Nueva subespecie de Opuntia streptacantha (Cactaceae) de la altiplanice mexicana

Abstract

OPUNTIA STREPTACANTHA LEMAIRE SUBS.. AGUIRRANA SCHEINVAR ET A. RODR. IS DESCRIBED. IT IS DISTRIBUTED NATURALLY IN A RESTRICTED AREA, PROBABLY A MICROREGION OF THE ARID TROPICAL SCRUB OF THE MEXICAN CENTRAL HIGHLANDS OF SAN LUIS POTOSI (VILLA DE ARRIAGA) AND JALISCO (OJUELOS). IT IS CHARACTERIZED BY A LATER REPRODUCTIVE PHENOLOGY, FLOWERS IN AUTUMN AND FRUITS IN WINTER, GREAT MORPHOLOGICAL DIVERSITY; THE HIGH LARGE/WIDTH RATIO OF ITS CLADODES (FROM WHERE ITS COMMON NAME: CHAROLA, TRAY, IS PROBABLY DERIVED), LOW NUMBER OF WHITE SPINES AND PINK SWEETSOUR FRUITS (WHICH ARE SOLD RETAIL LOCALLY AND WHOLESALE IN GUADALAJARA, JALISCO AND LEON, GUANAJUATO) CHROMOSOME NUMBER 2N=88