Pilosocereus Pachycladus Research Articles

Conservação de sementes das cactáceas endêmicas da caatinga Pilosocereus pachycladus e Tacinga inamoena

ABSTRACT Ecosystems with dry soils are particularly sensitive to climate changes and anthropogenic actions, which represents a threat to the survival of many cactus species. Ex situ seed conservation strategies should be adopted to support in situ conservation. This study evaluated the effect of conservation conditions on germination and vigor of seeds of Pilosocereus pachycladus subsp. pernambucoensis and Tacinga inamoena. The seeds were packaged in paper bags and glass containers and stored under controlled (8 ± 1 °C; 56 ± 2% relative humidity) and non-controlled (24 ± 2 °C; 75 ± 5% relative humidity) environmental conditions for 0 (control), 12, 16, and 20 months. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design, in a 2 × 2 × 4 factorial arrangement (conservation environment × packaging × storage period) for each species. The variables evaluated were: water content (%), germination (%), germination speed index (GSI), and mean germination time (MGT). The physiological quality of seeds of both species were preserved when seeds were maintained under controlled environment, regardless of the packaging. However, when stored under non-controlled environment, the packaging in paper bags was more efficient for the conservation of seeds of P. pachycladus subsp. pernambucoensis, and the glass container was more efficient for T. inamoena. This information may be needed for ex situ conservation of these species and to support the recovery of degraded areas susceptible to desertification in the Caatinga biome.

Mutualistic interaction network structure between bird and plant species in a semi-arid Neotropical environment

Mutualistic interactions between animals and plants are essential for ecosystem functioning, providing ecosystem services such as pollination and seed dispersal. The temporal dynamics of plant phenology and animal abundance, induced by seasonal variation in precipitation and resource availability, may influence the structure of animal-plant interaction network. In this paper, we analyzed the mutualistic network structure between birds and plants in a seasonally tropical dry forest in Brazil during the dry and rainy seasons. We recorded 160 interactions between 21 bird species and 11 plant species. In general, networks had low connectance (C = 26%), nestedness (wNODF = 27.54), and modular pattern (Qw = 0.33). Despite the number of interactions being higher in the rainy season, network parameters were consistent across the seasons and presented no explicit differences. However, the network connectance was slightly higher in the rainy season than in the dry season, while the specialization index was higher in the dry season than in the rainy season. Elaenia sp., Mimus saturninus, and Cyanocorax cyanopogon were the bird species that presented the highest number of links. On the other hand, Xiquexique gounellei, Cereus jamacaru, and Pilosocereus pachycladus were the most consumed plant species. The generalized pattern observed suggests that bird-plant interaction in Caatinga may be appropriate to the variable and irregular patterns found in dry forests. Our data reinforce the role of species of the Cactaceae family in maintaining bird communities in semiarid environments. Therefore, due to the high functional importance of those cacti species in influencing both the network stability and the species maintenance in the community, priority attention should be given to them in conservation programs.

GERMINATION OF CACTUS SEEDS UNDER SALINE STRESS

ABSTRACT Cactus seeds in seasonal dry tropical forests are subject to several stressors, such as salt stress which limits imbibition and therefore germination. Thus, this study aimed to compare germination performance of Cereus jamacaru subsp. jamacaru and Pilosocereus pachycladus subsp. pernambucoensis seeds under salinity conditions. To this end, NaCl and KCl solutions were used in the following osmotic potentials: 0.0 (control),-0.2,-0.4,-0.6,-0.8,-1.0, and-1.2 MPa. Seeds were placed to germinate at 25 °C and 12-hour photoperiod. The number of germinated seeds was counted daily for 21 days after root protrusion. The variables analyzed were: water content, germination, normal seedlings, germination speed index, and average germination time. The experimental design was completely randomized, following a 2 × 7 factorial scheme (species × osmotic potential) for each saline source. Water restriction and ionic effect caused by salts favored seed germination and vigor in both species at-0.2 and-0.4 MPa. However, from-0.8 MPa onwards, germination decreased significantly for both salts. Seeds of C. jamacaru subsp. jamacaru and P. pachycladus subsp. pernambucoensis were tolerant to salt stress since they germinated up to-0.8 MPa (NaCl) and-1.2 MPa (KCl). The latter occurred only for P. pachycladus subsp. pernambucoensis.

