Acanthocereus tetragonus

Name and scope of the research

POWO accepts Acanthocereus tetragonus. Historical names in the literature include Cactus tetragonus and Cereus tetragonus. The species has a broad native range from the southern United States to northern South America and the Caribbean. The physiological work described below concerns seeds from Tatacoa in Colombia, whereas the chemical analysis of juvenile stems used material from Veracruz, Mexico. [2-WWW] [Aragón and Lasso 2018, POWO 1646-2, 12.10.2026, Aragón 2018 pp. 2, Cornejo-Campos 2022 pp. 8] [Cornejo-Campos et al. 2022, POWO 1646-2, 12.10.2026, Aragón 2018 pp. 2, Cornejo-Campos 2022 pp. 8]

Germination depends on water availability

Seeds from Tatacoa were germinated in PEG 6000 solutions at water potentials of 0, −1.0, −1.5 and −2.0 MPa. Each treatment comprised four dishes containing 30 seeds each. Observations lasted 40 days. At 0 MPa, approximately 60–70% of seeds germinated. Germination declined as water potential decreased. At −2.0 MPa, seeds of this species retained some capacity to germinate, although the response was limited. [Aragón and Lasso 2018, pp. 2–4, fig. 1]

One-year-old seedlings during prolonged drought

The experiment with one-year-old seedlings used 28 plants of the species in 40 ml pots. Seven were allocated to each of four groups deprived of water for 6, 7, 8 or 11 months, and seven additional plants served as controls. Temperature was 28°C, humidity 60%, and the photoperiod was 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness. After eight months without watering, all A. tetragonus seedlings in that treatment were still alive. [Aragón and Lasso 2018, pp. 2–4, fig. 2]

After 11 months of drought, most seedlings died. Gas-exchange measurements showed nocturnal CO₂ uptake, consistent with CAM metabolism. Low transpiration also occurred in well-watered plants. The result describes this cohort of one-year-old seedlings under controlled conditions and helps explain survival through prolonged drought in a population. [Aragón and Lasso 2018, pp. 3–5]

Juvenile stems as a traditional vegetable

In some Mexican communities, juvenile stems are eaten as cruzeta or jacube. A 2022 study analysed stems collected in Veracruz. After removing spines and the cuticle, part of the material was heated in water for 15 minutes at 90°C. Methanolic extracts of raw and cooked material were compared for their metabolites, response to the Folin–Ciocalteu reagent and capacity to scavenge the DPPH radical. [Cornejo-Campos et al. 2022, pp. 2–3, 8–9]

The raw material gave higher values in both assays than the cooked material. Chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry also indicated compounds present after both preparation methods, including citric and eucomic acids and luteolin rutinoside. The analysis characterizes stem extracts. It advances knowledge of this food material and changes occurring during preparation. [Cornejo-Campos et al. 2022, pp. 3–9]

Materials from the author's archive

The species also appears in Konrad Szychowski's private material archive. [Cactáceas y Suculentas Mexicanas 1959, file p. 21] [Schumann 1890, file p. 19, 20]