Blossfeldia

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Ordo: Caryophyllales

Familia: Cactaceae
Subfamilia: Cactoideae
Tribus: Blossfeldieae
Genus: Blossfeldia
Species: B. liliputana
Name

Blossfeldia Werderm., 1937
Distribution
Native distribution areas:

Continental: Southern America
Regional: Southern South Amertica
Argentina Northwest, Bolivia

References: Brummitt, R.K. 2001. TDWG – World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions, 2nd Edition
References
Primary references

Werdermann, E., 1937. Kakteenkunde 1937, 162.

Links

International Plant Names Index. 2019. Blossfeldia. Published online. Accessed: Jul 14 2019.
Govaerts, R. et al. 2019. Blossfeldia in Kew Science Plants of the World online. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published online. Accessed: 2019 Jul. 14. Reference page.
Korotkova, N. et al. 2021. Blossfeldia in Cactaceae at Caryophyllales.org. A global synthesis of species diversity in the angiosperm order Caryophyllales. Published online. Accessed: 2021 Nov. 2. Reference page.
Tropicos.org 2019. Blossfeldia. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published online. Accessed: 14 Jul 2019.
USDA, ARS, Germplasm Resources Information Network. Blossfeldia in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service. Accessed: 08-Apr-12.

Vernacular names
русский: Блоссфельдия
українська: Блосфельдія

Blossfeldia is a genus of cactus (family Cactaceae) containing only one species, Blossfeldia liliputiana,[1] native to South America in northwestern Argentina[2] (Jujuy,[3] Salta, Tucumán, Catamarca and Mendoza Provinces)[4] and southern Bolivia[2] (Santa Cruz and Potosí Departments).[4] It grows at 1,200–3,500 m altitude in the Andes, typically growing in rock crevices,[2] and often close to waterfalls.

It is of note as the smallest cactus species in the world, with a mature size of around 10–12 mm diameter. The flowers are white or rarely pink, 6–15 mm long and 5–7 mm diameter.[2]

The genus Blossfeldia has been divided into many separate species; however most morphological evidence supports that the genus is monotypic, and contains only Blossfeldia liliputiana.[5]

The species is named after the fictional country of Lilliput, where all of the inhabitants are minute.

Taxonomy

The genus and species were first described in 1937 by Erich Werdermann after being discovered in northern Argentina by Harry Blossfeld and Oreste Marsoner.[3] The genus name honours Blossfeld.[2] Blossfeldia liliputiana has several features making it unique among cacti, including a very small number of stomata, the absence of a thickened cuticle, and hairy seeds with an aril. It is placed in the subfamily Cactoideae, and traditionally in the tribe Notocacteae.[2] However, molecular phylogenetic studies have repeatedly shown that it is sister to the remaining members of the subfamily, and well removed from other genera placed in the Notocacteae:[6][7]

subfamily Cactoideae	Blossfeldia       tribe Cacteae     core Cactoideae, including traditional members of tribe Notocacteae

 
 
 

Recognizing the position of Blossfeldia, Nyffeler and Eggli in their 2010 classification of Cactaceae placed it in a separate tribe, Blossfeldieae, within Cactoideae.[8] Earlier, Blossfeldia considered as a distinct genus of tribe Notocacteae [2] or even had been placed in an entirely separate subfamily, Blossfeldioideae.[9]
References

"Blossfeldia liliputana Werderm". The Plant List. Retrieved 2017-04-01.
Anderson, Edward F. (2001). The Cactus Family. Pentland, Oregon: Timber Press. pp. 129–130. ISBN 978-0-88192-498-5.
Werdermann, Von E. (1937). "Aus den Sammelergebnissen der Reisen von H. Bloßfeld und O. Marsoner durch Südamerika III" (PDF). Kakteenkunde. 11: 161–163.
Leuenberger, Beat Ernst (2008). "Pereskia, Maihuenia, and Blossfeldia—Taxonomic History, Updates, and Notes". Haseltonia. 14: 54–93. doi:10.2985/1070-0048-14.1.54. S2CID 86232406.
"Blossfeldia liliputana". llifle.com. Retrieved 2018-03-22.
Bárcenas, Rolando T; Yesson, Chris & Hawkins, Julie A (2011). "Molecular systematics of the Cactaceae". Cladistics. 27 (5): 470–489. doi:10.1111/j.1096-0031.2011.00350.x. S2CID 83525136.
Hernández-Hernández, Tania; Hernández, Héctor M.; De-Nova, J. Arturo; Puente, Raul; Eguiarte, Luis E. & Magallón, Susana (2011). "Phylogenetic relationships and evolution of growth form in Cactaceae (Caryophyllales, Eudicotyledoneae)". American Journal of Botany. 98 (1): 44–61. doi:10.3732/ajb.1000129. PMID 21613084.
Nyffeler, R. & Eggli, U. (2010). "A farewell to dated ideas and concepts: molecular phylogenetics and a revised suprageneric classification of the family Cactaceae". Schumannia. 6: 109–149. doi:10.5167/uzh-43285.

Crozier, B.S. (2004). "Subfamilies of Cactaceae Juss., including Blossfeldioideae subfam. nov". Phytologia. 86: 52–64. Retrieved 2017-04-01.

Bibliography

Buxbaum F., "Gattung Blossfeldia", in Krainz H., Die Kakteen, 1.11.1964
Fechser H., "Blossfeldia liliputana - The Tiniest Cactus", Cact. Succ. J. (US), 32 : 123-125, 1960
John V., "Strombocactus, Blossfeldia a Aztekium", Kaktusy, 23 : 38-41, 1987
Kilian G., "Beitrag zur Blossfeldia-Kultur", Kakt. und and. Succ., 13 : 82-83, 1962
Köhler U., "Beobachtungen an Blossfeldien", Kakt. und and. Succ., 17 : 11-14, 1966;
"Blossfeldia heute", Kakt. und and. Sukk., 32 : 132133, 1981
Říha J., "Blossfeldia liliputana Werdermann, Kaktusy, 22 : 105-107, 1986
E. Werdermann (1937). "Neue und kritische Kakteen aus den Sammelergebnissen der Reisen von Harry Bloßfeld und O. Marsoner durch Südamerika 1936/37, III" (PDF). Kakteenkunde: 161–164. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
"Blossfeldia liliputana". Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Agricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
http://llifle.com/Encyclopedia/CACTI/Family/Cactaceae/5701/Blossfeldia_liliputana