Visitantes florais em duas espécies do gênero Pilosocereus (Cactaceae Juss.) em área de Caatinga

RESUMO: A família Cactaceae Juss. apresenta ampla distribuição para o Brasil, sendo suas flores de antese noturna na maioria dos casos. Com isso, o presente estudo objetivou conhecer os possíveis visitantes florais de Pilosocereus gonellei (F. A. C. Weber) Byles & Rowley e Pilosocereus pachycladus F. Ritter em uma área de Caatinga antropizada no estado de Alagoas. O estudo se deu no Sítio Minação, com áreas variadas de vegetação arbustiva e arbórea, localizado na zona rural do município de Poço das Trincheiras. As flores foram observadas in loco durante um período de 27 dias não consecutivos entre o período de pré-antese e antese, com aproximadamente 1 hora de observação por indivíduo para que fosse possível o registro e análise dos possíveis animais visitantes e alguns aspectos relacionados a morfologia da flor. Foram encontrados algumas espécies como morcegos (família Phyllostomidae), besouros (família Scarabaeidae), vespas (família Vespidae) e abelhas (família Apidae) para P. pachycladus e moscas (família Muscidae), besouros (família Scarabaeidae), formigas (família Formicidae) e esperanças (família Tettigoniidae) para P. gounellei constatando uma diversidade de comportamento em busca de recursos florais e extraflorais nas flores observadas. Este estudo contribui para a biologia floral em espécies de Cactaceae no estado de Alagoas e incentiva novas pesquisas em outras áreas de Caatinga no semiárido brasileiro a fim de descrever e analisar os visitantes florais de outras espécies da família Cactaceae.
 PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Biologia, Polinizadores, Cactos.

Resposta germinativa de sementes de cactáceas colunares sob diferentes regimes de temperatura e de potencial hídrico

O mandacaru (Cereus jamacaru DC. subsp. jamacaru) e o facheiro (Pilosocereus pachycladus F.Ritter subsp. pernambucoensis (F.Ritter) Zappi) são duas cactáceas colunares endêmicas do semiárido brasileiro, região caracterizada por apresentar áreas em que ocorre déficit hídrico. Assim sendo, este estudo objetivou avaliar o efeito do estresse hídrico sobre a germinação e o vigor de sementes dessas duas espécies sob diferentes temperaturas e potenciais hídricos. Para simular o estresse hídrico foram utilizadas soluções de polietilenoglicol (PEG 6000) nos seguintes potenciais hídricos: 0,0 (controle); -0,2; -0,4; -0,6 e -0,8 MPa. As sementes foram distribuídas em caixas tipo “gerbox” entre papel “mata borrão”, sob as temperaturas de 25 e 30 °C. A contagem do número de sementes germinadas foi realizada diariamente durante 21 dias após a protrusão radicular. As variáveis analisadas foram: teor de água (%), germinação (%), índice de velocidade de germinação (IVG) e tempo médio de germinação (TMG). O delineamento foi inteiramente casualizado seguindo o esquema fatorial de 2 × 5 (temperatura × potencial hídrico) para cada espécie. Os resultados obtidos neste estudo sugerem que o C. jamacaru subsp. jamacaru e o P. pachycladus subsp. pernambucoensis são capazes de germinar em solos com baixa disponibilidade hídrica e que a redução dos níveis osmóticos das soluções de PEG 6000 no meio germinativo provoca decréscimos na viabilidade e vigor das sementes de mandacaru e facheiro. A 30 °C há menor tolerância das sementes ao estresse hídrico.

