Astrophytum capricorne subsp. senile

Astrophytum capricorne subsp. senile (Frič) Doweld (2000)

🌵 Author(s)	Alexander Doweld
🌵 Basionym	Astrophytum senile (1925)
🌵 Basionym author(s)	Alberto Vojtěch Frič

Etymology

Latin sĕnīlis ‘of or belonging to old people, aged, senile’. Publication by Frič not seen. The epithet senilis usually indicates the presence of white hairs (e.g. Cephalocereus senilis), but according to Backeberg (Cactaceae 5: 2655) the defining feature of Astrophytum senile is the complete absence of the tufts of white hairs that are typical for most Astrophytum taxa. Perhaps Frič likened the species to an old man because it is “bald”.