| Armatocereus rauhii | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Subspecies balsasensis | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Cactaceae |
| Subfamily: | Cactoideae |
| Genus: | Armatocereus |
| Species: | A. rauhii |
| Binomial name | |
| Armatocereus rauhii Backeb. [2] | |
| Synonyms [3] | |
| |
Armatocereus rauhii is a tall, branched columnar species of cactus endemic to the north of Peru on the western slopes of the Andes. [4]
Armatocereus is a tall, treelike cactus, bluish to greyish green in colour, usually with a trunk to about 1 m (3 ft) high followed by upright branches. Depending on the subspecies, it reaches a maximum height of 6–10 m (20–33 ft), with branches 8–15 cm (3+1⁄4–6 in) thick. The stems have 6–12 ribs. The areoles bear about 6–7 short spines, only 1–2 mm (1⁄32–3⁄32 in) long – somewhat more spines in the case of subspecies balsasensis. The flowers are 10–15 cm (4–6 in) long, carmine or purple in colour, with black to red spines on the floral tube. [4] [5]
The species was first described by Curt Backeberg in 1957. [2] The specific epithet rauhii honours Werner Rauh. [4] Two species described by Friedrich Ritter in 1981, Armatocereus balsasensis and Armatocereus arduus, are included in this species, as synonyms of A. rauhii subsp. balsasensis, by some sources. [3] [4] Other sources maintain A. arduus as a separate species, although noting that its taxonomic status is uncertain. [6]
Armatocereus rauhii is endemic to the north of Peru. Within the country, the stated distribution of the species as a whole and of the subspecies varies by source, but centres on the regions of Amazonas, Cajamarca and Lambayeque. It may also include the regions of Ancash and Piura. The species is found in dry valleys, rocky slopes and scrubland on the western side of the Andes, and has been reported as occurring at altitudes of 500–1,500 m (1,600–4,900 ft), with the higher altitudes being further south. [1] [4] [6]
The 2013 assessment in the IUCN Red List did not differentiate between the subspecies, rating the species as whole as of "least concern". [1] Earlier, A. rauhii subsp. balsasensis was rated as "vulnerable". [6]
Armatocereus is a genus of mostly tree-like cacti from South America. These species have a conspicuous constriction at the end of the annual growth. The flowers are mostly white, with a more or less spiny ovary. The fruits are mostly spiny.
Jasminocereus is a genus of cacti with only one species, Jasminocereus thouarsii, endemic to the Galápagos Islands, territorially a part of Ecuador. In English it is often called the candelabra cactus. At maturity it has a branched, treelike habit, and may be up to 7 m (23 ft) tall. The stems are made up of individual sections with constrictions between them. Its creamy white to greenish flowers open at night and are followed by greenish to reddish fruits.
The lava cactus is a species of cactus, Brachycereus nesioticus, the sole species of the genus Brachycereus. The plant is a colonizer of lava fields – hence its common name – where it forms spiny clumps up to 60 cm (24 in) tall. Its solitary white or yellowish white flowers open in the daytime. It is endemic to the Galápagos Islands.
Puya raimondii, also known as the Raimondi Cove or the Queen of the Andes (English), titanka and ilakuash (Quechua) or puya de Raimondi (Spanish), is the largest species of bromeliad, its inflorescences reaching up to 15 m (50 ft) in height. It is native to the high Andes of Bolivia and Peru. It was once hypothesized to be a protocarnivorous plant.
Lobivia backebergii is a species of flowering plant in the cactus family Cactaceae, native to eastern Bolivia and southern Peru.
Cleistocactus tominensis is a species of columnar cactus in the genus Cleistocactus, endemic to Bolivia, where it is found in forests, on cliffs, and in inter-Andean valleys at altitudes of 900 to 2,200 meters.
Austrocylindropuntia subulata is a species of cactus native to the Peruvian Andes. The Latin specific epithet subulata means "awl-like", referring to the shape of the rudimentary leaves. It is also known by its common names as Eve's pin and Eve's needle.
Espostoa lanata is a species of cactus of the genus Espostoa.
Haageocereus bylesianus is a critically endangered species of Haageocereus from Peru.
Weberbauerocereus rauhii is a species of Weberbauerocereus from Peru.
Lobivia hertrichiana is a species of Lobivia found in Bolivia and Peru.
Matucana intertexta is a species of cactus in the genus Matucana, native to Peru. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
Neoraimondia arequipensis, synonym Neoraimondia macrostibas, is a tree-like cactus native to western Peru. It was first described in 1835 as Cereus arequipensis.
Haageocereus pseudomelanostele is a species of Haageocereus found in Peru.
Armatocereus procerus is a species of Armatocereus found in southern Peru.
Neowerdermannia chilensis is a species of Neowerdermannia found in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Peru.
Haageocereus versicolor is a species of Haageocereus found in Peru.
Haageocereus acranthus is a species of Haageocereus found in Peru.
Loxanthocereus xylorhizus is a species of Loxanthocereus found in Peru.
Matucana klopfensteinii is a species of Matucana found in Peru.
