Airampoa
Airampoa, Akklim. Versuchs-Gart.: 1. 1933 sec. Doweld 2002
- Type: Airampoa aurata
- =Tunilla in Cactaceae Syst. Init. 9: 10. 2000, nom. superfl., syn. sec. Doweld 2002
- Type: Tunilla soehrensii
Taxon standing
Category E. No assessment of monophyly has yet been possible, because only a few species were sampled or no phylogenetic study has been conducted so far.
Notes
Phylogenetics. — The genus has not been adequately studied and only three species have been included in molecular phylogenetic analyses. Bárcenas & al. (2011) sampled Tunilla erectoclada and found it resolved outside the core Opuntia clade. Griffith & Porter (2009) sampled T. corrugata and T. longispina and found them well supported in a clade sister to accessions of Maihueniopsis ovata (Pfeiff.) F.Ritter that were misidentified - and are currently labeled as T. corrugata (see https://livingcollections.org/dbg/Accession/593836) – and Miqueliopuntia miquelii (Monv.) F.Ritter. Majure & al. (2012) sampled part of the same accessions of Griffith & Porter (2009) plus others of T. corrugata, and found it again supported out of Opuntia s.str.. Köhler et al. (2020), using chloroplast genome sequences, resolved T. corrugata as sister to Salmonopuntia + Miqueliopuntia. Majure et al. (in prep. 2021), sampling four species of Tunilla, strongly supported them in a clade sister to Miqueliopuntia. Further molecular studies, including more Airampoa species, must be conducted to assert its monophyly and species delimitation. A
Nomenclature.— The generic name Tunilla has been used in the literature until recently. It was published by Hunt & Iliff (2000) to replace the untypified earlier name Airampoa Frič. That step has to be regarded as superfluous, because Airampoa Frič was validly published with a brief German description presented in two rare trade catalogues (Frič 1929; 1933). This satisfied all the rules of valid publication of a genus name; no Latin diagnosis was required prior to 1935.
Later, a Frič illustration and specimens in the Frič herbarium currently housed at PR (Guiggi 2007, cf. Figs 1, 2, 3) could further clarify the concept of Frič’s genus Airampoa. Doweld (2002) provided a neotype for Airampoa aurata based on Frič’s material in PR as well as the necessary combinations and typifications for 16 species he included in the genus.B
Later, a Frič illustration and specimens in the Frič herbarium currently housed at PR (Guiggi 2007, cf. Figs 1, 2, 3) could further clarify the concept of Frič’s genus Airampoa. Doweld (2002) provided a neotype for Airampoa aurata based on Frič’s material in PR as well as the necessary combinations and typifications for 16 species he included in the genus.B
Diagnosis
Airampoa Frič g. n. aurata, goldstachelige, niedrige Opuntia, glochidenlosC
Tunilla D. Hunt & Iliff genus novum ad Cactaceas subfarn. Opuntioideas pertinens Opuntiae sensu stricto affine; plantae fruticosae vel plus minusve pr ostratae saepe repentes radicantesque dense ramosae; segmenta determinate subteretia vel plus minusve compressa ad 8 cm longa saepe autern breviora; areolae confertae; spinae aciculares; fibres saepe rubelli interdum lutei; pericarpello plerumque setoso; fructus ubi cognitus fissura unite laterali dehiscens; semina c. 3 mm longa reniformia vix compressa aliquantum mollia.D
Description
Airampoa, Frič g. n. aurata, Frič sp. n. Kugelopuntien, aus hohen Cordilleren mit widerhakigen Stacheln, aber ohne GlochidenE
Plants fruticose or ±prostrate, often creeping and rooting, densely branched; segments of determinate growth, subterete to ±flattened, to 8 cm but often smaller, sometimes only c. 1 cm (and then ±spineless), usually acicular-spiny all over; areoles close-set; flowers sometimes yellow, often reddish, the pericarpel usually bristly-spiny; fruit, where known, dehiscing by a lateral split; seeds small, c. 3 mm, reniform, hardly flattened, not hard, deforming under pressure.F
Bibliography
A. Köhler, M. 2021: Revisions of Airampoa, Brasiliopuntia, Opuntia, Salmonopuntia, Tacinga. – In: Korotkova N. & al., Cactaceae at Caryophyllales.org – a dynamic online species-level taxonomic backbone for the family. – Willdenowia 51: 251-270
B. Korotkova, N. 2021: Revisions of Deamia, Disocactus, Epiphyllum, Hatiora, Kimnachia, Lepismium, Leuenbergeria, Lymanbensonia, Pereskia, Pfeiffera, Pseudorhipsalis, Rhipsalidopsis, Rhipsalis, Schlumbergera, Selenicereus, Strophocactus, Weberocereus, and various other names. In: Korotkova N. & al., Cactaceae at Caryophyllales.org – a dynamic online species-level taxonomic backbone for the family. – Willdenowia 51: 250-270
C. Frič, A. V. 1929: Neue Kakteen aus südamerikanischen Hochgebirgen. Samenernte der botanischen Expedition 1928/1929. – Praha: privately published
D. Hunt, D.R. & Iliff, J. 2000: Tunilla: a new generic name for the "Airampo group". – Cactaceae Systematics Initiatives 9: 8-12: 10 (as Tunilla in Cactaceae Syst. Init. 9: 10. 2000)
E. Frič, A. V. 1933: Akklimatisations- und Versuchs-Garten A. V. Frič 1932–1933. – Praha: privately published
F. Hunt, D.R. & Iliff, J. 2000: Tunilla: a new generic name for the "Airampo group". – Cactaceae Systematics Initiatives 9: 8-12: 10 (as Tunilla in Cactaceae Syst. Init. 9: 10. 2000)