Pachycereus

Primary tabs

Pachycereus

Pachycereus (A.Berger) Britton & Rose in Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 12: 420. 1909 sec. Franco-Estrada & al. 20211
  • 1. Franco-Estrada, D., Sánchez, D., Terrazas, T. & Arias, S. 2021: Phylogenetic analysis of Peniocereus (Cactaceae, Echinocereeae) based on five chloroplast DNA markers. – Brazilian Journal of Botany 44(4): 903-916. http://doi.org/10.1007/s40415-021-00774-0, 2. Arias, S. & Terrazas, T. 2009: Taxonomic revision of Pachycereus (Cactaceae). – Systematic Botany 34(1): 68-83

Content

Notes

Phylogenetic studies based on morphological and molecular data show consistently that Pachycereus s.str. is a monophyletic group with five species (Arias & al. 2003, 2012; Arias & Terrazas 2006, 2009; Franco-Estrada & al. 2021). Other species previously considered in Pachycereus (Buxbaum 1961; Gibson & Horak 1978; Anderson 2001; Hunt 2006; Nyffeler & Eggli 2010) have been transferred to Lemaireocereus, Lophocereus, and Cephalocereus. Pachycereus s.str. includes tree-like species, interareolar grooves on the stems, abundant trichomes on flower, and flexible spines on the fruit.
The phylogenetic position of the two monotypic genera Backebergia and Pterocereus was recently clarified by Franco-Estrada & al. (2021). Pterocereus (P. gaumeri) was resolved as sister to Lophocereus (1 PP) while Backebergia (B. militaris) was resolved as sister to the clade of Marshallocereus + (Pterocereus + Lophocereus), both placements were maximally supported by Bayesian Inference (1 PP), justifying their generic status separate from Pachycereus.A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J

Taxon standing

Category B. The genus is monophyletic based on phylogenetic studies that support the clade based on a sufficiently dense or even complete sampling, or support a monotypic genus as a distinct lineage, but do not provide a new taxonomic treatment at the species level. In many cases, older classical taxonomic synopses or a monographic treatment exist for these genera providing a reliable assessment of the species included.G

Acknowledgments

Revised by Salvador Arias

Bibliography

A. Anderson, E. F. 2001: The Cactus Family. – Portland, Oregon: Timber Press
B. Arias, S. & Terrazas, T. 2006: Análisis cladístico del género Pachycereus (Cactaceae) con caracteres morfológicos. – Brittonia 58(3): 197-216. http://doi.org/10.1663/0007-196X(2006)58[197:ACDGPC]2.0.CO;2
C. Arias, S. & Terrazas, T. 2009: Taxonomic revision of Pachycereus (Cactaceae). – Systematic Botany 34(1): 68-83
D. Arias, S., Gama López, S., Guzmán Cruz, L. U. & Vázquez-Benítez, B. 2012: Cactaceae. – In: Medina, L. R., Flora del Valle de Tehuacán-Cuicatlán 95. – México D. F.: Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
E. Arias, S., Terrazas, T. & Cameron, K. 2003: Phylogenetic analysis of Pachycereus (Cactaceae, Pachycereeae) based on chloroplast and nuclear DNA sequences. – Systematic Botany 28(3): 547-557
F. Buxbaum, F. 1961: Die Entwicklungslinien der Tribus Pachycereae F. Buxb. (Cactaceae - Cereoideae). – Botanische Studien 12: 1-107
G. Franco-Estrada, D., Sánchez, D., Terrazas, T. & Arias, S. 2021: Phylogenetic analysis of Peniocereus (Cactaceae, Echinocereeae) based on five chloroplast DNA markers. – Brazilian Journal of Botany 44(4): 903-916. http://doi.org/10.1007/s40415-021-00774-0
H. Gibson, A.C. & Horak, K.E. 1978: Systematic anatomy and phylogeny of Mexican columnar cacti. – Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 65: 999 - 1057
I. Nyffeler, R. & Eggli, U. 2010: A farewell to dated ideas and concepts – molecular phylogenetics and a revised suprageneric classification of the family Cactaceae. – Schumannia 6: 109-151
J. Sánchez, D. & Arias, S. 2022: Updates to the Cactaceae species-level checklist for the genera Peniocereus, Pachycereus, Backebergia and Pterocereus. – Published online at https://caryophyllales.org/cactaceae/Checklist.