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Species

Astrophytum coahuilense

Astrophytum coahuilense

Article summary

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Accepted name, three homotypic synonyms, separation from Myriostigma, Coahuila range, and Vulnerable status of Astrophytum coahuilense.

Scientific taxonomy article

Accepted name and publication history

The current Kew backbone accepts Astrophytum coahuilense; the standardized author citation is (H.Moeller) Kanfer. Kurt Kanfer published the accepted combination in 1932 in Kakteen-Freund 1: 59; its nomenclatural basis is H. Moeller’s 1927 name Echinocactus myriostigma subsp. coahuilensis. IPNI supplies nomenclatural authorship and place of publication, while current acceptance, synonymy, and native distribution follow POWO.12

Kew lists three homotypic names based on the same nomenclatural type as the accepted combination. This history records earlier treatment around Astrophytum myriostigma as a subspecies or variety, whereas the current backbone accepts a distinct species.

Taxon boundary and infraspecific treatment

In the Kaktüs Doktoru backbone, the species is a child of Astrophytum. POWO lists no accepted subordinate rank at the current species node. The three homotypic names are species synonyms, while Astrophytum myriostigma remains a separately accepted species and is not added to synonymy. This package updates only the canonical species node and its linked botanical-dictionary record; it does not rewrite the genus, flatten accepted subordinate ranks into species synonymy, or alter the product.

Diagnostic characters

The plant can resemble A. myriostigma through broad, usually spineless ribs, dense white epidermal flecks, and woolly areoles along the rib crests. The boundary is not based on vegetative appearance alone; a coloured throat in the yellow tepals, fruit dehiscence, seed characters, and provenance are evaluated together. A 2024 morphological study reported a complex combination of traits shared with A. capricorne and A. myriostigma rather than one fixed diagnostic character. Members of Astrophytum have distinct continuous ribs with areoles arranged along the rib crests, while the density of white epidermal flecks can vary among species and populations. Identification should not be reduced to one fleck pattern, spine trait, or commercial photograph; ribs, areoles, spines, flowers, fruits, seeds, and provenance should be assessed together.3

Phylogenetic context

A 2015 plastid-DNA study recovered Astrophytum as a monophyletic lineage of six species divided into two principal clades.4 Coahuilense samples formed a separate, well-supported clade from Myriostigma samples, supporting recognition as a distinct species. The current Kew backbone accepts this species in Astrophytum. Phylogenetic context does not determine nomenclature by itself; nomenclatural evidence, morphology, and the maintained backbone must be considered together.

Native distribution and conservation

Kew records the native range as Coahuila, Mexico.1 POWO records the species as a subshrub native to Coahuila in the seasonally dry tropical biome. Its narrow native range and slow life history mean nursery availability must not be confused with security of wild populations. The stored conservation category is VU.5 The current Kew/IUCN-backed category is Vulnerable, so the former live EN value should be corrected to VU. VU does not remove the need for habitat protection and documented legal nursery provenance.

Synonymy and retrieval

Kew accepts 3 synonyms at the species node: Astrophytum myriostigma subsp. coahuilense, A. myriostigma var. coahuilense, and Echinocactus myriostigma subsp. coahuilensis are three homotypic names based on the same type. These are not canonical routes; they document nomenclatural history and support retrieval of older literature. Astrophytum myriostigma, A. capricorne, and modern hybrid or selection names are not species synonyms. A hypothesis of hybrid origin does not automatically invalidate the accepted species name.1

References

  1. Plants of the World Online. “Astrophytum coahuilense (H.Moeller) Kanfer.” Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Accessed: 2026-08-04. https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:25929-2 ↩
  2. International Plant Names Index. “Astrophytum coahuilense (H.Moeller) Kanfer.” Accessed: 2026-08-04. https://www.ipni.org/n/25929-2 ↩
  3. World Flora Online. “Astrophytum coahuilense (H.Moeller) Kanfer.” Accessed: 2026-08-04. https://www.worldfloraonline.org/taxon/wfo-0000555059 ↩
  4. Vázquez-Lobo, A. et al. “Phylogeny and Biogeographic History of Astrophytum (Cactaceae).” Systematic Botany 40(4): 1022–1030. https://doi.org/10.1600/036364415X690094 ↩
  5. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Astrophytum coahuilense.” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/152660/121483203 ↩
  6. Montanucci, R. R. “A morphological study on the question of the hybrid origin of Astrophytum coahuilense (Cactaceae).” Journal of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas 18(1). https://doi.org/10.17348/jbrit.v18.i1.1346 ↩

Plants In This Group

Astrophytum coahuilense

Astrophytum coahuilense

Astrophytum coahuilense

Astrophytum coahuilense is a species verified only from Coahuila that can resemble A. myriostigma through its flecked, usually spineless appearance but is accepted independently in the current backbone. The plant can resemble A. myriostigma through broad, usually spineless ribs, dense white epidermal flecks, and woolly areoles along the rib crests. The boundary is not based on vegetative appearance alone; a coloured throat in the yellow tepals, fruit dehiscence, seed characters, and provenance are evaluated together. A 2024 morphological study reported a complex combination of traits shared with A. capricorne and A. myriostigma rather than one fixed diagnostic character. Unlike the taxonomy article, the botanical dictionary layer explains the living plant's morphology, habitat context, and cultivation requirements.