Names and range
Mammillaria decipiens Scheidw. is an accepted species in POWO. Its natural range covers eastern Mexico and extends to Jalisco. The former names M. albescens, M. camptotricha and the subspecies albescens and camptotricha are synonyms in this treatment. Their occurrence in the literature can still identify specific material within the more broadly accepted species. [2-WWW] [2-WWW]
Tubercles of the albescens material
Ozerova and Timonin studied greenhouse material identified as M. decipiens subsp. albescens. Its tubercles were up to 20 mm long and about 3 mm in diameter. The authors described them as soft, resembling short, rounded leaves. The voucher specimen bore the number Ozerova 20-3 in the MHA herbarium. The dimensions and description of softness apply to this study's material. [Ozerova and Timonin 2020a, pp. 11–12]
Tubercle sections revealed larger vascular bundles and a network of small cortical bundles. Parenchyma containing chloroplasts also occurred deeper inside, without separately identified hydrenchyma. Cells of the outer chlorenchyma were arranged in oblique rows of four or five. More internal cells were elongated and formed longitudinal rows. The observation connects the soft green volume of the tubercle with its photosynthetic function. [Ozerova and Timonin 2020a, pp. 12–14]
Znaczenie tkanki asymilacyjnej
The authors propose that the columnar cell arrangement facilitates CO₂ supply to deeper tissue. Large vacuoles may also hold malate accumulated during the nocturnal part of CAM metabolism. The paper provides an anatomical comparison of three species. Photosynthetic rate and gas conductance of the albescens material studied were not measured. [Ozerova and Timonin 2020a, pp. 14–16]
Related articles
Materials from the author's archive
The species also appears in Konrad Szychowski's private material archive. [Anonim b.d.z, file p. 1]
Synonyms and names in the literature
Mammillaria albescens · Mammillaria camptotricha · Mammillaria decipiens subsp. albescens · Mammillaria decipiens subsp. camptotricha · Dolichothele albescens [2-WWW]