Cacti and other succulent plants
A vegetal patrimony in some Lisbon garden-museums
Maria Cândida Liberato1 & Maria Lisete Caixinhas2
1
Senior Researcher - Jardim-Museu Agrícola Tropical, Instituto de Investigação Científica Tropical,
Largo dos Jerónimos, 1400-209 Lisboa, Portugal. e.mail: mc.liberato@sapo.pt
2
Coordinator Researcher - Departamento de Protecção das Plantas e de Fitoecologia, Instituto Superior de
Agronomia, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisboa, Portugal. e.mail: liscaixinhas @isa.utl.pt
ABSTRACT
The “Jardim-Museu Agrícola Tropical” (JMAT), the Cold, Temperate and the Hot
Greenhouses in Lisbon are valuable treasures and have a strong relationship with the
society. From a socio-cultural point of view, they are elements of the Lisbon history.
These botanic garden-museums have the responsibility to keep the heritage from the
past and provide a legacy for the future in order to preserve the biodiversity ex situ. The
JMAT was created as “Jardim-Colonial” in 1906 and transferred to the present site in
1914. The building of the Temperate and Hot Greenhouses at the northern limit of Cold
Greenhouse “Estufa Fria de Lisboa” took place in the sixties. Taxonomic studies were
undertaken on specimens by the authors since the seventies. This communication now
includes only succulent plants. A brief summary of their historical evolution knowledge,
the presentation of some species, their conservation status according to the categories of
the Red List of Threatened Plants of IUCN and their uses are presented.
The families that include the studied species are: AIZOACEAE, AGAVACEAE,
ALOEACEAE,
ASCLEPIADACEAE,
BROMELIACEAE,
CACTACEAE,
COMMELINACEAE,
CRASSULACEAE,
EUPHORBIACEAE,
and
PORTULACACEAE. Other families that include too non-succulent xerophytes spiny
shrubs are presented, such as: CYCADACEAE, RHAMNACEAE and ZAMIACEAE.
The green spaces studied are important as a vegetal patrimony for research, didactic,
educational, artistic and leisure purposes.
Keywords: botanic gardens; Lisbon; succulents; conservation, cacti.
INTRODUCTION
The botanic gardens have a responsibility to safeguard their heritage and provide and
pass on a legacy for future generations as well as helping to ensure the maintenance of
plant diversity and to preserve the biodiversity ex situ.
The “Jardim-Museu Agrícola Tropical”(JMAT), the Cold (CG), Temperate (TG) and
the Hot (HG) Greenhouses in Lisbon are valuable treasures and they are a rich heritage
having a strong relationship with the society, such as a source to the environmental
education.
Nowadays the mentioned green spaces have important plant collections of the Lisbon
vegetal patrimony, being considered garden-museums.
Taxonomic studies have been undertaken on those mentioned sites by the authors since
seventies (Liberato,1994, 2001; Caixinhas,1994, 2002).
The named “Jardim-Museu Agrícola Tropical” was created in 1906 as “Jardim
Colonial” in order to support the Agronomic Colonial Teaching. This garden was
transferred to the present site in 1914. Different Kings used this site since first middle of
18th century for their leisure. One of the purposes of “Jardim Colonial” was the
promotion and the introduction of the economic tropical and subtropical plants. These
objectives are still being accomplished nowadays.
The Lisbon Cold Greenhouse was building in twenties. At its northern limit was
building another greenhouses called Temperate and Hot Greenhouses in the sixties.
The aim of this communication concerns a brief summary of historical evolution
knowledge of the Cacti and Succulent, the presentation of some species, their
conservation status according to the categories of the Red List of Threatened Plants of
IUCN and their uses.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
The taxonomic study of cacti and others succulent plants conserved in JMAT, LG, TG
and HG, their wild origin and uses, where done using Walters et al. (1984), Huxley et
al. (1982), Cullen et al. (1995, 2000), Mabberley (1997) and Erhard et al. (2000). When
necessary, the exemplars were compared with verified herbarium specimens.
The names authors follow Brummitt & Powell (1992).
The conservation status is according to IUCN threat categories (Walter & Gillet, 1998).
