All the information and photos in cactus art file are now available also in the new the Enciclopedia of Cacti. We hope you find this new site informative and useful.

Neoporteria polyraphis
This plant is now considered nothing else than Eriosyce villosa, but the plants in cultivation are not exactly the same,  the spines are shorter and the flowers are a bit more pointed
 

Cultivation:  It is a summer grower species. Easy to cultivate but somewhat rot prone if kept in a non ventilated place. Requires a very fast draining drying soil.  Water  regularly in summer, but do not overwater.
Needs a full sun exposure (or light shade)  Good heat tolerance. Hardy to at down to -5°C for brief periods.

Propagation: Usually propagated from Seeds. (seldom produces offsets)

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Origin:Totoral Bajo to Carrizallilo, Huasco, Atacama, Chile

Conservation status: Listed in CITES Appendix II

• Eriosyce villosa (Monville) Kattermann 1994
• Echinocactus polyraphis Pfeiffer ex Salm-Dick 1950
• Neoporteria polyraphis (Pfeiff. ex Salm-Dyck) Backeb. 1951
• Neoporteria villosa fa polyraphis
• Chileniopsis polyraphis (Pfeiffer ex Salm-Dick) Backeberg 1935
• Bridgesia polyraphis,

Description: The Eriosyce villosa is a small solitary cactus densely folded by bristly spines.
Stem: Subglobose to Globose becoming elongated, green or very dark green (almost black) or dark red, up to 15 cm tall, 8 cm in diameter.
Root: Large tuberose tap-root.
Ribs: 13-15 Deeply notched between areoles.
Spines: ± dense,  long, glassy gold-brownish to black central spines with thin bristle like grey radials, the number of spines (especially the bristly radials) is quite variable.
Flowers: Bright magenta, borne on young areoles, 2-2,5 cm in diameter, Pericarpels and floral tubes with long wool and gassy white bristles.
Blooming time: Blooms early in the year. Occasionally forms some buds late in the previous year, and it can sometimes flower during the winter, although the main burst of flowering is in April.
Fruit: Elongate, red, dehiscing by basal pores.

Photo of conspecific taxa, varieties, forms and cultivars of Eriosyce villosa.

• Eriosyce villosa
• Eriosyce villosa  fa. polyraphis

All the information and photos in cactus art file are now available also in the new the Enciclopedia of Cacti. We hope you find this new site informative and useful.