MINIMA  J.Meyrán, 1968 (engl./ fr.)

Series Secundae

Type : Otero s.n., collected in a tributary  of the Rio Tula, near Puente de Tasquillo, Hidalgo, 1967. UNAM 110023.

Etymology : The name refers to the smallness of the plant.

Distribution: Mexico (Hidalgo: only known from the type locality and surrounding area).

First Description by Jorge Meyrán in Cactáceas y Suculentas Mexicanas 13 : 47-50, 62, [64], ills., 1968 in Spanish.

English summary :

Plant usually solitary with only occasionally one or two offshoots.

Rosette dense, 20 – 40 mm diameter, with 30 – 50 leaves.

Stem short, covered with dry leaves.

Leaves cuneate-obovate, obtuse, older leaves occasionally emarginate, the others with a fine mucro, 8 – 20 mm long, 5 – 9 mm wide and 2 – 3.5 mm thick, glaucous green with mucro and upper edges reddish, upper face flat near center, slightly convex toward base, lower face very convex, slightly keeled toward tip.

Floral stalks one to four, near center, 12 – 35 mm to first flower, green or reddish green, leaves on stalk 4 – 6, elliptical, pointed, base spurred, 4 – 9 mm long, upper face slightly convex, lower convex, green with reddish edges.

Inflorescence scorpioid with 3 – 7 (-9) flowers, pedicels 3 – 6 mm long, bracts lanceolate to ovoid with pointed tip, base slightly spurred, to 9 mm long, green at times with reddish tip, bracteoles linear, 5 – 6 mm long, green with reddish tip.

Sepals unequal, lanceolate, pointed, lower face convex, the largest 6 – 9 mm long, green with slightly to very reddish tips, mucro to 1 mm, corolla 8 – 11 mm long, 5 – 7 mm wide, external face keeled, yellow with lower part pink to reddish, nectar cavity pink, filaments 3 – 5 mm long, yellowish, anthers yellow, carpels 6 – 7 mm long, white, stigmas greenish, nectaries spatulate, yellowish.

Flowering period May to July.

Cytology : n = 28.

Distributed by ISI n°1014 (1977).

Link to a summary in French.

Plants in habitat in Hidalgo, Mexico :

Plantes dans l'habitat mexicain, à Hidalgo :