Cactaceae Inventory of Venezuela: Estimates from Herbarium Collections

Abstract: Cactaceae-Angiospermae, of American origin, with worldwide naturalized distribution, includes promising species in economics and ecology; being a threatened group, it requires floristic studies that support conservation programs. This study estimates the number of cacti species present in Venezuela, and it contributes to the knowledge of the family in the country by reviewing herbaria specimens. The information came from the herbaria (FLASA, IUTAG, HERZU, HMBLUZ, MER, MY, MYF, PORT and VEN) of the country. It was transcribed into a database and organized by herbaria, genus and species, based on the labels of the exsiccatae and digital photographs of the specimens. In addition, foreign specialists were consulted to resolve doubts about the identity of some taxa. The botanical specimens reviewed totaled 2,293. In Venezuela the family Cactaceae is represented by 26 genera, 63 species, 13 synonymies, six subspecies, one variety and 17 genera with unidentified species, including wild, cultivated and endemic species. Opuntia stood out for its greatest number of species (15), followed by the genera Melocactus (10), Epiphyllum and Cereus (6), Selenicereus, Pilosocereus and Cylindropuntia (4), Hylocereus (3), Rhipsalis, Mammillaria, Pereskia and Leuenbergeria (2). The other genera presented one species. The information generated here can be an input for the design of strategies for conservation, selection, production or other uses of the species of this important botanical group.