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Lobivia longispina
WR 172 Quebrada de Humahuaca, Jujuy, Argentina
This is a fiercely spined and quite variable species
with spectacular flowers of almost any colour: red, pink, yellow,
bicoloured or white.
Description:
Very large and spiny cactus, solitary or branched. The body is
almost concealed by the spines.
Stem: Bluish-green, spherical at first and later sort
cylindrical, and may grow 25 cm tall and 10-40 cm in diameter.
Ribs: 25 to 50 ribs deeply incised between the tubercles, which
are approx. 2 cm long.
Spines: Radials are hard to tell from the central spines. Each
areole bears approx 4 to 15 spines ranging from slender to thick,
conical with a wider base, and irregular in length, the longest up to 8
cm or more. They are flexible and curved upward, and those on new parts
of the plant have occasionally a hooked tip. Their colour varies from
yellowish to brown when young but later grey.
Flowers: Lateral or basal, 7-10 cm. long, funnel-shaped, and have
a slender, curved tube covered with long white hairs. Perianth segments
are short white but can be of almost any colour.
Fruit: Globular, dark green with flowers remnants.
NOTE: The fruit has a whitish mucilaginous pulp and
is edible with a fresh and agreeable taste |
Photo of conspecific taxa,
varieties, forms and cultivars of Lobivia (Echinopsis ferox).
(This taxon has lots of synonyms (like
most Lobivia) whit several controversial varieties and subspecies):
Cultivation: It is a summer
grower species that offers no cultivation
difficulties. Water regularly in summer (but do not overwater )
needs good drainage and very porous, keep rather dry in winter.
Feed with a high
potassium fertilizer in summer.
It is quite frost resistant if kept dry (hardy to -12° C)
Need a very bright exposure, full sun is
indispensable to keep plant compact with strong spines.
Propagation: Direct sow after
last frost, offsets (if available)
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Family:
Cactaceae (Cactus
Family) |
Lobivia longispina
Britton et Rose
Scientific name:
Echinopsis ferox
(Britton & Rose ) Backeberg
In: Blätter für Kakteensforschung 3: 4, 1934
Origin: NW Argentina ( Salta y Jujuy, at about 2000 m),
Western Bolivia (departement of Oruro. Chuquisca: N Camargo, at about
3000 m) NE Chile: Región I: Altiplano of Tarapacá Province of Iquique
3.700 y 4.000 m.
Habitat: Growing from fissures in the
rocks and on gravely outcrop mainly on volcanic substrates but also in
other stone formation from 1800 to 4000 m of altitude, mostly on N, NE
and E faced slopes with 10 to 30% of inclination in open areas or under
scrubs.
Conservation status: Listed in
CITES appendix 2.
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Synonyms:
- Echinopsis ferox (Britton & Rose)
Backeberg 1934
= Lobivia ferox Britton & Rose 1922 (Basionym)
= Pseudolobivia ferox (Britton & Rose) Backeberg
1942
- Lobivia ferox var. longispina
- Lobivia longispina Britton & Rose
1922
= Echinopsis longispina (Britton & Rose) Werdermann 1931
- Echinopsis potosina Werdermann
1931
= Pseudolobivia potosina (Werdermann) Backeberg ex Krainz 1942
= Lobivia potosina (Werdermann) H. Friedrich 1974
- Lobivia claeysiana Backeberg 1937
- Lobivia hastifera Werdermann 1938
- Lobivia aureolilacina Cárdenas
1961
- Lobivia backebergiana Y. Itô 1962
- Lobivia pachyacantha Y. Itô 1962
- Pseudolobivia wilkeae Backeberg
1962 (n.val.publ.)
- Echinopsis lecoriense Cárdenas
1963
= Pseudolobivia lecoriense (Cárdenas) Backeberg 1966
- Lobivia horrida F. Ritter 1963
- Lobivia pictiflora F. Ritter 1966
- Lobivia varispina F. Ritter 1980;
- Lobivia ducispauli Fric.
- L. ferox var. camargensis Ritter
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