Pyrrhocactus tuberisulcatus

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Since 4 Aug 2013

Pyrrhocactus tuberisulcatus A.Berger
Kakteen (Berger) 345. 1929 as tuberisulcactus
Family: CACTACEAE

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

Pyrrhocactus 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.

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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

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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

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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)

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Cite this page: "Pyrrhocactus tuberisulcatus" Text available under a CC-BY-SA Creative Commons Attribution License. www.llifle.com 14 Nov. 2005. 06 May 2025. </Encyclopedia/CACTI/Family/Cactaceae/2512/Pyrrhocactus_tuberisulcatus>