Astrophytum asterias

Astrophytum asterias (Karw. ex Zucc.) Lem.
🌵 Author(s)
🌵 BasionymEchinocactus asterias ()
🌵 Basionym author(s)
🌵 Type of Astrophytum ser. Anastrophytum
Etymology

Latin astÄ•rÄ­as ‘starfish’. Zuccarini maintained the name given to this species by its collector Karwinsky “because it very appropriately describes the habit”, which he considered very similar to that of Astrophytum myriostigma. The genus Astrophytum (Greek astÄ“r ‘star, starfish’ + Greek phyton ‘plant’) was so named by Charles Lemaire because he thought Astrophytum myriostigma resembled a starfish (Lemaire: “asterias”).

The etymology given by Friedrich Vaupel in Z. Sukkulentenk. 8: 88. 1923 (“The name “asterias” (meaning “covered with stars”) refers to the numerous small woolly tufts that cover the body, similar to those found on the highly esteemed Echinocactus myriostigma S.-D., which is also cherished by enthusiasts”) is incorrect.

It has often been noted that Astrophytum asterias bears a striking resemblance not to a starfish, but to a sea urchin. Dieter Helm (Biologie der Kakteen: 34-35. 2010) suggests that Karwinsky and Zuccarini must have confused the two animals, but the fact that Zuccarini considered Astrophytum asterias very similar in habit to Astrophytum myriostigma (which was also named after a starfish and looks nothing like a sea urchin) speaks against this theory.


How to cite

Maarten H.J. van der Meer (2023 Jun 04). Astrophytum asterias. Dictionary of Cactus Names. Retrieved from https://www.cactusnames.org/astrophytum-asterias