{{Short description|Genus of cacti}} {{Automatic taxobox |image = Grusonia parishii 4.jpg |image_caption = ''Grusonia parishiorum'' |display_parents = 2 |taxon = Grusonia |authority = Rchb.f. ex Britton & Rose<ref>{{Citation |title=IPNI Plant Name Query Results for ''Grusonia'' |publisher=The International Plant Names Index |url=http://www.ipni.org/ipni/idPlantNameSearch.do?id=30056115-2 |accessdate=2012-04-17 }}. The IPNI entry notes that Britton & Rose incorrectly gave the authority as "F. Reichenbach", an error repeated by {{Harvtxt|Anderson|2001|p=342}}.</ref> |subdivision_ranks = Species |subdivision = See list |synonyms = *''Corynopuntia'' <small>Knuth, 1935</small> *''Marenopuntia'' <small>Backeb. </small> |type_species =''Grusonia bradtiana'' }} thumb|right|''Grusonia parishiorum '' '''''Grusonia''''' is a genus of opuntioid cacti (family Cactaceae), originating from the North American Deserts in Southwest United States and northern Mexico, including Baja California. Authors differ on precise boundaries of the genus, which has been included in ''Cylindropuntia''.<ref>{{Citation |last=Anderson |first=Edward F. |year=2001 |title=The Cactus Family |location=Pentland, Oregon |publisher=Timber Press |isbn=978-0-88192-498-5 }}, pp. 342–343</ref> '''''Corynopuntia''''', also known as '''club chollas''' (or "'''perritos'''" in Mexico), is now a synonym, with the genus originally being described by Knuth in 1935. Molecular phylogenetic studies suggest that it should be included in ''Grusonia'', a view accepted by Plants of the World Online {{As of|2021|June|lc=yes}}.
==Etymology== The name ''Corynopuntia'' comes from the Greek ''coryne'', meaning ‘club’, and refers to the club-shaped branch segments, so "club opuntia", club cholla.
==Description== These opuntioid plants grow in low opuntioid cushions, consisting of rather ovoid or slightly clavate segments, from 1 up to 25 cm long, tuberculate, not ribbed, glabrous. Spines are strong, very prickly and dangerous, covered on their margins by fine denticles, with epidermal ''tunica'' (sheath) at the apex only. Flower generally yellow, few species have pink to deep magenta flower. Fruit narrowly obconic to ellipsoid, fleshy at first but soon drying, yellow to brownish, often stinky, generally full of glochids and spiny. Seed yellowish white to brownish, suborbicular or flattened. Most of the species belonging to ''Corynopuntia'' show a very similar morphology, apparently with few differences, so this genus was little studied. Recent in-depth field and lab researches are improving the knowledge about these plants, showing the existence of many undescribed species.<ref>Rebman, J. (2006) A new club cholla, ''Grusonia robertsii'' (Cactaceae) from Baja California Sur, Mexico. ''Madrono'' 53(3):278-281</ref><ref>Donati, D.(2010) Una nuova, eccezionale specie appartenente al genere ''Corynopuntia'' Knuth: ''Corynopuntia guccinii'' sp. nov., in ''Piante Grasse'' 30(3): 115-119</ref><ref>Donati, D. (2011) Nuovo studio sul gruppo ''clavata'' del genere ''Corynopuntia'' Knuth: riscoperta di ''C. agglomerata'' e descrizione di ''C. bulbispina'' subsp. ''basileocephala'' subsp. nov., in ''Piante Grasse'' 31(1): 17</ref><ref>Donati, D., in ''Piante Grasse'' 32(2): 7. 2012</ref><ref>Donati, D. (2013) New data from the habitats of ''Corynopuntia marenae'' and ''Corynpuntia reflexispina'', in ''Cactusworld'' 31(1): 55-60</ref><ref>Donati, D. (2014) Technical and taxonomical notes on ''Corynopuntia robertsii''. ''Cactus and Succulent Journal of America'' 86(2): 73-75</ref> Whilst ''Corynopuntia'' members are morphologically similar one to each other, the mentioned research studies highlighted that wild club chollas rarely naturally hybridize when they grow sympatric.
==Taxonomy== The genus ''Corynopuntia'' was first set up in 1935<ref>Knuth, F. M. (1935) ''Corynopuntia''. Kaktus-ABC. Gyldendals Forlagstrykkeri, Copenhagen.</ref> as a segregate from ''Opuntia'', but was reduced to sectional rank by Benson in 1969 and slightly elevated again to a subgenus by Bravo in 1972. In 1999, Anderson included ''Corynopuntia'' in his enlarged concept of ''Grusonia''.<ref>Anderson, E. F. (1999) Some nomenclatural changes in the Cactaceae, subfamily Opuntioideae. ''Cact. Succ. J.'' (US) 71: 324–325</ref> Pioneering DNA work by Dickie in 1997, subsequent molecular data from Wallace and Dickie (2002)<ref>Wallace, R. S. and Dickie, S. J. (2002) Systematic implication of chloroplast DNA sequence variation in subfam. ''Opuntioideae'' (''Cactaceae''). ''Succ. Pl. Res.'' 6: 9–24.</ref> and Griffith (2003),<ref>Griffith, M. P. (2003) ''Grusonia pulchella'' classification and its impacts on the genus ''Grusonia'': morphological and molecular evidence. ''Haseltonia'' 9: 86–93</ref> and seed micromorphology studies by Stuppy (2002),<ref>Stuppy, W. (2002) Seed characters and generic classification of ''Opuntioideae''. ''Succ. Pl. Res.'' 6: 25–58.</ref> suggested that ''Corynopuntia'' should be reinstated as a distinct genus. This was accepted by the Cactaceae Consensus Group in 2006.<ref>Hunt, D. (2006) The New Cactus Lexicon. DH Books, Millborne Port</ref> However, a 2016 molecular phylogenetic study of the tribe Cylindropuntieae showed that when separated, ''Corynopuntia'' and ''Grusonia'' were polyphyletic, and so combined them as ''Grusonia''.<ref name=Barc16>{{Citation |mode=cs1 |last1=Bárcenas |first1=Rolando T. |date=2016 |title=A molecular phylogenetic approach to the systematics of Cylindropuntieae (Opuntioideae, Cactaceae) |journal=Cladistics |volume=32 |issue=4 |pages=351–359 |doi=10.1111/cla.12135 |pmid=34740297 |s2cid=86139803 |doi-access=free }}</ref> This is accepted by Plants of the World Online {{As of|2021|June|lc=yes}}.<ref name=POWO_5344-1>{{citation |mode=cs1 |title=''Grusonia'' K.Schum. |work=Plants of the World Online |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew|url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:5344-1 |access-date=2021-06-19 }}</ref>
==Distribution== The members of the genus ''Corynopuntia'' are native of South-Western United States (California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and Texas) and Northern Mexico (States of Baja California, Baja California Sur, Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon, Durango, Zacatecas, San Luis Potosì, Tamaulipas), from 60 up to 2000 m above the sea level.