Effects of topographic factors on distribution of cacti along an elevation gradient in Brazilian Caatinga

Abstract The Cactacea family comprises 128 genera and 1450 species with predominantly neotropical distribution. Cacti are commonly found in arid and semi-arid regions and have great ecological relevance due to their interactions with animals and other groups of plants. Abiotic interactions, such as topography, altitude, rainfall, temperature and soils, also influence the composition and distribution of cacti. The objective of the present study was to assess patterns of species composition and distribution for cacti along an elevation gradient in Brazilian Caatinga vegetation. Four transects (composed by 25 plots of 100 m² each) were established at each of two mountain sites. The topographic variables of elevation, slope, rockiness and soil depth were evaluated to determine if they affect the distribution of richness and abundance of cacti along the elevation gradient using Spearman's (rs) correlation coefficient. A total of 554 individuals of five cacti species (Pilosocereus gounellei, Pilosocereus pachycladus, Tacinga palmadora, Tacinga inamoena and Melocactus zehntneri) were sampled. Cacti richness and abundance were found to be negatively correlated with elevation, slope and rockiness, and positively correlated with soil depth (p<0.05). All species exhibited aggregate spatial distribution patterns, which may be related to different environmental conditions produced by interactions among topographic variables (slopes, rockiness and soil depth), that synergistically influence the patterns of species richness and abundance along the elevation gradient.

Distribuição espacial e estrutura populacional de Pilosocereus pachycladus F. Ritter subsp. pernambucoensis (F. Ritter) Zappi e Cereus jamacaru DC. subsp. jamacaru

A família Cactaceae apresenta mais de 1.500 espécies no mundo, ocorrendo espécies endêmicas em todo o território nacional. Em populações naturais, tais elementos sofrem fortes pressões antrópicas, o que aumenta consideravelmente o seu risco de extinção. O objetivo do trabalho foi realizar um estudo sobre a distribuição espacial e estrutura populacional de Pilosocereus pachycladus F. Ritter subsp. pernambucoensis (F. Ritter) Zappi e Cereus jamacaru DC. subsp. jamacaru em duas áreas de Caatinga do Agreste do estado da Paraíba, Brasil. Os ambientes de estudo estão localizados no Instituto Nacional do Semiárido (INSA), Campina Grande-PB, e no Sítio Umburana, Bananeiras-PB. Foram alocadas 10 parcelas amostrais de 400 m² em cada ambiente de estudo, e todos os indivíduos de P. pachycladus subsp. pernambucoensis e C. jamacaru subsp. jamacaru foram contabilizados. A distribuição espacial das espécies, não apresentaram tendência ao agrupamento nas populações localizadas no INSA. Nas populações do Sítio Umburana, a tendência é ao agrupamento. De acordo com índice de agrupamento de Payandeh (Pi) a densidade populacional e absoluta nas populações do Sítio Umburana é maior, se comparado às populações do INSA. Para os padrões espaciais, nas populações de Cactaceae do Sítio Umburana, os indivíduos de ambas as espécies apresentam distribuição agrupada e nas populações do INSA apresentaram a tendência ao não agrupamento. Fatores como distúrbios naturais ou antrópicos, condições ambientais e disponibilidade de recursos, influenciaram a estrutura populacional de P. pachycladus e C. jamacaru.

Knowledge and use of Cactaceae in rural communities in the semi-arid region of Paraíba, northeastern Brazil

Background: Cactaceae species are physiologically adapted to regions with arid and semi-arid climates, in which they are available and often used by traditional communities. This study aimed to analyze how ethnobotanical knowledge is influenced by socioeconomic factors such as age and gender in a semi-arid region of Paraíba, Brazil.Methods: This study was conducted in rural communities in the semi-arid region of Paraíba, northeastern Brazil. The data were collected by applying a semi-structured questionnaire to 44 informants (30 men and 14 women). The average age of the informants was 39 years; however, women were 39–77 and men were 31–80 years old. The chi-square test was used to analyze differences regarding knowledge, according to gender and age. The influence of gender (male and female) and age in the distribution of uses per category and species was assessed through the Poisson distribution model.Results: The following native species were recorded: Cereus jamacaru DC. subsp. jamacaru, Melocactus zehntneri, Pilosocereus gounellei (F.A.C. Weber) Byles & G.D. Rowley subsp. gounellei, Pilosocereus pachycladus F.Ritter, Tacinga inamoena (K. Schum.) N.P. Taylor & Stuppy, and Tacinga palmadora (Britton & Rose) N.P. Taylor & Stuppy, which had 436 citations in different categories of use (food, fuel, construction, fodder, medicinal, technology, and others). Our results indicated that residents cite more uses for fodder, food, and medicinal purposes. C. jamacaru had the highest UV and young men cited more uses for the species. Conclusions: Social variables tend to influence residents’ knowledge. Among the categories of use, the residents indicated a higher number of uses for fodder and C. jamacaru was the most prominent species.Keywords: Ethnobotany; Caatinga; Socioeconomic Factors; Use Value

