What would you like to know about Melocactus?
Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2007 9:54 am
Hello,
First a brief introduction to myself: my name is Marlon Machado, I am from the state of Bahia in Brazil, but currently I live in Zurich, Switzerland, where I am doing my PhD whose subject is the systematics of Parodia subgen. Notocactus. I have been fascinated by cacti from childhood. My father owns a farm and in there grows a number of native species of cacti. I think that seeing these bizarre plants in their natural surroundings as a kid marked me profoundly, and I fell in love with cacti since then. I started cultivating cacti some seventeen years ago. But my curiosity about these plants was not satisfied by just growing them. At that time I had very little information about the native species of cacti, and I wanted to learn more about them. I started traveling in the field to see these plants growing in habitat, and before I knew it the study of cacti became my profession now I am a botanist specialized in the taxonomy and systematics of cacti.
When I moved from Brazil to Switzerland, I had to give away or sell the majority of my collection. The only plants that remained at my home in Brazil were Pilosocereus and other cereoid species - these are planted outside in big containers, some in the ground, and they need minimal care - nature tends to them, and my parents give the plants some water when the weather is dry and hot for extended periods of time.
But of course, I could not live here in Switzerland without some cacti. But because of the limited space in my windowsill, I had to specialize: I have in my windowsill 28 small Ariocarpus, 26 small Astrophytum, nine Aztekium ritteri, and a handfull of other things, including a few Euphorbia and caudificorms.
Well, enough of introduction. I started this thread because I have a few questions for you: how many of you grow Melocactus? What attracts you to the plants of this genus? What would you like to know about them?
The reason for these questions is because I am currently writing an article about the genus Melocactus in Eastern Brazil for the journal, and I would like to have some input about what you would like to read about this genus.
Of course the articles (I am planning it to be a series of four) will have plenty of nice pictures accompanying them. Here is a little taster of what is coming in the journal in the next few months. [size=large]Note: The pictures below are just thumbnails, click on them to see a larger image:[/size]
Melocactus azureus from the type locality, Jussara, Bahia:
Melocactus azureus from another location, Rio Verde, Bahia, where the plants are much bigger:
Young plants of Melocactus bahiensis subsp. amethystinus (left) and Melocactus ernestii (right, the form described as M. azulensis) at Itaobim, Minas Gerais:
Melocactus bahiensis at Rio de Contas, Bahia:
Melocactus concinnus (left) and Melocactus conoideus (right) growing together at the type locality of the latter, Vit?ria da Conquista, Bahia:
Melocactus deinacanthus at the type locality, Ju?, Bahia:
Melocactus ernestii from Ipir?, Bahia:
Melocactus ernestii from Jequi?, Bahia, a larger growing form with sometimes very long (to 20cm) spines:
Melocactus ernestii from Jequi?, Bahia, a population growing in a rock outcrop overlooking a dam:
Melocactus ernestii from Itaobim, Minas Gerais, the form described as var. multicephalus - the cephalium in adult plants branch dichotomously, and it is a genetic characteristic:
Another plant of Melocactus ernestii from Itaobim, Minas Gerais, the form described as var. multicephalus - unfortunately this population have been wiped out by collectors:
Melocactus ernestii, a short spined form from Vit?ria da Conquista, Bahia:
Melocactus glaucescens from the type locality at Morro do Chap?u, Bahia:
Another plant of Melocactus glaucescens from the type locality at Morro do Chap?u, Bahia:
Plant of Melocactus glaucescens of a new population I discovered a few years ago, with stronger and bigger spines than the type, at Morro do Chap?u, Bahia:
Plant of Melocactus inconcinnus, photographed at Sussuarana, Bahia:
Melocactus levitestatus from the type locality at Porto Novo, Bahia, one of the biggest species in the genus:
Another plant of Melocactus levitestatus from the type locality at Porto Novo, Bahia:
