Biology:Cochemiea
Cochemiea is a genus of cactus.[1] The group was previously synonymized with Mammillaria, until molecular phylogenetic studies determined that—when broadly circumscribed—Mammillaria is not monophyletic; thus, Cochemiea has been accepted as a distinct genus.[2]
Description
Species within the genus Cochemiea are characterized by their elongated, cylindrical stems covered in spirally arranged tubercles. These stems are typically green or bluish-green, measuring 3 to 7 cm in diameter and reaching heights of 7 to 50 cm, with some individuals exceptionally growing up to 200 cm. The areoles bear 7 to 25 radial spines, each 1 to 2 cm long and varying in color from white to yellow or reddish-brown. Additionally, they possess 1 to 6 central spines (occasionally up to 11), measuring 1 to 5 cm in length. These central spines can be white with black tips, reddish-brown, or black. Flowers are zygomorphic, arranged in two rows, and emerge from the axils at the stem apex. They measure 3 to 5 cm in length, open during the day, and are typically red or purple, spherical, and indehiscent with a smooth surface and a scar at the tip. The seeds are black and measure 0.5 to 1 mm in diameter.[3][4]
Distribution
The native range of Cochemiea extends from the southwestern and south-central United States into Mexico. Specific locations include Arizona, California, the Mexican Pacific Islands, the Gulf of Mexico region, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, and Utah. These plants thrive in diverse habitats, from full sun to the shade of shrubs, and can be found on rocky cliffs and canyons at altitudes up to 1,800 meters above sea level.
Taxonomy
The genus Cochemiea was initially described by American botanist Mary Katharine Brandegee as a subgenus within Mammillaria in 1897. In 1899, British botanist Frederick Arthur Walton elevated it to its current genus status in the publication Cactus Journal 2: 50. The genus name honors the extinct Cochimí indigenous tribe, who historically inhabited Baja California, a region within the natural distribution of these plants.[5]
A 2021 molecular phylogenetic study of the "mammilloid clade", which included the genera Cochemiea, Coryphantha, Cumarinia, Escobaria, Mammillaria, Neolloydia and Ortegocactus, showed that it consisted of four monophyletic groups, which the authors re-circumscribed into four genera: Cumarinia; Mammillaria, with a reduced number of species; Coryphantha, expanded to include species previously placed in Mammillaria and Escobaria; and Cochemiea, expanded to include a large number of species previously placed in Mammillaria, as well as Neolloydia conoidea.[2]
| Mammilloid clade |
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Species
In 2021, Breslin, Wojciechowski and Majure placed the following species in the genus, some already placed there and some moved from Mammillaria, Neolloydia, Neomammillaria and Ortegocactus.[2] As of January 2026[update], Plants of the World Online accepted in the genus the species moved by Breslin et al.[1]
| Image | Scientific name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
| 120px | Cochemiea albicans (Britton & Rose) P.B.Breslin & Majure | Mexico (Baja California) |
| 120px | Cochemiea angelensis (R.T.Craig) P.B.Breslin & Majure | Mexico |
| 120px | Cochemiea armillata (K.Brandegee) P.B.Breslin & Majure | Mexico (Baja California Sur) |
| 120px | Cochemiea barbata (Engelm.) Doweld | Mexico (Chihuahua, Durango) |
| 120px | Cochemiea blossfeldiana (Boed.) P.B.Breslin & Majure | Mexico (Guadalupe, Baja California) |
| 120px | Cochemiea boolii (G.E.Linds.) P.B.Breslin & Majure, | Mexico (Sonora) |