Traditional management of Cactaceae by local populations in the semi­arid region of Brazil

Cactaceae species are important resources in the semi-arid region of Brazil and have been used and managed in a specific way by farmers to optimize and ensure the availability of cacti to rural communities. Thus, this study aimed to investigate management techniques used by residents of four rural communities in the municipality of Cabaceiras, Paraiba, Northeast Brazil. For this, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 44 informants. Seventeen of them reported performing some type of management using the following cacti species: Pilosocereus gounellei (F.A.C. Weber) Byles & G.D. Rowley subsp. gounellei, Cereus jamacaru DC. subsp. Jamacaru, Pilosocereus pachycladus F. Ritter subsp. pernambucoensis (F. Ritter) Zappi, Tacinga palmadora (Britton & Rose) N.P. Taylor & Stuppy, and Melocactus zehntneri (Britton & Rose) Luetzelb. Ex situ and in situ management techniques were recorded. The first one performed by transplantation of propagules and the second one by tolerance. The species propagation is carried out using shoots and vegetative parts. Of the species identified, only Cereus jamacaru has more than one form of management. In addition to management, informants use rudimentary techniques such as burning the vegetative parts for fodder purposes.

Local botanical knowledge of cacti in the semi-arid region of Paraíba, northeastern Brazil.

Background : The semi-arid region of Brazil has different physiognomies characterized by caatinga vegetation, represented by several botanical families, such as the Cactaceae, which stands out economically due to its diverse utilities. This study was conducted in the rural community of Capivara, from 2012 to 2015. This community is located in the municipality of Solânea, in the ‘Agreste’ Mesoregion and ‘Curimatau Oriental’ Microregion, in the state of Paraiba, northeastern Brazil. Methods : A semi-structured questionnaire was applied to 101 informants, family breadwinners (44 men and 57 women). The questionnaire addressed questions about the knowledge of the use of Cactaceae species in the region. Results : Ten species belonging to five genera were recorded, among which, the ‘facheiro’ ( Pilosocereus pachycladus F. Ritter subsp. pernambucoensis (F. Ritter) Zappi) was the most cited and had the highest number of uses. Species were classified into twelve use categories and eleven usable parts were recorded. Fodder was the most prominent category (386 citations). The knowledge of plant species that grow in association with cacti was also recorded (18 species). Conclusions : Farmers in the community of Capivara have great knowledge of local Cactaceae species. However, they mainly use these species as fodder resources, especially C. jamacaru and P. pachycladus . Keywords: Ethnobotany, Cacti, Caatinga, Traditional knowledge, Rural community.

QUALITY, ANTIOXIDANT AND ENZYMATIC ACTIVITIES OF FACHEIRO (Pilosocereus pachycladus RITTER) FRUITS DURING MATURATION

