Pachycormus

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Cladus: Rosids
Cladus: Eurosids II
Ordo: Sapindales

Familia: Anacardiaceae
Subfamilia: Anacardioideae
Genus: Pachycormus
Genus: Pachycormus
Species: P. discolor
Name

Pachycormus Coville
References

Coville, F.V. 1923. Contributions from the United States National Herbarium 23: 671.

Links

Hassler, M. 2018. Pachycormus. World Plants: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World In: Roskovh, Y., Abucay, L., Orrell, T., Nicolson, D., Bailly, N., Kirk, P., Bourgoin, T., DeWalt, R.E., Decock, W., De Wever, A., Nieukerken, E. van, Zarucchi, J. & Penev, L., eds. 2018. Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2018 Aug. 09. Reference page.
International Plant Names Index. 2018. Pachycormus. Published online. Accessed: Aug. 09 2018.
Govaerts, R. et al. 2018. Pachycormus in Kew Science Plants of the World online. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2018 Aug. 09. Reference page.
Tropicos.org 2018. Pachycormus. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2018 Aug. 09.
USDA, ARS, Germplasm Resources Information Network. Pachycormus (Anacardiaceae) in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service. Accessed: 09-Oct-10.

Pachycormus is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the cashew family. The generic name refers to pachy for "thick" and kormos for "stump," referring to the thick caudiciform trunk. The specific epithet dis refers to a negation of color. The single species is Pachycormus discolor endemic to the Baja California peninsula.

Called the Baja elephant tree, torote blanco, or copalquín,[2] plants are grown in containers by caudiciform succulent aficionados. There are 2 to 3 subspecies. Only seed grown specimens develop the caudex. Note: the common name "elephant tree" is also applied to Bursera microphylla as well as other species.
Description

Trees to 20 feet tall and as wide, marginally frost tolerant with tip damage at 32 degrees F, death at 25 degrees F. Plants do best in full sun. Exfoliating white outer bark reveals blue-green, photosynthetic inner bark. Leaves dark green, pinnately compound, pubescent, drought deciduous. Cream flowers with pink centers appear in May, and can bloom into September, depending on moisture levels.[3]

References

Fuentes, A.C.D.; Martínez Salas, E.; Samain, M.-S. (2020). "Pachycormus discolor". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T136750130A137376044. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-1.RLTS.T136750130A137376044.en. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (Tucson, Ariz.) (2000). A Natural History of the Sonoran Desert. University of California Press. p. 181. ISBN 978-0-520-21980-9.
Soule, J.A. 2013. Success With Succulents. Tierra del Sol Press.