Vatricania | |
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In cultivation in the Jardin de Cactus, Lanzarote | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Order: | Caryophyllales |
Family: | Cactaceae |
Subfamily: | Cactoideae |
Tribe: | Cereeae |
Subtribe: | Trichocereinae |
Genus: | Vatricania Backeb. |
Species: | V. guentheri |
Binomial name | |
Vatricania guentheri | |
Synonyms [1] | |
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Vatricania is a monotypic genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Cactaceae. It contains just one species, Vatricania guentheri. [2] It has the common name of red tail cactus. [3] [4]
Its native range is Bolivia. [2] [3] It is found in dry forest vegetation or covering hillsides, at altitudes of 800–1,300 metres (2,600–4,300 ft) metres above sea level. [5]
Vatricania guentheri is an evergreen, perennial columnar cactus. [3] [4] [6] It can grow up to 2 m (6 ft 7 in) tall. [3] Branching occurs from the base, with pale green stems up to 10 cm (4 in) in diameter. [4] It has about 27 ribs. [3] [4] [6] The flowers are initially borne in a cephalium (reddish brown wool, [4] ) running down from the crown (top of the plant) on one side, of the branches, [3] later in a superficial dome cephalium. [6] It blooms during the early summer and develops yellowish whitish flowers that get up to 8 cm long and 5–3 cm (2–1 in) in diameter. [3] The flowers are yellowish white areoles or funnel shaped flowers, [4] with 25 spines, 5–22 mm (0–1 in) long. [3] [4] It has edible fruit. [4]
The genus was first described and published in 1950 by Curt Backeberg. [2] The genus name Vatricania is in honour of Louis Félix Vatrican (1904–2007), an agricultural engineer from Monaco, director of the national Jardin Exotique. [7] The genus is placed in the tribe Trichocereinae. [8]
In publishing the genus name, Backeberg designated Cephalocereus guentheri as the type species, although he did not actually use the combination Vatricania guentheri, [9] which he published in 1951. Cephalocereus guentheri was first described by Kupper in 1931. [1] The Latin specific epithet guentheri refers to Ernesto Günther of Valparaíso, Chile, who financed the expedition in Bolivia during which Carl Troll discovered the species. Kupper originally spelled the epithet Güntheri. [10]
The species was lumped into Espostoa in 1959. [11] [5] [12] A hybrid origin was suggested as there are differences from Espostoa. [13] Molecular evidence suggests that Espostoa is not the correct placement for this species. [11]
Can be grown in the USA, [4] in Zone USDA: 9b-11. [3] It can survive a minimum average temperature of 55°F (12°C) and can tolerate positions in full sun. [3]
Acanthocalycium is a genus of cactus consisting of several species from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. The taxon name comes from Greek akantha and kalyx, which refers to the spines on the floral tubes.
Curt Backeberg was a German horticulturist especially known for the collection and classification of cacti.
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.
Turbinicarpus is a genus of very small to medium-sized cacti, which inhabit the north-eastern regions of Mexico, in particular the states of San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato, Nuevo León, Querétaro, Hidalgo, Coahuila, Tamaulipas and Zacatecas.
Discocactus is a genus of tropical cacti. Discocactus plants are endemic to southern Brazil, eastern Bolivia, and northern Paraguay. These species are in the risk of extinction in the wild.
Soehrensia is a genus of cacti native to South America.
Espostoa is a genus of columnar cacti, comprising 16 species known from the Andes of southern Ecuador and Peru. It usually lives at an altitude of between 800m and 2500m. Its fruit is edible, sweet, and juicy. The genus is named after Nicolas E. Esposto, a renowned botanist from Lima.
Espostoopsis is a monotypic genus of cactus containing the single species Espostoopsis dybowskii. The generic name is formed from Greek opsis meaning "view", referring to its resemblance to the genus Espostoa, with which it is often confused. The plant is only known from northern Bahia, Brazil.
Oreocereus is a genus of cacti, known only from high altitudes of the Andes. Its name means "mountain cereus", formed from the Greek prefix oreo- and the Neo-Latin cereus, meaning wax or torch.
Rauhocereus is a monotypic genus of cacti. Its only species is Rauhocereus riosaniensis, which has nocturnal flowers. It is known from northern Peru.
Weingartia is a genus in the family Cactaceae, with species native to Bolivia and Argentina. It was formerly included in Rebutia, but molecular phylogenetic evidence suggested that it was distinct from that genus. As of December 2024, it was treated as separate genus by Plants of the World Online, and recognized as an alternative generic name in the third edition of the CITES Cactaceae Checklist. It may also be treated as Rebutia subg. Weingartia.
Kadenicarpus pseudomacrochele, synonym Turbinicarpus pseudomacrochele, is a species of plant in the family Cactaceae.
Cereus ( "serious") is a genus of cacti including around 33 species of large columnar cacti from South America. The name is derived from Greek (κηρός) and Latin words meaning "wax", "torch" or "candle". Cereus was one of the first cactus genera to be described; the circumscription varies depending on the authority. The term "cereus" is also sometimes used for a ceroid cactus, any cactus with a very elongated body, including columnar growth cacti and epiphytic cacti.
Pygmaeocereus bylesianus, synonym Haageocereus bylesianus, is a critically endangered species of cactus from Peru.
Oreocereus trollii, commonly known as the Old Man of the Andes cactus, is a species of cacti native to Argentina and Bolivia. Though listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, the plant is collected extensively, and in some areas is threatened.
Rhodocactus sacharosa, synonym Pereskia sacharosa, is a species of flowering plant in the cactus family Cactaceae, native from Bolivia and west-central Brazil to Paraguay and northern Argentina. Like all species in the genus Rhodocactus and unlike most cacti, it has persistent leaves. It was first described in 1879.
Neoraimondia herzogiana is a tree-like cactus native to Bolivia.
Oreocereus doelzianus is a species of cacti native to Peru.
Oroya borchersii is a species of cacti, originating from Peru
Aylostera deminuta, synonym Rebutia deminuta, is a species of flowering plant in the family Cactaceae, native to Bolivia and northwest Argentina. The exact delimitation of the species varies, but sources agree that it is a short cactus with ribbed stems and orange to red flowers.