Disocactus ackermannii commonly called red orchid cactus is an epiphytic cactus from tropical forests in the states of Veracruz and Oaxaca, Mexico. In cultivation, it has been confused with Disocactus × jenkinsonii, a hybrid between D. phyllanthoides and D. speciosus.[3]
| Disocactus ackermannii | |
|---|---|
| |
| From Curtis's Botanical Register, 1830 | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Cactaceae |
| Subfamily: | Cactoideae |
| Genus: | Disocactus |
| Species: | D. ackermannii
|
| Binomial name | |
| Disocactus ackermannii | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Description
edit
The stems of Disocactus ackermannii consist of a short rounded base, about 10–18 cm (4–7 in) long, followed by longer flattened leaf-like portions, 10–75 cm (4–30 in) long and 5–7 cm (2–3 in) wide with wavy edges. The plant branches from the base and arches downwards, being altogether some 1 m (3 ft) long. The scarlet flowers have greenish throats and are funnel shaped, 11–15 cm (4.3–5.9 in) or even longer and up to 15 cm (5.9 in) across. The filaments are red but the base is usually greenish. The anthers are pale rose. The style are red. The stigma is purplish. Fertilized flowers are followed by green to brownish red fruits, 4 cm (1.6 in) long and 2–2.5 cm (0.8–1.0 in) wide.[2][4]
Range and habitat
editDisocactus ackermannii is native to the states of Chiapas, Oaxaca, Puebla, and Veracruz in southern Mexico. It inhabits cloud forests in the Sierra Madre de Oaxaca and Chiapas Highlands between 1,800 and 2,500 meters elevation.[1]
Taxonomy
editThe species was originally named Epiphyllum ackermannii by Adrian Hardy Haworth in 1829. There are three sets of synonyms:[2]
- Haworth's Epiphyllum ackermannii was successively transferred to Cactus ackermannii (1830), Cereus ackermannii (1837), Phyllocactus ackermannii (1842) and Nopalxochia ackermannii (1935) before the current Disocactus ackermannii (1991).
- Phyllocactus weingartii A.Berger is an independent synonym.
- Nopalxochia conzattianum was named by Thomas Baillie MacDougall in 1947. It was successively transferred to Pseudonopalxochia conzattianum (1959) and Nopalxochia ackermannii var. conzattianum (1981) before the current Disocactus ackermannii var. conzattianum (1991).
Two varieties are currently recognized. D. a. var. ackermannii has longer cladodes (flattened stem portions), 35–75 cm (14–30 in) long, and longer tepals, 7–10 cm (3–4 in) long. D. a. var. conzattianum has shorter cladodes, 10–50 cm (4–20 in) long, shorter hypanthia, 2.8 cm (1.1 in) long, and shorter tepals, 4–6 cm (1.6–2.4 in) long.[2][4]
Cultivation
editIn cultivation, Disocactus × jenkinsonii, a hybrid between D. phyllanthoides and D. speciosus, has been confused with D. ackermannii and is often distributed under the name "Phyllocactus ackermannii".[5]
Disocactus ackermannii has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[6][7]
References
edit- ^ a b Arias, S. & Ishiki, M. 2017. Disocactus ackermannii (amended version of 2013 assessment). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.T152413A121474010. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T152413A121474010.en. Accessed 22 February 2023.
- ^ a b c d Anderson, Edward F. (2001), The Cactus Family, Pentland, Oregon: Timber Press, ISBN 978-0-88192-498-5, p. 222
- ^ Heath, P. V. (1989). "The strange and curious tale of the true and false Epiphyllum ackermannii (Cactaceae)". Taxon. 38 (1): 124–128. doi:10.2307/1220912. ISSN 1996-8175. JSTOR 1220912.
- ^ a b Bravo-Hollis, Helia; Sánchez-Mejorada, Hernando (1978). Las Cactáceas de México (in Spanish). Vol. 1. México: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. pp. 509–512.
- ^ Anderson 2001, p. 226
- ^ "RHS Plantfinder - Disocactus ackermannii". Retrieved 12 February 2018.
- ^ "AGM Plants - Ornamental" (PDF). Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 16. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
External links
edit
Media related to Disocactus ackermannii at Wikimedia Commons
Data related to Disocactus ackermannii at Wikispecies
