Astrophytum

Astrophytum Lem. ()
🌵 Author(s)
🌵 Published in Cact. Gen. Sp. Nov. 3 (1839)
🌵 Type Astrophytum myriostigma
Etymology

According to Lemaire Greek astēr (stem aster-) ‘star’ + Greek phyton ‘plant’, although the compound Astrophytum, rather than Asterophytum, suggests the first part is Greek astron (stem astr-) ‘star’. For the shape of the body of Astrophytum myriostigma, which, when viewed from above, resembles a starfish (Lemaire: “étoile de mer (asterias)”). Not because the spines are arranged “in the shape of a star” (Wittstein, Etymologisch-botanisches Handwörterbuch: 81. 1852); the species is spineless.

Echinocactus asterias (= Astrophytum asterias) was named after its resemblance to Astrophytum myriostigma.

Astrophytum myriostigma. Image credit: David J. Stang / CC BY-SA 4.0
Asterias rubens. Image credit: Norwegian Biodiversity Information Centre / CC BY 4.0

How to cite

Maarten H.J. van der Meer (2023 Jul 14). Astrophytum. Dictionary of Cactus Names. Retrieved from https://www.cactusnames.org/astrophytum

Pronunciation
[as-tro-FY-tum]

A.T. Johnson, H.A. Smith & A.P. Stockdale (2019): Plant Names Simplified, 3rd Edition

[as-tro-FIE-toom]

Ross Bayton (2019): The Garderner's Botanical

[Astróphytum]

Helmut Genaust (1996): Etymologisches Wörterbuch der botanischen Pflanzennamen, 3. Auflage

“Botanical Latin is essentially a written language, but the scientific names of plants often occur in speech. How they are pronounced really matters little provided they sound pleasant and are understood by all concerned.”

William T. Stearn (1983): Botanical Latin, 3rd Edition: 53