borne at the tubercle tips. The fruit is smooth and green, 3 cm long and 2 cm broad. It has a large, tuberous taproot.

Taxonomy

It is related to the genus Ferocactus, and hybrids have been created between these two genera.

See also

References

    • Huxley, A., ed. (1992). New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. Macmillan.
    This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.