ABSTRACT The fruit of Cactaceas from northeastern Brazil have been the object of many ethnobotanical and functional quality studies. However, a considerable number of species remain poorly exploited, such as the facheiro (Pilosocereus pachycladus Ritter), a native Brazilian plant widely occurring and used in the Caatinga. The objectives of this research were to evaluate the quality, and antioxidant and enzymatic activities of the facheiro fruit during maturation. Fruits were harvested from areas of occurrence of plants in the Paraíba State, Brazil, at three maturity stages, which were determined based on the color of the epicarp (G - green, IP - green with purple traces, and R - completely purple). It was carried out a survey of terms sensorial descriptor terms for fruit appearance and then evaluated the physical, physicochemical, bioactive compounds, antioxidant and peroxidase (POD) activities during maturation. The fruit were described as fleshy berries, with a smooth epicarp; a round, flat shape; opaque purple color; and juicy and soft pulp when ripe. Quality varied during maturation, with the most significant changes being in coloration: the fruit became more purple over time, providing a clear indicator of maturity. With maturation, there was an increase in the content of betalains and total extractable polyphenols, as well as antioxidant activity, by DPPH radical capture method, mainly in the pulp. The pulp of the Pilosocereus pachycladus fruit is an important source of betalains, primarily betacyanins. During maturation, POD activity decreased in the pericarp and increased in the pulp and was strongly correlated with the presence of betalains and with antioxidant activity.

Natural History of the Caatinga Endemic Vieira's Flower Bat, Xeronycteris vieirai

Xeronycteris vieirai is an endemic bat species described by Gregorin and Ditchfield in 2005 only five specimens of which have been collected to date. It is considered Data Deficient by the IUCN Red List. There is little information about this species, so its ecological requirements are poorly known although its diet has been speculated to be nectarivorous. Xeronycteris vieirai apparently has a distribution restricted to the semi-arid Brazilian Caatinga, a habitat that has been highly degraded. We present here the first information about the natural history of X. vieirai, obtained through a large research project aiming at the ecology and conservation of bats in the Caatinga of the states of Rio Grande do Norte and Pernambuco, northeastern Brazil. From June 2014 to October 2015 we captured 62 individuals of X. vieirai at five sites, which represent new records and expand its known distribution, establishing the northernmost record. Xeronycteris vieirai feeds on nectar of at least nine species of plants belonging to six families, and mainly on the columnar cactus Pilosocereus pachycladus. The species has peak activity at 1830 h and shows an apparently seasonally monoestrous reproductive cycle (June–December). Adult females have longer forearms than adult males and are significantly heavier; there is no bias in the sex ratio. A colony of approximately 20 individuals was observed in a well-ventilated cave with natural lighting, representing the first documented roost for the species. Finally, ectoparasites of the genus Trichobius were found on 85.7% of the individuals examined, with no difference in parasite load between males and females.

PRODUCTION OF FLOUR Pilosocereus pachycladus subsp. pernambucoensis (FACHEIRO) AND USE AS ADDITIVE IN CEREAL BARS

Summary:. The cacti are an important element of the landscape, presenting succulent stems, covered with spines of various shapes, sizes and dimensions. The facheiro (Pilosocereus pachycladus subsp. pernambucoensis) is a xerophytic cactacea, rugged, sparsely branched, dark green color, armed with sharp thorns, with large flowers isolated and tall. In the present work flour was produced from the stem bark and facheiro, in order to be used as an additive in proportions of 5, 10, 15 and 20% replacing the traditional flour, in the production of cereal bars. Were made microbiological, physico-chemical and particle size of the flour, and the final product (cereal bar). In microbiological terms the flour presented negative results for coliforms, Salmonella and B. cereus, however, showed colonies of yeasts and molds, not compromising the quality of the samples. As to the physical-chemical they are in compliance. Thus, facheiro flour is a food that can be used in the manufacture and consumption of food to be ingested by the public.

Phytochemical study of Pilosocereus pachycladus and antibiotic-resistance modifying activity of syringaldehyde

Pilosocereus pachycladus F. Ritter, Cactaceae, popularly known as “facheiro”, is used as food and traditional medicine in Brazilian caatinga ecoregion. The plant is used to treat prostate inflammation and urinary infection. The present work reports the first secondary metabolites isolated from P. pachycladus. Therefore, the isolated compound 4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxy benzaldehyde (syringaldehyde) was evaluated as modulator of Staphylococcus aureus pump efflux-mediated antibiotic resistance. The isolation of compounds was performed using chromatographic techniques and the structural elucidation was carried out by spectroscopic methods. In order to evaluate syringaldehyde ability to modulate S. aureus antibiotic resistance, its minimum inhibitory concentrations (μg/ml) was first determinate, then, the tested antibiotics minimum inhibitory concentrations were determined in the presence of the syringaldehyde in a sub-inhibitory concentration. The chromatographic procedures led to isolation of twelve compounds from P. pachycladus including fatty acids, steroids, chlorophyll derivatives, phenolics and a lignan. The syringaldehyde did not show any antibacterial activity at 256μg/ml against S. aureus. On the other hand the compound was able to reduce the antibiotic concentration (tetracycline, norfloxacin, ethidium bromide) required to inhibit the growth of drug-resistant bacteria, showing the ability of syringaldehyde of inhibiting the efflux pump on these bacteria.

