| Polaskia | |
|---|---|
| |
| Polaskia chichipe | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Cactaceae |
| Subfamily: | Cactoideae |
| Tribe: | Echinocereeae |
| Genus: | Polaskia Backeb. |
| Species | |
| |
| Synonyms | |
Polaskia (named after American amateur Charles Polaski) is a genus of tree-like cacti reaching 4–5 m high, comprising 2 species. Both present primitive characteristics, but Polaskia chichipe is nearer to Myrtillocactus while Polaskia chende is nearer to Stenocereus. The genus is found in the Mexican states of Puebla and Oaxaca.[1][2]
Description
The tree-like, highly branched species of the Polaskia genus reach heights of growth of between 4 and 5 meters and form dense crowns 3 to 4 meters above the ground. Its bright green shoots repeatedly fork and grow 1 to 2 meters long. The 7 to 12 ribs are sharply triangular in cross-section. On their edges, these wear 3 to 4 millimeters wide, shield-shaped areoles at close intervals. The central spine may be absent. The 3 to 8 radial spines are greyish to blackish.
The urn- to bell-shaped flowers are white to creamy white to yellowish green. They open day and night and are between 4 and 6 centimeters long.
The red, spherical fruits with a diameter of 2 to 4 centimeters are juicy and edible. The small seeds it contains are pear- to ovoid-shaped and dull black.
Synonymy
The following genera have been brought into synonymy with Polaskia:
Extant Species
Species as of 2021:[3]
| Image | Scientific name | Common Name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Polaskia chende | chende, chinoa | Oaxaca & Puebla Mexico |
 |
Polaskia chichipe | chichipe, chichibe, chichituna | Oaxaca & Puebla Mexico |
References
- ^ Anderson, Edward F.; Eggli, Urs (2005). Das große Kakteen-Lexikon (in German). Stuttgart. ISBN 978-3-8001-4573-7. OCLC 181456857.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ "On-line Guide to the positive identification of Members of the Cactus Family". On-line Guide to the positive identification of Members of the Cactus Family. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
- ^ Korotkova, Nadja; Aquino, David; Arias, Salvador; Eggli, Urs; Franck, Alan; Gómez-Hinostrosa, Carlos; Guerrero, Pablo C.; Hernández, Héctor M.; Kohlbecker, Andreas; Köhler, Matias; Luther, Katja; Majure, Lucas C.; Müller, Andreas; Metzing, Detlev; Nyffeler, Reto; Sánchez, Daniel; Schlumpberger, Boris; Berendsohn, Walter G. (2021-08-31). "Cactaceae at Caryophyllales.org – a dynamic online species-level taxonomic backbone for the family". Willdenowia. 51 (2). Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin, Freie Universitaet Berlin. doi:10.3372/wi.51.51208. ISSN 0511-9618.
External links
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This page was last edited on 29 January 2023, at 21:18