Acanthocalycium leucanthum

Acanthocalycium leucanthum is a species of flowering plant in the cactus family Cactaceae from Argentina.

Acanthocalycium leucanthum
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Cactaceae
Subfamily: Cactoideae
Genus: Acanthocalycium
Species:
A. leucanthum
Binomial name
Acanthocalycium leucanthum
(Gillies ex Salm-Dyck) Schlumpb. 2012

Description

Acanthocalycium leucanthum usually grows singly, but occasionally forms small groups. The spherical to short cylindrical, gray-green shoots reach heights of up to 35 centimeters (rarely up to 80 centimeters) with diameters of 12 centimeters. There are twelve to 14 blunt ribs that are slightly notched. The elongated areoles on them are yellowish white and are 1 to 1.5 centimeters apart. The single thick, brown central spine is curved upwards and 5 to 10 centimeters long. The eight to ten yellowish-brown marginal spines are curved and slightly twisted. They are up to 2.5 centimeters long.

The long, funnel-shaped, white, occasionally slightly pink flowers appear on the upper parts of the shoots and open at night. They are up to 20 centimeters long. The spherical to elongated, fleshy fruits are greenish red to deep red.[2]

  • Acanthocalycium leucanthum in The Cactaceae (1919-1923) by Britton et Rose, Vol. III.
    Acanthocalycium leucanthum in The Cactaceae (1919-1923) by Britton et Rose, Vol. III.

Distribution

Acanthocalycium leucanthum is widespread in northwest to central Argentina from sea level to altitudes of 1000 meters.

Taxonomy

The first description as Echinocactus leucanthus by Joseph zu Salm-Reifferscheidt-Dyck was published in 1834.[3] The specific epithet leucantha is derived from the Greek words leukos for 'white' and anthos for 'flower' and refers to the flower color of the species. Boris O. Schlumpberger placed the species in the genus Acanthocalycium in 2012. Further nomenclature synonyms are Cereus leucanthus (Gillies ex Salm-Dyck) Pfeiff. (1837) and Echinopsis leucantha (Gillies ex Salm-Dyck) Walp. (1843)[4]

References
  1. "The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2010-09-21. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
  2. Anderson, Edward F.; Eggli, Urs (2005). Das grosse Kakteen-Lexikon (in German). Stuttgart (Hohenheim): Ulmer. p. 234. ISBN 3-8001-4573-1.
  3. Salm-Reifferscheidt, Joseph (1834). Hortus dyckensis : ou catalogue des plantes cultivées dans les jardins de Dyck. Dusseldorf: Arnz. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.110204.
  4. Walpers, Wilhelm Gerhard (1842). Repertorium botanices systematicae. Lipsiae: Sumtibus Friderici Hofmeister. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.7553.
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