{"product_id":"astrophytum-ornatum-cv-kikko","title":"Astrophytum ornatum cv. Kikko","description":"\u003ch4\u003eGeographic \u0026amp; Climate\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp id=\"p-rc_4c2a992b61442518-46\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eGeographic Coordinates:\u003c\/b\u003e Not applicable. \u003cspan class=\"citation-117\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-117\"\u003eAstrophytum ornatum\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-117 citation-end-117\"\u003e cv.\u003csup class=\"superscript\"\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e Kikko is an artificial cultivar originated in Japanese horticulture; no wild type locality exists. For the parent botanical species \u003ci\u003eAstrophytum ornatum\u003c\/i\u003e, wild populations occur in the central Mexican plateau (Hidalgo, Querétaro, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí) roughly within 20°30'N – 21°45'N, 98°40'W – 100°15'W. \u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp id=\"p-rc_4c2a992b61442518-47\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-116 citation-end-116\"\u003eClimate Classification:\u003csup class=\"superscript\"\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e Semi-arid \/ Subtropical steppe (Köppen: \u003ci\u003eBSh\u003c\/i\u003e \/ \u003ci\u003eBSk\u003c\/i\u003e) for parent species. \u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp id=\"p-rc_4c2a992b61442518-48\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-115 citation-end-115\"\u003eHabitat Characteristics:\u003csup class=\"superscript\"\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cspan class=\"citation-114 citation-end-114\"\u003eThe parent species inhabits limestone canyons, rocky slopes, and xerophytic shrublands at elevations of 800–2,000 m above sea level, characterized by high mineral substrates, alkaline soils, and summer-dominant rainfall.\u003csup class=\"superscript\"\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e Cultivar wild ecological data is not available. \u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eBotanical Morphology\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp id=\"p-rc_4c2a992b61442518-49\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eDiagnostic Features:\u003c\/b\u003e Differs distinctly from typical \u003ci\u003eAstrophytum ornatum\u003c\/i\u003e by having ribs deeply dissected and broken into prominent, conical tubercles resembling a tortoise shell pattern (\"Kikko\"). \u003cspan class=\"citation-113 citation-end-113\"\u003eAreoles sit at the apex of these protruding tubercles, producing stout, yellowish to amber-brown spines.\u003csup class=\"superscript\"\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e The epidermis is adorned with variable patches of white flecking and trichome scales. \u003cspan class=\"citation-112 citation-end-112\"\u003eFlowers are apical, large (7–10 cm across), silky lemon-yellow, and diurnal.\u003csup class=\"superscript\"\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e \u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp id=\"p-rc_4c2a992b61442518-50\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-111 citation-end-111\"\u003eGrowth Habit:\u003csup class=\"superscript\"\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e Solitary, slow-growing columnar cactus. Summer-active grower with strict winter dormancy. Under cultivation, it rarely offsets and typically reaches 30–60 cm in height and 12–20 cm in diameter over several decades (mature wild forms of the base species can exceed 1 m). \u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Etymology\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp id=\"p-rc_4c2a992b61442518-51\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eEtymology:\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cspan class=\"citation-110\"\u003eGenus \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-110\"\u003eAstrophytum\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-110\"\u003e derives from the Greek \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-110\"\u003eastron\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-110\"\u003e (\"star\") and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-110\"\u003ephyton\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-110 citation-end-110\"\u003e (\"plant\").\u003csup class=\"superscript\"\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"citation-109\"\u003eThe specific epithet \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-109\"\u003eornatum\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-109 citation-end-109\"\u003e is Latin for \"ornamented\" or \"decorated\", referring to the white woolly scale patterns.\u003csup class=\"superscript\"\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e The cultivar designation \u003ci\u003eKikko\u003c\/i\u003e (亀甲) is Japanese for \"tortoise shell\" or \"turtle carapace\", descriptive of the notched, geometric tubercles. \u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eHistorical Context:\u003c\/b\u003e While the botanical species was described by A. P. de Candolle in 1828 (transferred to \u003ci\u003eAstrophytum\u003c\/i\u003e by F.A.C. Weber in 1896), the 'Kikko' morphotype was selected and stabilized by Japanese succulent hybridizers seeking sculptural mutations across \u003ci\u003eAstrophytum\u003c\/i\u003e species, later gaining widespread international acclaim among specialist collectors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"BotanicalCollector","offers":[{"title":"Same Size Shipped|W4cm|Seed-grown","offer_id":71277276266749,"sku":"71277276266749","price":50.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0785\/3552\/4605\/files\/IMG_1833.jpg?v=1789059831","url":"https:\/\/www.botanicalcollector.com\/products\/astrophytum-ornatum-cv-kikko","provider":"BotanicalCollector","version":"1.0","type":"link"}