| Cochemiea bullardiana (H.E.Gates) P.B.Breslin & Majure, | Mexico (Baja California) | |
| 120px | Cochemiea capensis (H.E.Gates) Doweld | Mexico (Baja California Sur, Sonora) |
 |
Cochemiea cerralboa (Britton & Rose) P.B.Breslin & Majure | Mexico (Baja California Sur). |
| 120px | Cochemiea dioica (K.Brandegee) Doweld | S. California to NW. Mexico |
| 120px | Cochemiea estebanensis (G.E.Linds.) P.B.Breslin & Majure, | Mexico (Island San Esteban) |
| 120px | Cochemiea fraileana (Britton & Rose) P.B.Breslin & Majure | Mexico (Baja California Sur). |
| 120px | Cochemiea goodridgei (Scheer ex Salm-Dyck) P.B.Breslin & Majure | Mexico (Baja California). |
| 120px | Cochemiea grahamii (Engelm.) Doweld | SE. California to W. Texas and Mexico (Baja California Norte to Chihuahua) |
| 120px | Cochemiea guelzowiana (Werderm.) P.B.Breslin & Majure | Mexico (Durango, Coahuila, Nuevo León) |
| 120px | Cochemiea halei (K.Brandegee) Walton | Mexico (Baja California) |
| 120px | Cochemiea hutchisoniana (H.E.Gates) P.B.Breslin & Majure | Mexico (Baja California) |
| 120px | Cochemiea insularis (H.E.Gates) P.B.Breslin & Majure | Mexico (Baja California) |
| 120px | Cochemiea mainiae (K.Brandegee) P.B.Breslin & Majure | S. Arizona to NW. Mexico |
| 120px | Cochemiea maritima H.E.Gates ex. Shurly | Mexico (W. Central Baja California) |
| 120px | Cochemiea mazatlanensis (K.Schum.) D.Aquino & Dan.Sánchez | Mexico (Colima, Jalisco, Michoacan, Nayarit, Sinaloa, Sonora) |
| 120px | Cochemiea multidigitata (Radley & G.E.Linds.) P.B.Breslin | Mexico (Sonora). |
| 120px | Cochemiea palmeri (J.M.Coult.) P.B.Breslin & Majure | Mexico (Baja California) |
| 120px | Cochemiea phitauiana (E.M.Baxter) Doweld | Mexico (Baja California). |
| 120px | Cochemiea pondii (Greene) Walton | Mexico (Island Cedros) |
| 120px | Cochemiea poselgeri (Hildm.) Britton & Rose | Mexico (Baja California Sur) |
| 120px | Cochemiea saboae (Glass) Doweld | Mexico (E. Sonora, W. Chihuahua) |
| 120px | Cochemiea schumannii (Hildm.) P.B.Breslin & Majure | Mexico (Baja California Sur). |
| 120px | Cochemiea setispina Walton | Mexico (C. Baja California). |
| 120px | Cochemiea sheldonii (Britton & Rose) Doweld | Arizona to Mexico (Sonora, Sinaloa, W. Chihuahua) |
| 120px | Cochemiea tetrancistra (Engelm.) P.B.Breslin & Majure | SW. U.S.A. to NW. Mexico |
| 120px | Cochemiea theresae (Cutak) Doweld | Mexico (Durango, Zacatecas). |
| 120px | Cochemiea thomasii García-Mor. & al. | Mexico (Sinaloa) |
| 120px | Cochemiea thornberi (Orcutt) P.B.Breslin & Majure | S. Arizona to Mexico (Sonora). |
| Cochemiea viridiflora (Britton & Rose) P.B.Breslin & Majure | Arizona to SW. New Mexico. | |
| 120px | Cochemiea wrightii (Engelm.) Doweld | E. Arizona to W. Texas and N. Mexico. |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Cochemiea (K.Brandegee) Walton", Plants of the World Online (Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew), https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:1154805-2, retrieved 2022-03-05
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Breslin, Peter B.; Wojciechowski, Martin F.; Majure, Lucas C. (2021), "Molecular phylogeny of the Mammilloid clade (Cactaceae) resolves the monophyly of Mammillaria", Taxon 70 (2): 308–323, doi:10.1002/tax.12451, Bibcode: 2021Taxon..70..308B
- ↑ "Floraculture". https://www.booksite.ru/blumen/1997/1997_4.pdf.
- ↑ "On-line Guide to the positive identification of Members of the Cactus Family". https://cactiguide.com/cactus/?genus=Cochemiea.
- ↑ "Cochemiea". 2021-04-29. https://www.cactusnames.org/cochemiea/.
<ref> tag with name "IPNI_1154805-2" defined in <references> is not used in prior text.Wikidata ☰ {{{from}}} entry
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