Echinocactus tuberisulcatus

Donate now to support the LLIFLE projects.
Your support is critical to our success.

Since 4 Aug 2013

sponsored link

Echinocactus tuberisulcatus Jacobi
Allg. Gartenzeitung (Otto & Dietrich) 24: 108. 1856
Family: CACTACEAE

Accepted Scientific Name: Eriosyce curvispina subs. tuberisulcata (Jacobi) Katt.
Cactaceae Syst. Init. 12: 14. 2001

Echinocactus tuberisulcatus (Eriosyce curvispina subs. tuberisulcata) Photo by: Alexander Arzberger

Origin and Habitat: Laguna Verde and adjacent areas, South of Valparaiso, Chile.
Altitude range: 50-180 metres above sea level.
Habitat and ecology: This species grows on rocky areas and cliff edges.

Synonyms:

Eriosyce curvispina subs. tuberisulcata (Jacobi) Katt.

Echinocactus tuberisulcatus Jacobi
Eriosyce curvispina var. tuberisulcata (Jacobi) Katt.
Horridocactus tuberisulcatus (Jacobi) Y.Itô
Malacocarpus tuberisulcatus (Jacobi) Britton & Rose
Neoporteria tuberisulcata (Jacobi) Donald & G.D.Rowley
Pyrrhocactus tuberisulcatus A.Berger

See all synonyms of Eriosyce curvispina

Description: Eriosyce curvispinaSN|2434]]SN|2434]] subs. tuberisulcata is a local or morphological form sometime included within (as a synonym of) Eriosyce curvispinaSN|2434]]SN|2434]] subs. armata and the differences between this two subspecies are pretty subtle. They are not readily distinguishable if not for the geographical provenance. It distinguishes from standard Eriosyce curvispinaSN|2434]]SN|2434]] by its larger flowers (ca. 4.5 cm long) and seeds (1 x1 mm).
Note: Eriosyce curvispinaSN|2434]]SN|2434]] subs. tuberisulcata correspond to Pyrrhocactus horridusSN|18409]]SN|18409]] sensu Ritter.
Derivation of specific name: tuberisulcatus Lat. 'tuber', tuber, swelling; and Lat. 'sulcatus', furrowed; for the deep furrow separating the tubercles of the ribs.
Stem: Simple or sometime in clusters of 9 or fewer heads, globular, to flattened spherical, dull-green, depressed and almost spineless at apex, often 20 cm in diameter.
Ribs: 14-20, prominent, obtuse, strongly tubercled, separated by narrow intervals. Tubercles arranged in weakly spirally rows, at first elongated, sharp, later roundly prominent, with a flattened acute chin-shaped protrusion below the spine cluster. The old tubercles more or less incised with a broad furrow on the lower part separating the tubercles.
Areoles: At first small, spineless, with an abundance of white wool but when old large. Sometime 1.5 cm in diameter.
Radial spines: 10-12 strong, compact, cylindrically in cross-section, spreading, white gray to near black, gray in age, often in the upper part of the areoles there are 3, shorter and much finer spines, that are straight, and upright-protruding.
Central spines: 4(-5), crisscrossed, similar to the radials but a little stouter and longer, at most 2,5 cm long, about 1 mm in diameter, thicker at the base (more than 2 mm), the lower one, stronger and noticeably bent toward the apex, dark rose-coloured to black, becoming yellowish-grey.
Flowers: 4.5 cm long. Petals carmine with a light yellowish border, areoles on the pericarpel and floral tube sparingly woolly.

More...

Subspecies, varieties, forms and cultivars of plants belonging to the Eriosyce curvispina group

Eriosyce curvispina (Bertero ex Colla) Katt.: (var. curvispina) stem solitary with strongly curved spines more than 20 mm long. Flowers to 5,5 cm in diameter. Distribution: widespread throughout the range of the species.
Eriosyce curvispina var. aconcaguensis (F.Ritter) Katt.: always solitary with strongly curved spines and pure yellow flowers. Stem 4,5 cm in diameter. Distribution: Cuesta Las Chacras, north of Llaillay.
Eriosyce curvispina subs. armata (F.Ritter) Katt.: is similar to variety aconcaguensis differs only for the yellow flowers with deep red midveins. Distribution: south and west of Santiago.
Eriosyce curvispina var. choapensis (F.Ritter) Katt.: has shor but strongly curved spines only 10-15 mm long. Distribution: Valley of the Rio Choapa.
Eriosyce curvispina var. mutabilis (F.Ritter) Katt.: forms clusters. Distribution: endemic Punto Pichidangui.
Eriosyce curvispina var. robusta (F.Ritter) Katt.: stem solitary. Flowers have much elongated pericarpels. Distribution: Ocoa.
Eriosyce curvispina subs. tuberisulcata (Jacobi) Katt.: has straight, very robust spines and nearly red flowers. Distribution: Laguna Verde and adjacent areas, South of Valparaiso, Chile.
Eriosyce robusta var. cabildensis hort.: has robust tan-brown spines. Distribution: Cabildo, Chile.
Pyrrhocactus andicola (F.Ritter) F.Ritter: has long thin and very dense white, yellowish spines. Distribution: Cerro Chivato (between Santiago and
Los Andes)
Pyrrhocactus curvispinus var. combarbalensis F.Ritter: has very pruinose stems (like some copiapoas). Distribution: West of Combarbalá
Pyrrhocactus curvispinus var. santiagoensis: not dissimilar to var. curvispina. Distribution: Aconcagua valley, East of Santiago.
Pyrrhocactus horridus (J.Rémy ex Gay) Backeb.
Pyrrhocactus pamaensis F.Ritter: has dark purple-black stems with brownish-black or dull grey spine. Distribution: Below Combarbalá, , Ovalle East and North-East, Coquimbo, Chile

More...

Bibliography: Major references and further lectures
1) James Cullen, Sabina G. Knees, H. Suzanne Cubey "The European Garden Flora Flowering Plants: A Manual for the Identification of Plants Cultivated in Europe, Both Out-of-Doors and Under Glass" Cambridge University Press, 11/Aug/2011
2) N. L. Britton, J. N. Rose: “The Cactaceae. Descriptions and Illustrations of Plants of the Cactus Family.” Volume III, The Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington 1922
3) Urs Eggli, Leonard E. Newton: “Etymological Dictionary of Succulent Plant Names” Springer, Berlin/Heidelberg 2010
4) Carl Friedrich Förster “Handbuch Der Cacteenkunde”, Wöller, 1846

More...

Cultivation and Propagation: It is a summer grower species. It is easy to cultivate but somewhat rot prone if kept in a non ventilated place.
Soil: It require a very fast draining drying soil.
Waterings: Water regularly in summer, but do not over-water.
Exposures: This species needs a full sun exposure (or light shade)
Hardiness: It has a good heat tolerance and is hardy to at least -5°C (but probably can tolerate - 10° C for brief periods)
Propagation: Usually propagated from Seeds. (seldom produces offsets)

Your Actions
	Back to Echinocactus index
	Back to Cactaceae index
	Back to Cacti Encyclopedia index

Cite this page: "Echinocactus tuberisulcatus" Text available under a CC-BY-SA Creative Commons Attribution License. www.llifle.com 14 Nov. 2005. 06 Apr 2025. </Encyclopedia/CACTI/Family/Cactaceae/2510/Echinocactus_tuberisulcatus>