Another plant of Melocactus levitestatus from the type locality at Porto Novo, Bahia:
Another plant of Melocactus levitestatus from the type locality at Porto Novo, Bahia:
Melocactus levitestatus, the form described as var. securituberculatus, from Iui?, Bahia:
Melocactus levitestatus, the form described as M. warasii, bluish stems with hues of pink and yellow when the plant is stressed, photographed at the type locality at Serra do Ramalho, Bahia:
Another plant of Melocactus levitestatus, the form described as M. warasii, from the type locality at Serra do Ramalho, Bahia:
Plants of Melocactus oreas subsp. cremnophilus, at the type locality, Morro do Chap?u, Bahia:
Melocactus oreas photographed near Milagres, Bahia:
Melocactus pachyacanthus, a species with very strong spines, photographed at Morro do Chap?u, Bahia:
More plants of Melocactus pachyacanthus from Morro do Chap?u, Bahia:
View of plants of Melocactus pachyacanthus growing in limestone plates, Morro do Chap?u, Bahia:
Population of Melocactus pachyacanthus growing in limestone plates, Morro do Chap?u, Bahia:
Melocactus paucispinus, a species that grows in sandy fields, Morro do Chap?u, Bahia:
Another plant of Melocactus paucispinus from Morro do Chap?u, Bahia:
Melocactus paucispinus from a locality I discovered near Piat?, Bahia:
Melocactus paucispinus from the type locality near Seabra, Bahia:
Another plant of Melocactus paucispinus from the type locality near Seabra, Bahia:
Another plant of Melocactus paucispinus from the type locality near Seabra, Bahia:
Another plant of Melocactus paucispinus from the type locality near Seabra, Bahia:
Melocactus violaceus subsp. margaritaceus, the smallest Melocactus species in Brazil, growing in coastal sandy dunes just north of Salvador, Bahia:
Melocactus zehntneri, the blue form described as M. douradaensis, Morro do Chap?u, Bahia:
Another plant of the blue form of Melocactus zehntneri, Morro do Chap?u, Bahia:
The giant form of Melocactus zehntneri described as M. giganteus, from Gentio do Ouro, Bahia:
Melocactus zehntneri, the form described as M. macrodiscus, from Brejinho das Ametistas, Bahia:
Well, I await for your comments.
All the best,
First a brief introduction to myself: my name is Marlon Machado, I am from the state of Bahia in Brazil, but currently I live in Zurich, Switzerland, where I am doing my PhD whose subject is the systematics of Parodia subgen. Notocactus. I have been fascinated by cacti from childhood. My father owns a farm and in there grows a number of native species of cacti. I think that seeing these bizarre plants in their natural surroundings as a kid marked me profoundly, and I fell in love with cacti since then. I started cultivating cacti some seventeen years ago. But my curiosity about these plants was not satisfied by just growing them. At that time I had very little information about the native species of cacti, and I wanted to learn more about them. I started traveling in the field to see these plants growing in habitat, and before I knew it the study of cacti became my profession now I am a botanist specialized in the taxonomy and systematics of cacti.
When I moved from Brazil to Switzerland, I had to give away or sell the majority of my collection. The only plants that remained at my home in Brazil were Pilosocereus and other cereoid species - these are planted outside in big containers, some in the ground, and they need minimal care - nature tends to them, and my parents give the plants some water when the weather is dry and hot for extended periods of time.
But of course, I could not live here in Switzerland without some cacti. But because of the limited space in my windowsill, I had to specialize: I have in my windowsill 28 small Ariocarpus, 26 small Astrophytum, nine Aztekium ritteri, and a handfull of other things, including a few Euphorbia and caudificorms.
Well, enough of introduction. I started this thread because I have a few questions for you: how many of you grow Melocactus? What attracts you to the plants of this genus? What would you like to know about them?
The reason for these questions is because I am currently writing an article about the genus Melocactus in Eastern Brazil for the journal, and I would like to have some input about what you would like to read about this genus.
