Echinopsis chamaecereus

Echinopsis chamaecereus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Order:	Caryophyllales
Family:	Cactaceae
Subfamily:	Cactoideae
Genus:	Echinopsis
Species:	E. chamaecereus
Binomial name
Echinopsis chamaecereus H.Friedrich & Glaetzle [1]
Synonyms [1]
Cereus silvestriiSpeg. Cereus silvestrii var. crassicaulisBackeb. Chamaecereus silvestrii(Speg.) Britton & Rose Lobivia silvestrii(Speg.) G.D.Rowley

Echinopsis chamaecereus is a species of cactus from northwestern Argentina and Bolivia. Synonyms include Chamaecereus silvestrii. ^[1] It has been called the peanut cactus. ^[2] This plant should not be confused with Echinopsis silvestrii, a synonym of Echinopsis albispinosa , a species with a very different appearance.

Description

Echinopsis chamaecereus has long stems about 1 cm (0.4 in) across. Orange flowers up to 4 cm (1.6 in) wide appear in late spring. In cultivation, E. chamaecereus is hardy to temperatures as low as −7 °C (19 °F) if kept dry. ^[2]

Taxonomy

Echinopsis chamaecereus was first collected and described in 1896 as Cereus silvestrii by Italian-Argentinian botanist Carlo Luigi Spegazzini in the mountains between the provinces of Tucuman and Salta, Argentina. ^[3] However, subsequent expeditions to the area failed to find the species Spegazzini had collected and it is unknown whether the species has gone extinct since the initial collection. ^[4] It was transferred to the genus Chamaecereus as Ch. silvestrii by Britton and Rose in 1922. ^[1] When Chamaecereus was synonymized with Echinopsis, the combination Echinopsis silvestrii had already been used, so the replacement name Echinopsis chamaecereus was published in 1983. ^[5]

Cultivation

This plant is a recipient of the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. ^[6]

• 
  Talcott Greenhouse
• 
  Flowers

References

1. "Echinopsis chamaecereus H.Friedrich & Glaetzle (Speg.) Britton & Rose". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 2025-11-13.
2. Anderson, Miles (1999), Cacti and Succulents : Illustrated Encyclopedia, Oxford: Sebastian Kelly, ISBN   978-1-84081-253-4 , p. 67
3. Spegazzini, Carlo (1905). Cactacearum Plantensium Tentamen. Buenos Aires, Argentina: Juan A. Alsina. p. 51.
4. Lambert, Jacques G. (1992). Cactus d'Argentine. Concordia-Roeselare. p. 32.
5. "Echinopsis chamaecereus H.Friedrich & Glaetzle". International Plant Names Index (IPNI). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Harvard University Herbaria & Libraries; Australian National Botanic Gardens . Retrieved 2025-11-13.
6. "Echinopsis chamaecereus". www.rhs.org. Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 5 June 2020.

• Anderson, Edward F. (2001). The Cactus Family. Pentland, Oregon: Timber Press. p. 262. ISBN   978-0-88192-498-5.