The families that include the studied species are: Aizoaceae, Asclepiadaceae,
Cactaceae, Crassulaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Portulacaceae, Agavaceae, Aloeaceae,
Bromeliaceae and Commelinaceae. Our work includes too non-succulent xerophytic
spiny shrubs, such as: Cycadaceae, Zamiaceae, some Euphorbiaceae and Rhamnaceae.
The historical evolution of the succulent plants knowledge follows Caixinhas 2002).
RESULTS
The taxa, the IUCN categories, the wild origin of species, their uses and distribution by
the Lisbon Garden-Museums studied are presented on Table 1. The taxa above the rank
of family and the names of these follow Cronquist (1981, 1988). The families and
species are listed in alphabetic order.
The succulent plants’ geological history is scattered because few fossils have been
found. This explains the reputation of these plants regarding mysteries and
contradictions. The Cactaceae family has a remote origin, several species of Opuntia
belong to the Eocenic period in the state of Utah (USA). The most ancient illustration of
a succulent plant can be clearly recognized as the inflorescence of Kalanchoe sp. patent
on the bas-relief of the Great Temple of Thutmose III, at Karnak, Egypt. The discovery
of the American continent allowed the Cactaceae to reach Europe. According to several
authors, the first cactus to enter in England was, apparently, a Melocactus, in 1581, a
particularly miserable choice at the time, because the climate conditions were no ideal
for the plant’s needs. Like the cacti, the other succulent plants were also known in the
Europe of the Renaissance. At the time of the discovery of the maritime way to India,
the Portuguese sailors, certainly, spread the knowledge about succulent plants with
origin in South Africa. During the 16th century, the foundation of Botanic Gardens
benefited the culture of medicinal plants, many of them succulents, so we can still find a
magnificent collection of these plants in the Botanic Garden of Padova.
2
The families Agavaceae, Aloeaceae, Bromeliaceae, Cactaceae and namely
Crassulaceae have a marked diurnal variation in acidity, mostly due to malic acid,
which was named Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM). These plants have the stomata
open during the night and fix CO2 to produce malic acid which is stored in the cell
vacuole.
Cereus spp. are used as protective shields against electromagnetic radiations from
computers.
In Linnaeus’ Philosophia Botanica (1751) includes in group 46, Succulentae. Many
botanists study too cacti uses and other succulent plants, such as: De Candolle author of
Plantarum Historia Succulentarum, Joseph de Salm-Reifferscheidt-Dyck (1834), Georg
Engleman (1856), Lord Britton and Nelson Rose (1903), Hermann Jacobsen in 1954,
published an important monography. In the past century in the American continent there
are several works, namely the work by the Mexican cactalogist Helia Bravo.
CONCLUSIONS
We can reach the following conclusions:
The overall number of taxa growing in the garden-museums studied includes 122
species, of which 10 are Pinophyta, 68 Magnoliopsida and 44 Liliopsida.
Among the studied taxa, according to the IUCN Red List Categories, Encephalartos
ferox, E. lebomboensis, E. lehmannii, Dioon edule and Schlumbergera truncata have
the status of Rare; Echinocactus grusonii has the status of Endangered; Encephalartos
altensteinii, E. horridus, E. paucidentatus, Schlumbergera truncata and Selenicereus
anthonyanus have the status of Vulnerable; Ceratozamia mexicana, Opuntia littoralis
and Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri have the status of Indeterminate.
Within the garden-museums studied, taxa of cacti and succulent plants were found
from all hot sites of world.
The studied taxa provide a wide range of uses, such as, food, edible fruits, vegetables,
forage, medicinals, electromagnetic radiations protection, fibbers, living fences and
very much as ornamentals.
The presented Lisbon garden-museums are privileged spaces for the preservation of
biodiversity ex situ. They are very important for research, as well as for didactic,
educational programmes, artistic and leisure purposes.
We have the responsibility to preserve this heritage from the past and provide a legacy
for the future.
3
REFERENCES
Bravo, H. (1937) – Las Cactaceas de Mexico. México, universidad Nacional de México.
Britton, N.L. & Rose, J (1903) – New or Noteworthy North American Crassulaceae.
New York, New York Botanical Garden.
