Stems and flowers

In Hoxey's field observations, stems reached up to 1 m long and had two or three ribs. Branches arose at the base or near the apex. The areoles, especially on older stems, bore up to 10 spreading, slightly curved spines up to about 10 mm long. [Hoxey 2016, p. 191]

Pink flowers developed near the apices and were about 30 mm long. The earlier key gave 3–4 cm and a distinct receptacular tube. Hoxey described an open nectar chamber about 8 mm wide, containing abundant nectar. The fruit was globose to shortly cylindrical, up to 10 mm long. Black seeds reached about 2 mm. [Korotkova et al. 2010, Korotkova et al., p. 166. Hoxey, pp. 191–192] [Hoxey 2016, Korotkova et al., p. 166. Hoxey, pp. 191–192]

Rocks of the Sandia valley

The account published in 2016 documents sites on lichen-covered outcrops and steep rock faces between 2200 and 3200 m above sea level. The author explored the Sandia valley in 2008 and 2013. The description concerns plants rooted in a rocky substrate, and thus lithophytes. [Hoxey 2016, p. 191]

When the publication was prepared, the Sandia valley was the only area of occurrence confirmed to the author. Searches of two neighbouring valleys found no plants, and part of the terrain remained unexplored. This information defines the state of documentation in 2016 and the geographical scope of the observations. [Hoxey 2016, p. 191]

Names and significance for classification

The accepted name, Lymanbensonia micrantha, covers the plant previously described as Cereus micranthus, Acanthorhipsalis micrantha and Pfeiffera micrantha. The species is the nomenclatural type of Lymanbensonia, so the genus name refers to it when the genus is circumscribed. [2-WWW] [Korotkova et al. 2010, p. 166–167]

In the 2010 study, the sequenced material formed a lineage with L. incachacana and L. brevispina. Combining morphology, molecular data and earlier names allowed Lymanbensonia to be reinstated as a distinct genus. The rock-dwelling habit of L. micrantha also illustrates habitat diversity within a group often associated with epiphytes. [Korotkova et al. 2010] [Hoxey 2016]

Synonyms and names in the literature

Cereus micranthus · Acanthorhipsalis micrantha · Pfeiffera micrantha · Rhipsalis micrantha · Rhipsalis asperula [2-WWW]