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Denmoza is a monotypic genus of cacti. Its only species, Denmoza rhodacantha, is native to northwest Argentina.[3]

Description

Denmoza rhodocantha starts out as a globular cactus and stays that way for quite some time before growing into a 0.5 to 1.5 m (1.5 to 5 ft) column with a diameter of 20 to 30 cm (8 to 12 in).[4] The 30 or more ribs are high and wide, with a width of 1 cm (0.4 in) at the base. The first areoles are confluent and bear brownish-red spines, later grey. The 8 to 10 radial spines are slightly bent. The areoles from which the flowers sprout also produce a series of long brown bristles as well as long spines up to 7 cm (2.8 in). The tubular flowers are scarlet. The fruits are spherical and contain shiny black-brown seeds with a diameter of about 1.3 mm (0.05 in).[5][6]

Taxonomy

The first plants were probably discovered in 1821 by John Gilles near the city of Mendoza. They were given the name Cactus coccinea, but this has never been validly described. The species was first described as Echinocactus rhodacanthus in 1834 by Joseph zu Salm-Reifferscheidt-Dyck.[7] Nathaniel Lord Britton and Joseph Nelson Rose transferred the species to their newly established genus Denmoza in 1922.[8]

Distribution

Denmoza rhodacantha is found in northwestern and western Argentina on the eastern slopes and foothills of the Andes in the provinces from Mendoza to Salta at altitudes of 800 to 2800 meters.[citation needed]

References

  1. ^ "The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2010-09-22. Retrieved 2023-08-26.
  2. ^ a b "Denmoza rhodocantha (Salm-Dyck) Britton & Rose". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  3. ^ a b "Denmoza Britton & Rose". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  4. ^ "Denmoza rhodocantha". Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  5. ^ Anderson, Edward F.; Eggli, Urs (2005). Das grosse Kakteen-Lexikon (in German). pp. 177–178. ISBN 3-8001-4573-1.
  6. ^ Backeberg, Curt (January 1983). Die Cactaceae : Handbuch der Kakteenkunde. 2. Cereoideae : (Hylocereeae - Cereeae [Austrocereinae]) (in German). pp. 1043–1048. ISBN 3-437-30381-3.
  7. ^ Hortus dyckensis: ou catalogue des plantes cultivées dans les jardins de Dyck (in French). Arnz. 1834. p. 341. Retrieved 2023-08-26.
  8. ^ Britton, Nathaniel Lord; Eaton, Mary E.; Rose, J. N.; Wood, Helen Adelaide (1919). The Cactaceae : descriptions and illustrations of plants of the cactus family. Washington: Carnegie Institution of Washington. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.46288.

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