Brummitt, R.K. & Powell, C.E. (eds.) (1992) – Authors of Plant Names. Kew, Royal
Botanic Garden.
Caixinhas, M. L. (1994)- Flora da Estufa Fria. Lisboa, Verbo.
Caixinhas, M. L. (2002).- Cactos e Outras Plantas Suculentas na Estufa Doce de
Lisboa. Lisboa, Verbo.
Candolle, A. de (1798-1837) – Plantarum Historia Succulentarum. Paris, Dugour &
Durand.
Cronquist, A. (1981) – An Integrate System of Classification of Flowering Plants.
Columbia, Columbia University Press.
Cronquist, A. (1988) – The Evolution and Classification of Flowering Plants, 2ª ed.
New York, The New York Botanical Garden.
Cullen, J., Alexander, J.C.M., Brady, A.,Brickell, C.D., Green, P.S., Heywood, V.H.,
Jörgensen, P.M., Jury, S.L., Knees, S.G., Leslie, A.C., Matthews, V.A., Robson,
N.K.B., Walters, S.M., Wijnands, D.O, & Yeo, P.F. (eds.) (1995) - The European
Garden Flora, vol. IV. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.
Cullen, J., Alexander, J.C.M., Brickell, C.D., Edmondson, J.R., Green, P.S., Heywood,
V.H., Jörgensen, P.M., Jury, S.L., Knees, S.G., maxwell, H.S., Miller, D.M., Robson,
N.K.B., Walters, S.M.& Yeo, P.F. (eds.) (2000) - The European Garden Flora, vol.
VI. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.
Engleman, G. (1856) – Synopsis of the Cactaceae of the Territory of the United States
and Adjacent Regions. Cambridge, Metcalf & Company.
Erhard, W., Götz, E., Bödeker, N. & Seybold, S. (2000). – Zander. Handwörterbuch der
Pflazennamen. Dictionary of Plant Names. 16. Stuttgart, Auflage, Ulmer.
Huxley A, Griffiths M. & Levy M. (eds.) (1992). - The New Royal Horticultural Society
Dictionary of Gardening. London & Basingstoke, The Royal Horticultural
Society.The Macmillan Press, Lda.
Jacobsen, H. (1954) – A Handbook of Succulent Plants. Jena, Veb Gustav Fisher
Verlag.
Liberato, M.C. (1994) -. Catálogo de Plantas do Jardim-Museu Agrícola Tropical.
Lisboa, Instituto de Investigação Científica Tropical, Fundação Berardo.
Liberato, M.C. (2000-2001) – “Estudo taxonómico das plantas do Jardim - Museu –
Agrícola Tropical. Gimnospermas”. Anais do Instituto Superior de Agronomia, vol.
48: 141-182.
Linnaeus, C. (1751) – Philosophia Botanica. Stockolm, Amsterdam.
Mabberley, D.J. (1997). - The Plant-Book. 2ª ed.. Cambridge, Cambridge University
Press.
Salm-Reifferscheidt-Dyck, J. (1834) – Hortus Dyckensis. Dusseldorf, Arnz & Comp.
Walter, K.S. & Gillett, H.J. (eds.) (1998). - 1997 IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants.
Cambridge, International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.
Walters, S.M., Lewis, Brady, A., Brickell, C.D.,J., Cullen, J., Green, P.S., Lewis, J.,
Matthews, V.A., Webb, D.A., Yeo, P.F. & Alexander, J.C.M (eds.) (1984) – The
European Garden Flora, vol. II. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.
4
Table 1. Species of cacti and succulent plants in some Lisbon garden-museums
TAXA
IUCN
CAT.
WILD
ORIGIN
USE
GARDEN-MUSEUMS
S Japan
stem & seeds eaten
ornamental
JMAT, CG
ornamental
ornamental
ornamental
ornamental
CG
JMAT
JMAT
JMAT
V
Mexico
Mexico
S Africa
Mozambique,
S. Africa
S. Africa
ornamental
JMAT, TG
R
SE. Africa
ornamental
JMAT
R
V
S. Africa
S. Africa
ornamental
ornamental
JMAT
JMAT
Mozambique,
S. Africa
ornamental
JMAT
S. Africa
ornamental
TG
Namibia, S. Africa
ornamental
TG
S. Africa
ornamental
TG
SW Africa
ornamental
TG
China, E Asia.
