A new miniature Melocactus (Cactaceae) from Puerto Rico

Gdaniec, A., Hoxey, P., Ackerman, J. D. and Culham, A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7440-0133 (2022) A new miniature Melocactus (Cactaceae) from Puerto Rico. Caribbean Journal of Science, 52 (2). pp. 209-218. ISSN 0008-6452 doi: 10.18475/cjos.v52i2.a8

Abstract/Summary

A new species of Melocactus is described from Puerto Rico. This miniature species, with a stem no more than 70 mm in diameter, is of uncertain affiliation but is unlikely to be a close relative of M. intortus, the only other Melocactus known from Puerto Rico, due to the lack of a pink-coloured stigma, smaller stem dimensions and distinct seed structure. There are morphological similarities with some other Caribbean species: M. lemairei and M. praerupticola of Hispaniola, and M. guitartii (= M. curvispinus) from Cuba.