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Stems are blue-grey (glaucous)
due to a powdery
coating of wax (Pruina)
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Description:
It is a flat
globular to shortly elongated
solitary
cactus.
Stem:
Up to 15 cm tall, 8 cm in diameter; 8-14 rounded
ribs; covered by a protective blue-grey layer of
pruina.
Radial spines:
5 to 10, dark with a clear base up to 2.5 cm long.
Central spines: Absent (occasionally 1 or 2)
Flower:
Yellow or red and yellow flowers in summer, up to
6 cm long and in diameter.
Fruit:
Dark green,
globose, 2 cm in diameter.
Root: Tuberose root.
Remarks:
The plant described as Acanthocalycium aurantiacum, now included in
this
taxon has red flowers with orange centres.
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Photo and © copyright by
Andrea B.
http://www.cactusfriends.com/Andrea/index.html
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Cultivation: It
is a summer grower species that offers no cultivation difficulties.
Water regularly in summer (but do not overwater ) needs good
drainage and very porous, keep rather dry in winter. Feed with a
high potassium fertilizer in summer. It is quite frost resistant if
kept dry (hardy to -5° C) Outside full sun or afternoon shade,
inside needs bright light, and some direct sun.
Propagation: Direct sow after last frost. (seldom
produces offsets) |
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Family:
Cactaceae (Cactus
Family)
Scientific name:
Acanthocalycium
glaucum F. Ritter 1964
Published
in: Taxon 13:
143, 1964
(Basionym)
Origin:
Belen, Catamarca, Argentina
Conservation status:
Listed in
CITES appendix 2.
Etymology:
The
genus name
"Acanthocalycium"
derives from the Greek words “acantha (ακαναθα)”
meaning “thorn, spine” plus the connective vowel
“o” used in botanical Latin for Greek words and
“calyx” meaning “covering; calyx” referring to
the flower buds (calyx)
bearing hair and spines.
(The genus name implies:
“spiny calyx”).
The
species
name
"glaucus" derives from
the
Greek word
“Glaucos
(γλαυκοζ
)”
meaning "bright,
gleaming; greyish, bluish-green”
( The specific name implies:
"glaucous"
a white bloom giving a bluish-greyish
appearance).
Synonyms:
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Echinopsis glaucina
Friedrich & G.D. Rowley 1974
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Echinopsis glauca
(F.Ritter) Friedrich & G.D.Rowley
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Echinopsis aurantiaca
(Rausch) H.Friedrich & G.D.Rowley 1974
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Acanthocalycium
aurantiacum
Rausch,
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Acanthocalycium thionanthum
(Speg.)
Backeb. var. aurantiacum
(Rausch) Donald,
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Acanthocalycium thionanthum
(Speg.)
Backeb. var. glaucum (F. Ritter) Donald,
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Lobivia thionantha
(Speg.)
Britton & Rose var. aurantiaca (Rausch) Rausch
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Lobivia thionantha
(Speg.) Britton & Rose var. glauca (F. Ritter) Rausch
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The stem is coated by a blue-grey layer of
pruina making it to look like a
Copiapoa cinera. |
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Photo and © copyright by
Andrea B.
http://www.cactusfriends.com/Andrea/index.html
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