Patterns of species richness and abundance among cactus communities receiving different rainfall levels in the semiarid region of Brazil

This study examines the variation in cacti species richness and abundance among sites with different average rainfall and soil types. We assessed a total of 3,660 individuals of six species of Cactaceae: Cereus jamacaru, Melocactus zehntneri, Pilosocereus gounellei, Pilosocereus pachycladus, Tacinga inamoena, and Tacinga palmadora. The greatest species richness and abundance of cacti were at locations with low rainfall and more clayey soils. The species studied differed in multidimensional representation, with some species being more positively related to soils with a higher proportion of fine particles (M. zehntneri and P. gounellei), while others were negatively related to soils with a higher proportion of coarser particles (T. inamoena) or positively related to areas with higher rainfall and vegetation cover (C. jamacaru and P. pachycladus). The differential responses of the species of Cactaceae studied in relation to the gradients analyzed demonstrates the need for more research into the relationship between cacti and environmental variables in semiarid ecosystems with high environmental heterogeneity.

Adaptability in stone tool use by wild capuchin monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus)

Capuchin monkeys are well known for population variation in the use of stone tools and the types of food items consumed. In order to determine adaptability in stone tool use, we investigated a never before studied population of wild capuchin monkey (Sapajus libidinosus) displaying terrestrial habits in a Caatinga environment. To carry out this study we recorded physical evidence of the use of stone tools as well as made direct observations through trap cameras. During a 15-month period, we studied a group of Sapajus libidinosus in Serra Talhada, Pernambuco, Brazil. In total, 257 anvils and 395 hammers were identified, characterized, and monitored. We identified five types of food items exploited at these "tool use sites": Syagrus oleracea (catolé palm), Manihot epruinosa (manioc), Pilosocereus pachycladus (facheiro), Tacinga inamoena (quípa), and Commiphora leptophloeos (imburana de cambão). Five hundred three video clips of capuchin monkeys were recorded, 43 of which involved the use of stone tools. The results indicated evidence of adaptability in tool use by the capuchins. We verified that the rigidity and size of the food item, along with the presence or absence of spines seem to influence the choice of stone tools made by the animals for processing the food. The recurring use of tools for the processing of cacti was especially noteworthy and it appears that the presence of spines predisposes the capuchins to use stones to process them. A significant difference was observed between the characteristics of the anvils and the weight of the hammers according to the food item consumed. The use of tools enabled the animals to access otherwise unavailable or difficult to acquire food items within a Caatinga habitat. Adaptability in the use of stone tools by the capuchin monkey population of Serra Talhada provides an example of the complexity that these primates demonstrate in food processing.

Use and knowledge of Cactaceae in Northeastern Brazil

BackgroundThis study aimed to record the use, and knowledge that residents from São Francisco community (Paraiba, Brazil) have regarding the Cactaceae.MethodsSemi-structured interviews were carried out with 118 informants; 50 men and 68 women. The cacti cited in this study were organised into use categories and use values were calculated. Differences in the values applied to species and use categories by men and women were compared via a G test (Williams).ResultsThe nine species identified were: Cereus jamacaru DC., Melocactus bahiensis (Brtitton & Rose) Luetzelb., Nopalea cochenillifera (L.) Salm-Dyck., Opuntia ficus indica (L.) Mill, Opuntia stricta (Haw.) Haw., Pilosocereus gounellei (F.A.C. Weber) Byles & Rowley, Pilosocereus pachycladus F. Ritter, Tacinga inamoena (K. Schum) N.P. Taylor & Stuppy, Tacinga palmadora (Britton & Rose) N.P. Taylor & Stuppy. In total, 1,129 use citations were recorded, divided into 11 categories. The use value categories with the highest scores were forage (0.42), food (0.30) and construction (building) (0.25). P. pachycladus showed the greatest use value, versatility and number of plant parts used.ConclusionThe survey showed that the Cactaceae is extremely important for several uses and categories attributed to different species. Apart from contributing to the ethnobotanical knowledge of the Cactaceae, another important focus of this study was to reinforce the necessity for further studies that record the traditional knowledge about this plant family, which has been lost in younger generations.

