Opuntia leiascheinvariana, una nueva especie de cactaceae del estado de hidalgo, México

Abstract

We describe a new species of a wild Mexican Opuntia (L.) Mill. (Cactaceae) producer of edible acid fruits (xoconostles), locally known as "xoconostle matizado", based on micromorphology attributes (epidermis, spines, gloquids, pollen and seed) and macromorphology. This species is compared with another three species of wild xoconostles distributed in the same region: O. joconostle, O. oligacantha, and O. matudae. Based on the phylogenetic analysis of one chloroplast genes, one plastid intergenic spacer and one nuclear molecular marker the new species was recognized as a monophyletic group inside Opuntia sensu stricto.