Kimnachia is a monotypic genus of cacti. Its only species is Kimnachia ramulosa, synonym Pseudorhipsalis ramulosa, which is native from southern Mexico to northern South America and also found in Jamaica.[4]

Kimnachia
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Cactaceae
Subfamily: Cactoideae
Tribe: Hylocereeae
Genus: Kimnachia
S.Arias & N.Korotkova[3]
Species:
K. ramulosa
Binomial name
Kimnachia ramulosa
(Salm-Dyck) S.Arias & N.Korotkova[2]
Synonyms[4]
  • Cereus ramulosus Salm-Dyck
  • Disocactus ramulosus (Salm-Dyck) Kimnach
  • Epiphyllum ciliare Pfeiff.
  • Epiphyllum ciliatum Pfeiff.
  • Epiphyllum ramulosum Pfeiff.
  • Hariota coriacea (Pol.) Kuntze
  • Hariota ramulosa (Salm-Dyck) Kuntze
  • Pseudorhipsalis ramulosa (Salm-Dyck) Barthlott
  • Rhipsalis angustissima F.A.C.Weber
  • Rhipsalis coriacea Pol.
  • Rhipsalis leiophloea Vaupel
  • Rhipsalis purpusii Weing.
  • Rhipsalis ramulosa (Salm-Dyck) Pfeiff.

Description

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Kimnachia ramulosa is a shrubby plant, branching freely from the base. The stems are rounded basally, with branches that become flattened towards their tips. The branches are 10–25 cm (4–10 in) long and up to 2 cm (0.8 in) wide. They are reddish at first, later becoming green. The flowers are pinkish or greenish cream in colour, 7–12 mm (0.3–0.5 in) long and 10–14 mm (0.4–0.6 in) across. They are usually borne singly and hang downwards. The small whitish fruits are up to 8 mm (0.3 in) long.[5]

 
In cultivation at Garfield Park Conservatory, Chicago

Taxonomy

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The species was first described by Joseph zu Salm-Reifferscheidt-Dyck in 1834, as Cereus ramulosus. It was transferred to the genus Pseudorhipsalis in 1991.[6] In 1993, Kimnach sank Pseudorhipsalis into Disocactus as section Pseudorhipsalis, so Ps. ramulosa became Disocactus ramulosus.[7] A molecular phylogenetic study of Disocactus in 2016 did not recover Pseudorhipsalis as either embedded within or sister to Disocactus, and hence restored the genus.[8] A molecular phylogenetic study of the tribe Hylocereeae was published in 2017. The results suggested that the genus Pseudorhipsalis was only monophyletic if Ps. ramulosa was removed. Accordingly, the authors of the study proposed a new genus, Kimnachia, with Kimnachia ramulosa as the sole species. The genus name honours Myron William Kimnach.[9]

References

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  1. ^ Terrazas, T.; Hammel, B.; Arreola, H.; Ishiki, M.; Pizaña, J. (2017) [amended version of 2013 assessment]. "Pseudorhipsalis ramulosa". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T151780A121566430. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T151780A121566430.en. Retrieved 2022-12-24.
  2. ^ "Kimnachia ramulosa (Salm-Dyck) S.Arias & N.Korotkova", International Plant Names Index (IPNI), Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Harvard University Herbaria & Libraries; Australian National Botanic Gardens, retrieved 2021-03-15
  3. ^ "Kimnachia S.Arias & N.Korotkova", International Plant Names Index (IPNI), Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Harvard University Herbaria & Libraries; Australian National Botanic Gardens, retrieved 2021-03-07
  4. ^ a b "Pseudorhipsalis ramulosa (Salm-Dyck) Barthlott", Plants of the World Online, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, retrieved 2021-03-08
  5. ^ Anderson, Edward F. (2001), "Pseudorhipsalis ramulosa", The Cactus Family, Pentland, Oregon: Timber Press, p. 593, ISBN 978-0-88192-498-5
  6. ^ "Cereus ramulosus Salm-Dyck", International Plant Names Index (IPNI), Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Harvard University Herbaria & Libraries; Australian National Botanic Gardens, retrieved 2021-03-07
  7. ^ Kimnach, M. (1993), "The genus Disocactus", Haseltonia, 1: 95–139, cited in Cruz, Arias & Terrazas (2016)
  8. ^ Cruz, Miguel Ángel; Arias, Salvador & Terrazas, Teresa (2016), "Molecular phylogeny and taxonomy of the genus Disocactus (Cactaceae), based on the DNA sequences of six chloroplast markers", Willdenowia, 46 (1): 145–164, doi:10.3372/wi.46.46112, JSTOR 24753276, S2CID 87086656
  9. ^ Korotkova, Nadja; Borsch, Thomas & Arias, Salvador (2017), "A phylogenetic framework for the Hylocereeae (Cactaceae) and implications for the circumscription of the genera", Phytotaxa, 327 (1): 1–46, doi:10.11646/phytotaxa.327.1.1
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