Leuchtenbergia
| Agave cactus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Core eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Cactaceae |
| Subfamily: | Cactoideae |
| Tribe: | Cacteae |
| Genus: | Leuchtenbergia Hook. |
| Species: | L. principis |
| Binomial name | |
| Leuchtenbergia principis Hook. | |
Leuchtenbergia principis (agave cactus or prism cactus), the sole species of the genus Leuchtenbergia, is a species of cactus. It is native to north-central Mexico (San Luis Potosi, Chihuahua). The genus is named after Maximilian Eugen Joseph (1817–1852), Duke of Leuchtenberg and amateur botanist.
It is very slow-growing but can eventually grow up to 70 cm high, with a cylindrical stem which becomes bare and corky at the base with age. It has long, slender, grayish-green tubercles 6–12 cm long, with purplish-red blotches at their tips. The tubercles are topped with papery spines, making the plant resemble an agave; old, basal tubercles dry up and fall off. After four years or so, yellow, funnel-shaped flowers 5–6 cm diameter may be borne at the tubercle tips. The fruit is smooth and green, 3 cm long and 2 cm broad. It has a large, tuberous taproot.
Taxonomy
It is related to the genus Ferocactus, and hybrids have been created between these two genera.
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Leuchtenbergia principis
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The flower of leuchtenbergia principis
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Leuchtenbergia principis seen from above
References
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Leuchtenbergia principis. |
- Huxley, A., ed. (1992). New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. Macmillan.