==Ecology== Club chollas grow generally in very dry areas, on flats or gentle slopes, fully exposed to the sunlight or sometimes under sparse bushes. Depending on the species, they grow on sandy, loamy or gravelly soil. The stem segments of several species readily break off when touched: this is an important method of vegetative reproduction for these cacti, since the finely toothed spines stick to animal skin or fur, then the segment can be transported even for miles. The barbed spines can remain embedded in the skin, causing discomfort and sometimes injury.
==Species== Species of the genus ''Grusonia'' according to Plants of the World Online {{As of|2023|January|lc=yes}}:<ref name="Plants of the World Online">{{cite web | title=Grusonia F.Rchb. ex Britton & Rose - Plants of the World Online | website=Plants of the World Online | url=http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:5344-1 | access-date=2023-01-19}}</ref> {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Image !! Scientific name !! Distribution |- |120px ||''Grusonia aggeria'' {{small|(Ralston & Hilsenb.) E.F.Anderson}} ||United States (Texas) to Mexico (Coahuila) |- |120px ||''Grusonia bradtiana'' {{small|(J.M.Coult.) Britton & Rose}} ||Mexico |- |120px ||''Grusonia bulbispina'' {{small|(Engelm.) H.Rob.}} ||Mexico |- |120px ||''Grusonia clavata'' {{small|(Engelm.) H.Rob.}} ||New Mexico |- | ||''Grusonia deinacantha'' {{small|(D.Donati) Majure, M.A.Baker & Cloud-H.}} ||Mexico (Coahuila). |- | ||''Grusonia densispina'' {{small|(Ralston & Hilsenb.) Pinkava ex Rebman}} ||United States (Texas) to Mexico |- |120px ||''Grusonia emoryi'' {{small|(Engelm.) Pinkava}} ||United States (Texas, Arizona, New Mexico) to Mexico |- |120px ||''Grusonia grahamii'' {{small|(Engelm.) H.Rob.}} ||United States (Texas, New Mexico) to Mexico (Jalisco) |- |120px ||''Grusonia guccinii'' {{small|(D.Donati) Bárcenas & H.M.Hern.}} ||Mexico (Coahuila). |- | ||''Grusonia halophila'' {{small|(D.Donati) Majure, M.A.Baker & Cloud-H.}} ||Mexico (Coahuila) |- |120px ||''Grusonia invicta'' {{small|(Brandegee) E.F.Anderson}} ||Mexico (Baja California). |- |120px ||''Grusonia kunzei'' {{small|(Rose) Pinkava}} || United States (Arizona, California) and Mexico (Baja California Norte, Sonora). |- |120px ||''Grusonia marenae'' {{small|(S.H.Parsons) E.F.Anderson}} ||Mexico (Sonora). |- |120px ||''Grusonia moelleri'' {{small|(A.Berger) E.F.Anderson}} ||Mexico (Coahuila, Durango, San Luis Potosí) |- |120px ||''Grusonia parishiorum'' {{small|(Orcutt ex Britton & Rose) Pinkava}} || United States (Arizona, California, Nevada ) |- | ||''Grusonia reflexispina'' {{small|(Wiggins & Rollins) E.F.Anderson}} || Mexico (Sonora) |- | ||''Grusonia robertsii'' {{small|Rebman}} ||Mexico (Baja California Sur). |- |120px ||''Grusonia schottii'' {{small|(Engelm.) H.Rob.}} ||United States (Texas) to Mexico |- |120px ||''Grusonia vilis'' {{small|(Rose) H.Rob.}} ||Mexico |- |}
== References == {{Reflist}}
<!-- * {{cite book|last=Pinkava|first=Donald J|year=1999|publisher=Journal of the Arizona-Nevada Academy of Science|vol=32|issue=1|page=50|year=1999}} --> ==External links== *{{Commons category-inline|Grusonia|''Grusonia''}} *{{Wikispecies-inline|Grusonia|''Grusonia''}}
{{Clear}} {{Taxonbar|from=Q138927|from2=Q10860898}}
Category:Grusonia Category:Opuntioideae genera Category:Cacti of Mexico Category:Cacti of the United States Category:North American desert flora Category:Flora of the California desert regions Category:Flora of the Sonoran Deserts Category:Flora of Baja California Category:Flora of Northwestern Mexico Category:Flora of the Southwestern United States