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Studies on Mexican Cactaceae. V. Taxonomic notes on Selenicereus tricae

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Abstract

Selenicereus tricae is a poorly known species from Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico. We present a morphological and anatomical description of this plant and provide data on its habitat and geographical distribution. In addition, we discuss its taxonomic affinities with S. inermis, S. wercklei, and S. rubineus, its hypothetical closest relatives. Selenicereus tricae has already been combined with S. inermis, as subsp. tricae, and two new combinations are proposed here: S. inermis subsp. rubineus and S. inermis subsp. wercklei. The presence in S. inermis subsp. tricae of diagnostic morphological and anatomical features of Selenicereus and Hylocereus suggests that these two genera should probably be merged.

Resumen

Selenicereus tricae es una especie de Belice, Guatemala y México poco conocida. Se presenta una descripción morfológica y anatómica detallada, y se aportan algunos datos sobre su hábitat y distribución geográfica. Además, se discuten sus afinidades taxonómicas con S. inermis, S. wercklei y S. rubineus, sus supuestos parientes más cercanos. Selenicereus tricae ha sido ya combinada justificadamente con S. inermis, como subsp. tricae, y se proponen aquí dos nuevas combinaciones: S. inermis subsp. rubineus y S. inermis subsp. wercklei. La presencia en S. inermis subsp. tricae de caracteres morfológicos y anatómicos diagnósticos de Selenicereus e Hylocereus sugieren que estos dos géneros podrían ser fusionados.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Sunción López, Juan Moreno, Ángel Ramírez, and Cristóbal Montejo for assisting us in the field, Berenit Mendoza for the SEM photomicrographs, Daniel Hernández and Diana Martínez for helping us in the preparation of figures. We also thank Barry Hammel, David Hunt, and Ralph Bauer for providing information about the species, Fernando Chiang for reviewing the manuscript, and Warren Wagner for making available herbarium material at US. Fieldwork was carried out under collecting permit SEMARNAT-03-039 provided by Secretaría del Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales, Mexico.

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Correspondence to Carlos Gómez-Hinostrosa.

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Gómez-Hinostrosa, C., Hernández, H.M., Terrazas, T. et al. Studies on Mexican Cactaceae. V. Taxonomic notes on Selenicereus tricae . Brittonia 66, 51–59 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12228-013-9308-y

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