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Studies on Mexican Cactaceae. VII. Taxonomic Notes on Disocactus heterodoxus

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Abstract

Disocactus heterodoxus is a poorly known species from Guatemala and Mexico. It has been treated in the taxonomic literature as a subspecies of D. speciosus or as a synonym of D. speciosus subsp. cinnabarinus. We present a detailed morphological description of this plant and synthesize the available data on its habitat and geographic distribution. In addition, we discuss its taxonomic affinities with other members of Disocactus. Based upon its unique combination of morphological characters (flat, 2-ribbed stems with few or no spines, and narrowly infundibuliform flowers with colors ranging from white to pink and red) and on published molecular data, we believe that there is sufficient evidence to recognize this plant as a distinct species.

Resumen

Disocactus heterodoxus es una especie poco conocida de Guatemala y México. Ha sido tratada en la literatura taxonómica como una subespecie de D. speciosus o como un sinónimo de D. speciosus subsp. cinnabarinus. Presentamos una descripción morfológica detallada de esta planta y sintetizamos los datos disponibles sobre su hábitat y distribución geográfica. Además, discutimos sus afinidades taxonómicas con otros miembros de Disocactus. Basados en una combinación única de caracteres morfológicos (tallos planos, de dos costillas, con pocas o ninguna espina, y flores estrechamente infundibuliformes con colores que van del blanco, al rosa y rojo) y en datos moleculares publicados, creemos que hay suficientes pruebas para el reconocimiento de esta planta como una especie separada.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Héctor Gómez, María Aguilar, Hilda Flores and Helga Ochoterena for assisting us in the field, Berenit Mendoza for the SEM photomicrographs, Christine Niezgoda for the image of the type of Disocactus heterodoxus at F, and Diana Martínez for helping to prepare the figures. We also thank Amy McAndrews, Nayely Martínez, Héctor Gómez and Ralph Bauer for supplying photographs, Rolando Bárcenas for his comments and suggestions and Miguel Angel Pérez for making herbarium material available from HEM. We thank the authorities of the El Triunfo Biosphere Reserve, Mexico, for granting us permission to collect botanical material in the reserve.

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  1. Departamento de Botánica, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, alcaldía Coyoacán, 04510, Ciudad de México, Mexico

    Carlos Gómez-Hinostrosa & Héctor M. Hernández

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  1. Carlos Gómez-Hinostrosa
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  2. Héctor M. Hernández
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Correspondence to Carlos Gómez-Hinostrosa.

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Gómez-Hinostrosa, C., Hernández, H.M. Studies on Mexican Cactaceae. VII. Taxonomic Notes on Disocactus heterodoxus. Brittonia 75, 79–88 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12228-022-09732-w

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