Indochina, Malesia
S. Africa
ornamental
JMAT, TG
ornamental
TG
S. Africa
ornamental
JMAT, TG
SW USA & N
Mexico
E Brazil
edible fruit, ornamental
JMAT
fruit edible, young
stem vegetable,
electromagnetic
radiation protection,
ornamental
TG
PINOPHYTA
CYCADACEAE
Cycas revoluta A. Murray
ZAMIACEAE
Ceratozamia mexicana Brogn.
Dioon edule Lindl.
Encephalartos altensteinii Lehm
Encephalartos ferox Bertol.
Encephalartos horridus (Jacq.)
Lehm.
Encephalartos
lebomboensis
Verd.
Encephalartos lehmannii Lehm.
Encephalartos
paucidentatus
Stapf & Burt Davy
Encephalartos villosus Lem.
MAGNOLIOPHYTA
MAGNOLIOPSIDA
AIZOACEAE
Delosperma
pruinosum
(Thunb.) J. W. Ingram
Drosanthemum
floribundum
(Haw.) Schwantes
Lampranthus deltoides (L.)
Glen
Lapidaria
margaretae
(Schwantes) N. E. Br.
ASCLEPIADACEAE
Hoya carnosa (L.f.) R. Br.
Orbea variegata (L.) Haw.
ASTERACEAE
Senecio talinoides (DC.) Schultz
subsp. mandraliscae (Tineo)
Rowley
CACTACEAE
Carnegiea gigantea (Engelm.)
Britton & Rose
Cereus hildmannianus Weing.
I
R
V
R
5
WILD
ORIGIN
USE
GARDEN-MUSEUMS
NE Brazil
young stem vegetable,
fruit edible,
electromagnetic
radiation protection,
ornamental
JMAT, TG
Cereus uruguayanus Kiesling
NE Brazil to
Argentina
TG
Cereus uruguayanus Kiesling
‘Monstruosus’
cultivated
young stem vegetable,
fruit edible,
electromagnetic
radiation protection,
ornamental
fruit edible,
electromagnetic
radiation protection,
ornamental
TAXA
IUCN
CAT.
Cereus jamacaru DC.
Cleistocactus straussii (Heese)
Backeb.
Echinopsis macrogona (SalmDyck) Friedrich & Rowley
Echinopsis terscheckii (Pfeiff.)
Friedrich & Rowley
Ferocactus glaucescens (DC)
Britton & Rose
Hylocereus undatus (Haw.)
Britton & Rose
Mammilaria pringlei(J.M.Coult)
K.Brandege
Myrtillocactus
geometrizans
(Pfeiff.) Console
Nopalxochia
phyllantoides
(DC.) Britton & Rose
Opuntia brasiliensis (Willd.)
Haw.
Opuntia ficus-indica (L) Mill.
Opuntia leptocaulis DC.
Opuntia leucotricha DC.
Opuntia lindheimeri Englem.
Opuntia littoralis (Engelm.)
Cockerell
Opuntia maxima Mill.
Opuntia microdasys (Lehm.)
Pfeiff.
Opuntia monacantha (Willd.)
Haw.
Opuntia
paraguayensis
K.
Schum.
Opuntia robusta Wendl. &
Pfeiff.
Opuntia rosea DC.
Opuntia rufida Engelm.
Opuntia salmiana Pfeiff.
I
JMAT, TG
S Bolivia
unknown
fruit edible, ornamental
ornamental
TG
TG
N Argentina
ornamental
TG
Mexico
ornamental
TG
tropical America
JMAT, TG
N Mexico
vegetable, fruit edible,
beverage base
ornamental
Mexico
fruit edible, ornamental
TG
Mexico
ornamental
TG
SE America
ornamental
TG
Mexico
fruit edible, medicinal,
living fence
ornamental
ornamental
forage, living fence
ornamental
JMAT, TG
edible fruit, forage
living fence
JMAT
JMAT, TG
living fence
JMAT
living fence,
ornamental
Living fence,
ornamental
ornamental
ornamental
ornamental
JMAT
México, SE USA
Mexico
N America
SW USA to NW
Mexico
cultivated
Mexico
SE Brazil to
Argentina
Paraguay
Mexico
Mexico
SE USA, Mexico
tropical S America
TG
TG
TG
JMAT
JMAT
JMAT, TG
TG
TG
TG
6
TAXA
Opuntia subulata
(Muehlenpf.) Engelm.
