Biology:Harrisia portoricensis
| Harrisia portoricensis | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Cactaceae |
| Subfamily: | Cactoideae |
| Genus: | Harrisia |
| Species: | H. portoricensis
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| Binomial name | |
| Harrisia portoricensis | |
| Synonyms | |
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Harrisia portoricensis is a species of cactus in the genus Harrisia.[2][3] Its common names include higo chumbo and Puerto Rico applecactus.
Description
Harrisia portoricensis grows upright with only a few branches and reaches heights of 2 to 3 meters. The slender shoots have a diameter of 3 to 4 centimeters. There are eleven rounded ribs, separated from each other by shallow furrows. The 13 to 17 grayish white thorns have a darker tip and are 2 to 3 centimeters long.
The flowers are up to 15 centimeters long. The yellow, spherical to egg-shaped fruits reach a diameter of 4 to 6 centimeters.[4]
Scene of higo chumbo cactus with water in background
Higo chumbo on Mona Island
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Distribution
It is endemic to Puerto Rico, where it is known from three smaller islands off the coast of the main island.[5] The population is estimated at 59,000 on Mona Island, 148 individuals on Monito Island, and only 9 on Desecheo Island.[5] It grows on in scrubland on exposed limestone at elevations of 0-150 meters.[6]
Taxonomy
The first description by Nathaniel Lord Britton was published in 1909. The specific epithet portoricensis refers to the occurrence of the species in Puerto Rico. A nomenclature synonym is Cereus portoricensis (Britton) Urb. (1910).
References
- ↑ NatureServe. 1994. Harrisia portoricensis, Higo Chumbo. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.158613/Harrisia_portoricensis. Accessed 30 November 2021.
- ↑ "Harrisia portoricensis". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=19864.
- ↑ Harrisia
- ↑ Anderson, Edward F.; Eggli, Urs (2005) (in de). Das grosse Kakteen-Lexikon. Stuttgart (Hohenheim): Ulmer. p. 340. ISBN 3-8001-4573-1.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 USFWS. Higo Chumbo Five-year Review. January 2010.
- ↑ Franck, Alan R. (2016). "MONOGRAPH OF HARRISIA". Phytoneuron. http://www.phytoneuron.net/2016Phytoneuron/85PhytoN-HarrisiaPt1.pdf.
External links
Wikidata ☰ Q291516 entry
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