#eriosyce

[ruthbancroftgarden]

Neoporteria villosa (Eriosyce villosa)

This cactus is another example of a group where some classifiers have consolidated a bunch of genera into one large genus, while others consider this to be a mistake. In this case, the Chilean genera Neoporteria, Neochilenia, Horridocactus, Pyrrhocactus, Rodentiophila and Eriosyce were all lumped into a greatly expanded conception of Eriosyce. The flower of the plant shown is typical for Neoporteria: narrow pointed tepals (petals) that are magenta to deep pink, but turning white at their bases. Whatever genus we place it in, it provides some vivid color in the autumn, even if its flowers are not large. From north of Huasco along the coast of northern Chile.

-Brian

[yellowgnomeboots]

sorry this cactus is so dusty, but I wanted to show you - it is flowering :O

[succulentinterrupted]

Eriosyce sp. I got from Annie Wolf in January.

[mavicchen3]

[todropscience]

Northern Chile is among the driest regions in the world, but far from being a desolate, arid wilderness, the desert overflows with life. But people are disturbing these fragile ecosystems and the cacti that live there. Land use changes in coastal areas that they inhabit, climate change that modifies water availability and illegal trade threaten these slow-growing plants.

 I wrote this as part of a workshop at the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism, MSU :) hope you can give a view

[wenbochenphoto]

Eriosyce crispa var huascensis in its natural habitat: rockery coast of Huasco Chile. 

[ruthbancroftgarden]

Neoporteria villosa (Eriosyce villosa)

This cactus from northern Chile (north of Huasco) was named Neoporteria villosa, and it has a flower type seen in other Neoporteria species: pointed petals that are magenta-pink at their tips and creamy yellow at the base. Some classifiers have gone along with the proposal to merge all of the Neoporteria (and Neochilenia) species into Eriosyce, while others feel this merging is unwarranted. By any name, these are wonderful plants, and the coast of northern Chile has many of them, as well as Copiapoa species.

-Brian

[ruthbancroftgarden]

Eriosyce curvispina

To round out my assortment of dark-bodied cacti from Chile, here is one of the many forms of Erisyce curvispina, showing off its beautiful pink flowers.

-Brian