Opuntia tunicata (Lehm.) Link
& Otto
Peniocereus
serpentinus
(Lagasca & Rodriguez) N.
Taylor
Pereskia grandifolia Haw.
Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri (Regel)
Moran
Rhipsalis baccifera (J.S.Mill.)
Stearn
Schlumbergera truncata (Haw.)
Moran
Selenicereus
anthonyanus
(Alexander) D. Hunt
Selenicereus grandiflorus (L.)
Britton & Rose
CRASSULACEAE
Aeonium arboreum (L.) Webb
& Berthel.
Aeonium haworthii (Webb &
Berthel.
Crassula multicava Lem.
Crassula muscosa L.
Crassula ovata (Mill.) Druce
Echeveria secunda Booth
var. glauca (Baker) Otto
Graptopetalum paraguayense
(N.E.Br.) E.Walter
Kalanchoe
daigremontiana
Raym.-Hamet & E.P.Perrier
Kalanchoe delagonensis Ecklon
& E. Perrier
Kalanchoe fedtschenkoi Raym.Hamet & E.P.Perrier
Kalanchoe marmorata Baker
Kalanchoe tomentosa Baker
Sedum pachyphyllum Rose
Sedum
spectabile
Boreau
‘Brillant’
EUPHORBIACEAE
Euphorbia canariensis L.
Euphorbia coerulescens Haw.
Euphorbia grandicornis Goebel
Euphorbia grandidens Haw.
Euphorbia ingens E. Mey.
Euphorbia lophogona Lam.
Euphorbia millii Des Moul.
Euphorbia pseudocactus
A. Berger
Euphorbia tirucalli L.
IUCN
CAT.
WILD
ORIGIN
USE
GARDEN-MUSEUMS
S Peru
ornamental
TG
tropical America
ornamental
TG
Mexico
ornamental
TG
Brazil
E Brazil
edible fruit, ornamental
ornamental
JMAT, TG
TG
pantropical
ornamental
TG
V
Brazil
ornamental
JMAT, TG
V
Mexico
ornamental
TG
Jamaica, Cuba
medicinal
TG
Canary Is.
ornamental
TG
Canary Is.
ornamental
TG
S Africa
S Africa
S Africa
ornamental
ornamental
ornamental
Mexico
ornamental
TG
TG
JMAT, TG,
HG
TG
Mexico
ornamental
TG
Madagascar
ornamental
JMAT, TG
I
S. Africa
JMAT, TG
Madagascar
ornamental
TG
E Africa
Madagascar
Madagascar
culture
ornamental
ornamental
ornamental
ornamental
TG
JMAT
JMAT, TG
TG
Canary Is.
S Africa
Mozambique,
S Africa
S Africa
S Africa to Kenya
Madagascar
Madagascar
S Africa
ornamental
ornamental
ornamental
JMAT, TG
TG
TG
ornamental
ornamental
ornamental
ornamental
ornamental
TG
TG
TG
JMAT, TG
TG
tropical & S Africa
living fence,
ornamental
JMAT,TG
7
TAXA
PORTULACACEAE
Portulacaria afra (L) Jacq.
RHAMNACEAE
Colletia paradoxa (Spreng.)
Escal.
LILIOPSIDA
AGAVACEAE
Agave
americana
L.
‘Marginata´
Agave atrovirens Salm-Dyck
Agave attenuata Salm-Dyck
Agave filifera Salm-Dyck
Agave salmiana Salm-Dyck
var. ferox (Koch) Gentry
Agave sisalana Perrine
Furcraea foetida (L). Haw.
Furcraea. selloa K. Koch
var. marginata Trel.
Sansevieria aethiopica Thunb.
Sansevieria.cylindrica Bojer
Sansevieria.hyacinthoides (L.)
