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Aztekium hintonii Glass & W. A. Fitz Maurice 1991. .Aztekium ritteri (Boedeker) Boedeker ex A. Berger 1929 Aztekium received this name in honor to the Aztecs. During many years considered like a monospecific sort. From the discovery of the beautiful Aztekium ritteri, it had to happen more than six decades to the discovery of their older brother, the great Aztekium hintonii through Hinton, who astonished by the discovery of the Turbinicarpus hoferi growing in plaster, was dedicated to look for cactus in zones of plaster. It is endemic of Nuevo Leon, where they grow in steep slopes of hills and tubes of clay or plaster where another vegetation does not grow.
The species type is the Aztekium ritteri (Boedeker) Boedeker ex- Berger 1929. This sort was described like formed by simple or clustered stems, of globular form to short column, with the apex slightly depressed and covered with wool. The root is short and heavy. The ribs are well differentiated and they are characterized by the presence of horizontal relieves. The areolas are small and numerous in the edge of each rib. Between 1 and 3 spines of grayish white color. The flowers appear at the apex of the stems, they are diurnal, white with a pink or magenta average band. The fruits are between the wool, dry when they mature, naked and slightly extended. Grayish, tuberous black seeds, of 1 mm in length and 0.5 mm of diameter. Aztekium ritteri seems a miniature of Aztekium hintonii and bunch with more profusion. The flowers of first are of a off-white or pink color, and those of last magenta.
The status of Aztekium seems enough consolidated at the present time. He is next to Strombocactus, but it has been demonstrated that they are different species. Nearest it is the kinship with Geohintonia, that grows side to side with Aztekium hintonii. Aztekium differs of Geohintonia by its laterally fluted ribs. The flowers of Aztekium open in the morning and the noon, whereas those of Geohintonia they do to the dusk and night falling.
Aztekium ritteri is included in appendix I of CITES, the category that needs the highest protection. Although it is very appreciated by collectors, its harvesting is limited by the hostility and inaccessibility of the land where it grows, vertical walls of slate, and canyons of eastern Sierra Madre Mountain where the sand slips. Aztekium hintonii is included in appendix II, because there are millions of population, but its harvesting is more massive due to the avidity to obtain units of great sizes, although the vertical plaster walls in Sierra Tapias Mountain make the task very dangerous. It is a genus very appreciated by collectors due to the rustic beauty of its stems in contrast with the gentleness of its flowers. Its slow growth and the difficulty to obtain them from seed discourages the majority, reason why it is often grafted, first on Pereskiopsis and later on a permanent stock. Nevertheless, being grafted they do not obtain purple tones in its stems that stay green.
When Aztekium is cultivated on its own roots, my advice is to prepare a very a well drained mineral substratum with abundance of sand. Upon the first two years you can add vermiculite. It is necessary to cultivate then in full sun. During the vegetative period it is advisable to water regularly adding a liquid frtilizer. In winter it is necessary to maintain it almost dry and not less than 10º C., since they do not resist coldest temperatures. |