Germinação e expressão morfológica de frutos, sementes e plântulas de Pilosocereus pachycladus Ritter

It was aimed to present the results on the germination, morphology of fruits, seeds and description of stages of plant growth of Pilosocereus pachycladus. The seeds were obtained from fruits harvested at the Curu Valley Experimental Farm, in Pentecoste - CE. Ten fruits were used to the realization of the biometric and morphological determinations. For description of the morphology of the seeds, were considered the external and internal aspects. Two light conditions (12 hours photoperiod and total darkness) and three temperatures (25; 30 and 20-30 °C) were tested in a factorial arrangement 2 x 3 arranged in a completely randomized design with four replications of 50 seeds each. Counts were done daily until the 16 th da y after sowing and to evaluated: the percentage and velocity index of germination. For description of the morphology of the seeds, were considered the external and internal aspects. For description and illustration of the external morphology of germination and seedling, were sowed 200 seeds in a polyethylene tray. The processes of germination and seedling growth were evaluated during 150 days and eight stages of development were characterized and those were based on morphological differences observed. It was concluded that, the fruit measures 38.13 mm of length, 50.53 mm of thickness and 3786 seeds. The constant temperatures of 25 oC and 30 oC under a photoperiod of 12 hours made possible the highest percentages and velocities of germination and the seeds behave as photoblastic positive. 150 days after sowing, the epicotyl is growing with a large amount of thorns and 94.31 mm of length.

Two More Cephalium-Bearing Cacti

Many cephaliumand pseudocephaliumbearing cacti described in this issue are closely related to either Melocactus or Pilosocereus, but there are two striking taxa that are considered to be distantly related: Espostoopsis dybowskii and Facheiroa cephaliomelana subspecies estevesii. Espostoopsis dybowskii is an enigmatic monotypic genus. With cream colored spines and pure white hairs, its four-meter-tall stems branch only from the base and start growing a cephalium when about 1.5–2.0 meters tall. While similar in appearance to the Peruvian genus Espostoa, it may not be closely related. While both genera are known for their densely hairy stems (not true in all Espostoa species), longerhaired wooly lateral cephalia, off-white funnelform flowers, and tall stems that seldom branch except at the base, these genera live thousands of kilometers apart from one another. Molecular systematists have yet to publish a phylogeny incorporating the DNA of Espostoopsis, but when one does we may finally understand where this cactus sits on the family tree. Whatever the case, it is a gorgeous plant in habitat and a fast grower in cultivation. Facheiroa is a genus of three species: F. cephaliomelana, F. ulei, and F. squamosa. Unlike Espostoopsis, Facheiroa is now considered a relative of Espostoa/Vatricania by biologists, although hobbists tend to disregard them as straggly weeds. The first two species have long lateral cephalia, which the third lacks. Despite the bad rap this genus receives, Facheiroa cephaliomelana subspecies estevesii, which we saw atop a large hill of bambui limestone near Iuiu, Bahia, was the prettiest plant I saw in eastern Brazil. Even without these magnificent columnar cacti, this would have been a fantastic habitat with Euphorbia attastoma, succulent Bombaceae in the genera Cavanillesia, and Ceiba, fantastic bromeliads, Melocactus levitestatis, Quiabentia zehntneri, and the ubiquitous Pilosocereus pachycladus. Esostoopsis dybowskii on the quartz massif at Serra Escura, Bahia, but one of many isolated Espostoopsis populations.