Druce
Sansevieria metallica Gérôme &
Labroy
Sansevieria senegambica Baker
Sansevieria stuckyi God.-Leb.
Sansevieria trifasciata Prain
Sansevieria trifasciata Prain
‘Hahnii’
Sansevieria trifasciata Prain
‘Laurentii’
ALOEACEAE
Aloe arborescens Mill.
Aloe aristata Haw.
Aloe bainesii Dyer
Aloe ciliaris Haw.
Aloe marlothii A. Berger
Aloe mitriformis Mill.
Aloe plicatilis (L.) Mill.
Aloe saponaria (Aiton) Haw.
Aloe striata Haw.
Aloe vera (L.) Burm. f.
Aloe zebrina Baker
Gasteria acinacifolia (Jacq.)
Haw.
Gasteria carinata (Mill.) Duval
var. verrucosa (Mill.) Van.
Jaarsv
Haworthia fasciata (Willd.)
Haw. ‘Vanstaadensis’
IUCN
CAT.
WILD
ORIGIN
USE
GARDEN-MUSEUMS
S Africa
forage, ornamental
JMAT, HG,TG
Uruguay,
Argentina,
S Brazil
living fence,
ornamental
JMAT, TG
cultivated
ornamental
JMAT, TG
Mexico
JMAT
Mexico
Mexico
Mexico
living fence,
beverage base
ornamental
ornamental
beverage base
JMAT, TG
TG
TG
Mexico
S trop. America
Mexico
fibber
fibber
ornamental
JMAT
JMAT
TG
S & trop. Africa
Angola
S Africa
fibber
fibber
fibber, ornamental
JMAT
JMAT
JMAT
E Africa
fibber, ornamental
JMAT
top. W Africa
trop. E Africa
Nigeria
cultivated
fibber, ornamental
fibber
fibber, ornamental
ornamental
JMAT
JMAT
JMAT, CG
JMAT, CG
cultivated
ornamental
JMAT
S & trop. SE Afr.
S Africa
S & trop. SE Afr.
S Africa
S & trop. SE Afr.
S Africa
S Africa
S Africa
S Africa
NE Africa
Namibia to
Mozambique
S Africa
medicinal, ornamental
ornamental
ornamental
ornamental
ornamental
ornamental
ornamental
medicinal, ornamental
ornamental
medicinal, ornamental
ornamental
JMAT, TG
TG
JMAT
JMAT, TG
TG
TG
TG
JMAT
TG
JMAT, TG
TG
ornamental
TG
S Africa
ornamental
TG
cultivated
ornamental
TG
8
TAXA
BROMELIACEAE
Aechmea fasciata (Lindl.) Baker
Aechmea fulgens Brongn.
var. discolor (C. Morren)
Baker
Ananas comosus (L.) Merr.
Billbergia nutans Regel
Billbergia vittata Morel
Cryptanthus acaulis (Lindl.)
Beer
Neoregelia carolinae (Beer)
L.B.Sm. ‘Marechalii’
Neoregelia carolinae (Beer)
L.B.Sm. ‘Tricolor’
COMMELINACEAE
Tradescantia fluminensis Vell.
Tradescantia fluminensis Vell
‘Variegata’
Tradescantia pallida (Rose) D.
R. Hunt.’Purple Heart’
Tradescantia spatacea Sw.
Tradescantia zebrina Bosse
IUCN
CAT.
WILD
ORIGIN
USE
GARDEN-MUSEUMS
Brazil
Brazil
ornamental
ornamental
JMAT
JMAT
Brazil
JMAT
Brazil, S trop. Am.
E Brazil
Brazil
edible fruit,
medicinal,fibber
ornamental
ornamental
ornamental
JMAT, TG
JMAT, TG
JMAT
cultivated
ornamental
JMAT
cultivated
ornamental
JMAT
SE Brazil
cultivated
ornamental
ornamental
JMAT
JMAT
cultivated
ornamental
JMAT, TG
S Mexico, Belize,
Guatemala
Mexico
ornamental
JMAT, TG
ornamental
JMAT, TG
IUCN Red List Categories: E–Endangered, I–Indeterminate, R– Rare, V Vulnerable
9