Melocactus bellavistensis

Melocactus bellavistensis
Conservation status
Data Deficient  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Order:	Caryophyllales
Family:	Cactaceae
Subfamily:	Cactoideae
Genus:	Melocactus
Species:	M. bellavistensis
Binomial name
Melocactus bellavistensis Rauh & Backeb.

Melocactus bellavistensis is a species of Melocactus found in Ecuador and Peru. ^[2]

Description

Melocactus bellavistensis has glossy, dark green, depressed, spherical to slightly elongated, conical shoots measuring 6–25 cm in height and 8–25 cm in diameter. It features 9–18 sharp-edged ribs separated by straight grooves, with areoles sunken into the ribs' notches. The spines are whitish to reddish-yellow with a gray tint, curved downward, and vary in strength. Central spines, if present, are 0.1–1.7 cm long; radial spines number 6–12, up to 2.5 cm long, with the longest at the bottom. The cephalium, consisting of creamy-white wool and reddish bristles, grows up to 15 cm tall and 6–10 cm wide. Flowers are deep pink, 1.8–2.6 cm long, and 0.5–1 cm in diameter. Fruits are red, 1.5–2.9 cm long. ^[3]

Subspecies

Accepted subspecies: ^[4]

Image	Name	Distribution
	Melocactus bellavistensis subsp. bellavistensis	Ecuador to N. Peru
	Melocactus bellavistensis subsp. onychacanthus(F.Ritter) N.P.Taylor	Peru

Distribution

Native to southern Ecuador and northern Peru at elevations between 400 and 1,600 m (1,300 and 5,200 ft). In Ecuador the plants grow among Vachellia macracantha , Anadenanthera colubrina , Ceiba insignis and Trichocereus macrogonus var. pachanoi . In Peru the plants grow among Espostoa mirabilis , Espostoa hylaea , and Matucana madisoniorum . ^[5]

Taxonomy

It was described in 1957 by Rauh and Backeberg. Its species epithet, "bellavistensis", refers to its occurrence near Bellavista in the Peruvian Amazon.^{[ citation needed ]}

References

1. Ostalaza, C.; Loaiza, C. (2017) [amended version of 2013 assessment]. "Melocactus bellavistensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2017: e.T151963A121515569. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T151963A121515569.en .
2. "Melocactus bellavistensis Rauh & Backeb". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 2024-04-29.
3. Anderson, Edward F.; Eggli, Urs (2005). Das grosse Kakteen-Lexikon (in German). Stuttgart (Hohenheim): Ulmer. p. 423. ISBN   3-8001-4573-1.
4. "Melocactus bellavistensis Rauh & Backeb". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 2025-07-05.
5. "Melocactus bellavistensis". LLIFLE. 2013-08-04. Retrieved 2025-07-05.  This article incorporates textfrom this source, which is available under the CC BY-SA 3.0 license.