HYPOGAEUM Reyes, Brachet & González-Zorzano, 2009
Distribution : Mexico (Oaxaca), 2100 m, growing in pine and oak forest.
Description :
Perennial geophytic plant.
Stem subterraneous, 2 – 6 cm long, up to 3.3 mm thick, pink to greenish brown.
Roots tuberous, up to 7 cm long, pink to whitish.
Leaves sessile, scale-like, lanceolate, 1.5 – 1.9 mm long and 0.44 – 0.7 mm wide, obtuse, glabrous, whitish to pale pink.
Inflorescences terminal, up to 10 per plant, 5 – 23 cm tall, 2 – 13 flowers each, producing new plantlets when flowers are spent; leaves on inflorescences 70 – 105, near the base 1.5 – 3.3 mm long, bigger in the upper part : 4 – 15.4 mm long and 0.5 – 1.8 mm wide, subulate to ensiform, apex acute, brilliant green, pilose on upper surface; pedicels 0.3 – 1.2 mm, light green.
Flowers : Sepals 5, unequal, 0.95 – 1.10 mm long, appressed to ascending, light green; petals 5, 3 – 3.7 mm long, spreading, light yellow.
Published in Cactáceas y Suculentas Mexicanas, 2009 - with photos.