Cereus repandus (Linnaeus) Miller (1768

Hoxey, Paul & Gdaniec, Andrew, 2021, An evaluation of the Cactaceae of Barbados, Grenada, Saint Vincent, and The Grenadines, Phytotaxa 483 (1), pp. 25-74 : 31-33

2. Cereus repandus (Linnaeus) Miller (1768 : unpaged) ≡ Cactus repandus Linnaeus (1753: 467) ≡ Pilocereus repandus (Linnaeus) Schumann (1894: 181) ≡ Subpilocereus repandus (Linnaeus) Backeberg (1951: 123) .

Ind. Loc.:— Curaçao ( Linnaeus 1737: 182).

Neotype (designated by Mottram 2013: 36):— CURAÇAO. June 1938, Hummelinck 197 (U; for a picture of the neotype see Hummelinck 1938: 137, figure 2).

= Cereus margaritensis Johnston (1905: 693) ≡ Subpilocereus margaritensis (Johnston) Backeberg (1941: 60) ≡ Pilocereus russelianus subsp. margaritensis (Johnston) Croizat (1950: 3) .

Lectotype (designated here): VENEZEULA. Isla Margarita , 27 July 1903, Johnston 344 (GH00061819!, image of the type available at https://kiki.huh.harvard.edu/databases/specimen_search.php?mode=details&id=58713).

= Cereus grenadensis Britton & Rose (1920: 223) ≡ Subpilocereus grenadensis (Britton & Rose) Backeberg (1958 –1962: 2383).

Lectotype (designated here): GRENADA. St Georges’s , 24 February 1920, Britton & Hazen s.n. (NY00120654!, image of the lectotype available at http://sweetgum.nybg.org/science/vh/specimen-details/?irn=371021).

Description:— Plants tree-like, up to 8 m tall with a woody truck, to 25 cm diameter, often without spines. Erect stems, greyish-green, to 10 cm diameter, sometimes with constrictions ( Fig. 7–8 ). Ribs 7–9, usually 8, about 10 mm high with traverse groove above each areole. Areoles 6 mm long by 4 mm wide, spacing 15 mm. Fresh areoles with several white hairs to about 10 mm long ( Fig. 9 ). Central spines straight with a twisted, squarish, cross section, to 60 mm long, about 5, light grey with a darker tip. Radial spines about 12, light grey with a darker tip, to 15 mm long, spreading in all directions. Flowers nocturnal, about 7 cm long. Flower tube funnel-form, green, with a few naked areoles. Stamens very numerous. Fruit ovoid, to 5 cm long, reddish, naked. Seeds about 2 mm long, black.

Distribution in the study area ( Fig. 2B ):— Cereus repandus only occurs in the Lesser Antilles at the southern end of Grenada, growing in dry woodland or occasionally on steep rocky cliffs. It is not clear which is the status of this species in Grenada (alien or native). It could be not indigenous and introduced by man based on the fact that the distribution is restricted to a small area around the capital (St George’s). However, note that all the plants occur in natural environment and there successfully reproducing. Further studies are necessary.

General distribution:— Outside of Grenada Cereus repandus is found on the islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao together with mainland Venezuela and offshore islands. The nearest population to Grenada is reported from the Archipiélago Los Testigos (Fernández del Valle et al. 1984), a group of islands about 170 km far from Grenada.

Discussion:— Britton & Rose (1920: 224) considered Cereus grenadensis , C. margaritensis , and C. repandus as three closely related species and outlined a few differences to distinguish them, such as spine length, plant size, presence of transverse groves on the ribs and flower colour and size. Howard (1989: 403) rejects the suggestion that the flowers of C. grenadensis are purple and states “center perianth segments white or yellowish white” which matches the other two species. Other differences, such as the size of the spine have a low taxonomic value. For example, Hunt & Taylor (1992) found plants of C. repandus with short spines and “normal” length spines growing sympatrically. Hunt & Taylor (l.c.) also illustrate C. repandus from Venezuela with transverse groves on the ribs which is said by Britton & Rose (l.c.) to only occur in Cereus grenadensis and C. margaritensis . Howard (l.c.) considered C. grenadensis to be a synonym of C. margaritensis but does not mention C. repandu s. Hunt & Taylor (l.c.) included C. margaritensis as a synonym of C. repandus but fail to mention C. grenadensis . We follow Hunt et al. (2006: 285) and place both C. margaritensis and C. grenadensis as synonyms of C. repandus .

Typification of Cereus margaritensis :— The protologue ( Johnston 1905: 693) includes a citation of a collection ( Johnson 344) which is a syntype according to the Art.9.6 of ICN.We traced this specimen at GH (barcode GH00061819) and we here designate it as the lectotype of the name Cereus margaritensis .

Typification of Cereus grenadensis :— Britton & Rose (1920: 223) described this species on the basis of a collection by N.L. Britton and T.E Hazen at St. George’s , Grenada in February, 24 1920 (syntype according to the Art. 9.6 of ICN). A specimen at NY (barcode NY00120654), which includes a stamped label “Examined for THE CACTACEAE Carnegie Institution of Washington”, is part of the original material (Art. 9.4 of ICN) and it is here designate as the lectotype of Cereus grenadensis .

Specimens examined:— GRENADA. 4–10 March 1979, Howard 18828 (NY) ; 24 February 1920, Britton &

Hagen s.n. (NY, US).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Distribution of cacti on Barbados, Grenada, Saint Vincent and the Grenadine islands based on observations by the authors. A. Acanthocereus tetragonus. B. Cereus repandus. C. Mammillaria mammillaris. D. Melocactus broadwayi. E. Melocactus intortus. F. Opuntia dillenii. G. Pilosocereus curtisii H. Selenicereus plumieri I. Opuntia dillenii (Barbados). J. Pilosocereus barbadensis (Barbados).

FIGURE 7. Large mature specimen of Cereus repandus (Hoxey 1701.01), Grenada

FIGURE 8. Close up of stem of Cereus repandus (Hoxey 1699.01) in bud.

FIGURE 9. Fresh growth on Cereus repandus (Hoxey 1701.01) with hairs on the new areoles.