Geohintonia mexicana (2015)

By Chris Deem (August 2015)

Was it the lead pipe? Of course, it could have been the wrench or the candlestick. I do feel that the rope is highly implausible. Still, I will need to know much more.

It’s Mr. Green’s turn now. “Roll the dice, it’s your turn.” Now, if he rolls well, he will enter a room, but he will not go alone. He will bring an innocent person with him – or perhaps the murderer – and he will bring a weapon. There is always a question, then someone will share a secret or not.

It is someone else’s turn now. Another one of them is moving, asking their question, bringing someone else along.

Who are these people? One of them murdered a man … what do I really know about the others? It doesn’t seem to matter. Even the murdered man seems unimportant. It is the mystery, the clues, and for now, only the three cards in that thin yellow envelope have importance.

I wish that a tiny Geohintonia mexicana had been placed in one of those rooms, somewhere in that masterpiece of a game called Clue. The species is quite mysterious, and there are clues, but are there enough?

It was actually two mysterious species that were discovered growing together: Aztekium hintonii and Geohintonia mexicana. They were found “in a dead-end valley.” That is what I read. They share the same “room,” but are they related?

They look sort of similar, but a lot of cacti look similar. Their flowers look alike. Still, is that a sign of relatedness or just an adaptation to their common habitat or pollinators?

It is a clue, but nothing more. Geohintonia mexicana does have kind of a messed-up appearance, but does that prove it is a hybrid? I’m not sure. Anyway, they don’t seem to cross-pollinate – or do they? I guess I still need more clues.