Of course the articles (I am planning it to be a series of four) will have plenty of nice pictures accompanying them. Here is a little taster of what is coming in the journal in the next few months. [size=large]Note: The pictures below are just thumbnails, click on them to see a larger image:[/size]
Melocactus azureus from the type locality, Jussara, Bahia:
Melocactus azureus from another location, Rio Verde, Bahia, where the plants are much bigger:
Young plants of Melocactus bahiensis subsp. amethystinus (left) and Melocactus ernestii (right, the form described as M. azulensis) at Itaobim, Minas Gerais:
Melocactus bahiensis at Rio de Contas, Bahia:
Melocactus concinnus (left) and Melocactus conoideus (right) growing together at the type locality of the latter, Vit?ria da Conquista, Bahia:
Melocactus deinacanthus at the type locality, Ju?, Bahia:
Melocactus ernestii from Ipir?, Bahia:
Melocactus ernestii from Jequi?, Bahia, a larger growing form with sometimes very long (to 20cm) spines:
Melocactus ernestii from Jequi?, Bahia, a population growing in a rock outcrop overlooking a dam:
Melocactus ernestii from Itaobim, Minas Gerais, the form described as var. multicephalus - the cephalium in adult plants branch dichotomously, and it is a genetic characteristic:
Another plant of Melocactus ernestii from Itaobim, Minas Gerais, the form described as var. multicephalus - unfortunately this population have been wiped out by collectors:
Melocactus ernestii, a short spined form from Vit?ria da Conquista, Bahia:
Melocactus glaucescens from the type locality at Morro do Chap?u, Bahia:
Another plant of Melocactus glaucescens from the type locality at Morro do Chap?u, Bahia:
Plant of Melocactus glaucescens of a new population I discovered a few years ago, with stronger and bigger spines than the type, at Morro do Chap?u, Bahia:
Plant of Melocactus inconcinnus, photographed at Sussuarana, Bahia:
Melocactus levitestatus from the type locality at Porto Novo, Bahia, one of the biggest species in the genus:
Another plant of Melocactus levitestatus from the type locality at Porto Novo, Bahia:
Another plant of Melocactus levitestatus from the type locality at Porto Novo, Bahia:
Another plant of Melocactus levitestatus from the type locality at Porto Novo, Bahia:
Melocactus levitestatus, the form described as var. securituberculatus, from Iui?, Bahia:
Melocactus levitestatus, the form described as M. warasii, bluish stems with hues of pink and yellow when the plant is stressed, photographed at the type locality at Serra do Ramalho, Bahia:
Another plant of Melocactus levitestatus, the form described as M. warasii, from the type locality at Serra do Ramalho, Bahia:
Plants of Melocactus oreas subsp. cremnophilus, at the type locality, Morro do Chap?u, Bahia:
Melocactus oreas photographed near Milagres, Bahia:
Melocactus pachyacanthus, a species with very strong spines, photographed at Morro do Chap?u, Bahia:
More plants of Melocactus pachyacanthus from Morro do Chap?u, Bahia:
View of plants of Melocactus pachyacanthus growing in limestone plates, Morro do Chap?u, Bahia:
Population of Melocactus pachyacanthus growing in limestone plates, Morro do Chap?u, Bahia:
Melocactus paucispinus, a species that grows in sandy fields, Morro do Chap?u, Bahia:
Another plant of Melocactus paucispinus from Morro do Chap?u, Bahia:
Melocactus paucispinus from a locality I discovered near Piat?, Bahia:
Melocactus paucispinus from the type locality near Seabra, Bahia:
Another plant of Melocactus paucispinus from the type locality near Seabra, Bahia:
Another plant of Melocactus paucispinus from the type locality near Seabra, Bahia:
Another plant of Melocactus paucispinus from the type locality near Seabra, Bahia:
Melocactus violaceus subsp. margaritaceus, the smallest Melocactus species in Brazil, growing in coastal sandy dunes just north of Salvador, Bahia:
Melocactus zehntneri, the blue form described as M. douradaensis, Morro do Chap?u, Bahia:
Another plant of the blue form of Melocactus zehntneri, Morro do Chap?u, Bahia:
The giant form of Melocactus zehntneri described as M. giganteus, from Gentio do Ouro, Bahia:
Melocactus zehntneri, the form described as M. macrodiscus, from Brejinho das Ametistas, Bahia:
Well, I await for your comments.
All the best,