Leptocereus
Leptocereus in Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 12: 433. 1909 sec. Barrios & al. 2020
- ≡Cereus subg. Leptocereus in Rep. (Annual) Missouri Bot. Gard. 16: 79. 1905 syn. sec. ???
- Type: Leptocereus assurgens
- =Dendrocereus, Cactaceae 2: 113. 1920 syn. sec. Barrios & al. 2020
- Type: Dendrocereus nudiflorus
- =Neoabbottia in Smithsonian Misc. Collect. 72: 2. 1921 syn. sec. Hunt 2006
- Type: Neoabbottia paniculata
Notes
The phylogenetic relationships in Leptocereus and Dendrocereus were analysed by Barrios & al. (2020) using 5 plastid markers (trnL-F, trnQ-rps16, psbA-trnH, petL-psbE, and rpl16) and morphology. They found Leptocereus to be paraphyletic with a clade of the two Dendrocereus species nested within it and have consequently newly circumscribed Leptocereus to include Dendrocereus. Leptocereus now encompasses 20 species of trees and shrubs, all endemic to the diverse, seasonally dry tropical forest of the Antilles and most diverse on Cuba.A
Taxon standing
Category A. The genus is monophyletic based on a complete or very comprehensive phylogenetic study, and a phylogeny-based taxonomic synopsis was published.B
Bibliography
A. Majure, L.C. 2021: Revisions of Cochemiea, Consolea, Coryphantha, Cylindropuntia, Cumarinia, Grusonia, Kroenleinia, Leptocereus, Melocactus, Micropuntia, Opuntia. – In: Korotkova N. & al., Cactaceae at Caryophyllales.org – a dynamic online species-level taxonomic backbone for the family. – Willdenowia 51: 251-270