Grusonia is a genus of opuntioid cacti (family Cactaceae), originating from the North American Deserts in Southwest United States and northern Mexico, including Baja California. Authors differ on precise boundaries of the genus, which has been included in Cylindropuntia.[2] Corynopuntia, also known as club chollas (or "perritos" in Mexico), is now a synonym, with the genus originally being described by Knuth in 1935. Molecular phylogenetic studies suggest that it should be included in Grusonia, a view accepted by Plants of the World Online as of June 2021.
The name Corynopuntia comes from the Greek coryne, meaning ‘club’, and refers to the club-shaped branch segments, so "club opuntia", club cholla.
These opuntioid plants grow in low opuntioid cushions, consisting of rather ovoid or slightly clavate segments, from 1 up to 25 cm long, tuberculate, not ribbed, glabrous. Spines are strong, very prickly and dangerous, covered on their margins by fine denticles, with epidermal tunica (sheath) at the apex only. Flower generally yellow, few species have pink to deep magenta flower. Fruit narrowly obconic to ellipsoid, fleshy at first but soon drying, yellow to brownish, often stinky, generally full of glochids and spiny. Seed yellowish white to brownish, suborbicular or flattened. Most of the species belonging to Corynopuntia show a very similar morphology, apparently with few differences, so this genus was little studied. Recent in-depth field and lab researches are improving the knowledge about these plants, showing the existence of many undescribed species.[3][4][5][6][7][8] Whilst Corynopuntia members are morphologically similar one to each other, the mentioned research studies highlighted that wild club chollas rarely naturally hybridize when they grow sympatric.
The genus Corynopuntia was first set up in 1935[9] as a segregate from Opuntia, but was reduced to sectional rank by Benson in 1969 and slightly elevated again to a subgenus by Bravo in 1972. In 1999, Anderson included Corynopuntia in his enlarged concept of Grusonia.[10] Pioneering DNA work by Dickie in 1997, subsequent molecular data from Wallace and Dickie (2002)[11] and Griffith (2003),[12] and seed micromorphology studies by Stuppy (2002),[13] suggested that Corynopuntia should be reinstated as a distinct genus. This was accepted by the Cactaceae Consensus Group in 2006.[14] However, a 2016 molecular phylogenetic study of the tribe Cylindropuntieae showed that when separated, Corynopuntia and Grusonia were polyphyletic, and so combined them as Grusonia.[15] This is accepted by Plants of the World Online as of June 2021.[16]
The members of the genus Corynopuntia are native of South-Western United States (California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and Texas) and Northern Mexico (States of Baja California, Baja California Sur, Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon, Durango, Zacatecas, San Luis Potosì, Tamaulipas), from 60 up to 2000 m above the sea level.
Club chollas grow generally in very dry areas, on flats or gentle slopes, fully exposed to the sunlight or sometimes under sparse bushes. Depending on the species, they grow on sandy, loamy or gravelly soil. The stem segments of several species readily break off when touched: this is an important method of vegetative reproduction for these cacti, since the finely toothed spines stick to animal skin or fur, then the segment can be transported even for miles. The barbed spines can remain embedded in the skin, causing discomfort and sometimes injury.
Species of the genus Grusonia according to Plants of the World Online As of January 2023:[17]
Grusonia parishiorum Grusonia is a genus of opuntioid cacti (family Cactaceae), originating from the North American Deserts in Southwest United States and northern Mexico, including Baja California. Authors differ on precise boundaries of the genus, which has been included in Cylindropuntia. Corynopuntia, also known as club chollas (or "perritos" in Mexico), is now a synonym, with the genus originally being described by Knuth in 1935. Molecular phylogenetic studies suggest that it should be included in Grusonia, a view accepted by Plants of the World Online as of June 2021.
Corynopuntia, conocida popularmente como "perritos" en México), es un género de plantas fanerógamas perteneciente a la familia Cactaceae, establecida por Knuth en 1935. Comprende 53 especies descritas y de estas, solo 15 aceptadas.[1]
Estas plantas crecen formando cojines bajos, que consta de segmentos ovoides, desde 1 hasta 25 cm de largo, tuberculados, no acanalados, glabros. Las espinas son fuertes, muy espinosas y peligrosas, cubiertas en sus márgenes por dentículos finos, con epidérmica tunica (vaina) en el vértice solamente. La flor amarilla en general, pocas especies tienen color rosa a flor magenta profundo. Fruta estrecha obcónico a elipsoide , carnosa al principio, pero pronto seca, amarilla a marrón, a menudo maloliente, por lo general llena de gloquidios y espinosas. Semillas blanco amarillentas a marrón, suborbiculares o aplanadas La mayoría de las especies pertenecientes a Corynopuntia muestran una morfología muy similar, al parecer con pocas diferencias, por lo que este género se estudió poco. Recientes investigaciones, en profundidad, de campo y de laboratorio están mejorando el conocimiento sobre estas plantas, que muestra la existencia de muchas especies no descritas.[2][3][4][5][6][7]
El género Corynopuntia F.M.Knuth se estableció por primera vez en 1935[8] como una segregación de Opuntia (L.) Mill., pero se redujo al rango de sección por Benson en 1969 y ligeramente elevado de nuevo a un subgénero de Bravo en 1972. En 1999, Anderson incluyó Corynopuntia en su concepto ampliado de la Grusonia Reich. ex K.Schum.,[9] pero solo en los últimos diez años más o menos, gracias al trabajo pionero del ADN por Dickie en 1997, los datos moleculares posteriores de Wallace y Dickie (2002)[10] y Griffith (2003),[11] y los estudios de micromorfología de la semilla por Stuppy (2002),[12] ha hecho que Corynopuntia haya sido reintegrada como un género distinto por el Grupo de Consenso de cactáceas (Hunt, 2006),[13] y aceptado en The Plant List.[14]
Corynopuntia es originaria del sudeste de Estados Unidos y el norte de México desde los 60 a 2000 m sobre el nivel del mar.
El género fue descrito por Frederik Marcus Knuth y publicado en Kaktus-ABC 114, 410. 1935.[15] La especie tipo es: Corynopuntia clavata
Corynopuntia: nombre genérico que deriva de las palabras griegas: coryne, que significa "club, grupo", y se refiere a los segmentos de las ramas en forma de maza.
A continuación se brinda un listado de las especies del género Corynopuntia aceptadas hasta abril de 2015, ordenadas alfabéticamente. Para cada una se indica el nombre binomial seguido del autor, abreviado según las convenciones y usos.
Corynopuntia, conocida popularmente como "perritos" en México), es un género de plantas fanerógamas perteneciente a la familia Cactaceae, establecida por Knuth en 1935. Comprende 53 especies descritas y de estas, solo 15 aceptadas.
