Matucana formosa is a species of Matucana found in Peru.

Matucana formosa
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Cactaceae
Subfamily: Cactoideae
Genus: Matucana
Species:
M. formosa
Binomial name
Matucana formosa
F.Ritter 1963
Synonyms
  • Borzicactus formosus (F.Ritter) Donald 1971
  • Loxanthocereus formosus (F.Ritter) Buxb. 1974
  • Submatucana formosa (F.Ritter) Backeb. 1963
  • Matucana formosa var. minor F.Ritter 1963
  • Submatucana formosa var. minor (F.Ritter) Backeb. 1963

Description edit

Matucana formosa usually grows with globular, gray-green shoots that branch out from the base and reaches stature heights of 10 to 15 centimeters and the same diameter. There are 20-30 narrow, slightly bumpy ribs. Areoles have straight to slightly curved, stiff, dark brown spines have a darker tip and turn gray with age. The 1 to 4 central spines are 2 to 5 centimeters and 6 to 11 radial spines growing up to 3 centimeters long.

The crimson flowers have a curved flower tube and a crooked mouth. They are 8 to 10 centimeters long and have a diameter of 4 to 7.5 centimeters. The length of the spherical, green and red fruits is 1.5 centimeters. Their diameter is 1 centimeter.[2]

Distribution edit

Matucana formosa is distributed in the Peruvian departments of La Libertad, Cajamarca and Amazonas in the valley of the Río Marañón at altitudes of 800 to 1100 meters.

Taxonomy edit

The first description was in 1963 by Friedrich Ritter.[3] Nomenclature synonyms are Submatucana formosa (F.Ritter) Backeb. (1963), Borzicactus formosus (F.Ritter) Donald (1971) and Loxanthocereus formosus (F.Ritter) Buxb. (1974).

References edit

  1. ^ Assessment), Jose Roque (Global Cactus (2011-05-05). "The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 2023-08-23.
  2. ^ Anderson, Edward F.; Eggli, Urs (2005). Das grosse Kakteen-Lexikon (in German). p. 418. ISBN 3-8001-4573-1.
  3. ^ Ritter, F. (1963). "Diagnosen von neuen Kakteen (Continued)". Taxon. 12 (3). International Association for Plant Taxonomy (IAPT): 123–125. ISSN 0040-0262. JSTOR 1217203. Retrieved 2023-08-23.

External links edit