Matucana intertexta explained

Matucana intertexta is a species of cactus in the genus Matucana, native to Peru.[1] It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[2]

Description

Matucana intertexta usually grows solitary with globular to broadly cylindrical, green shoots and reaches heights of growth of up to with a diameter of . There are 14 - 25 blunt, flattened tubercles ribs present. The white, straight or slightly curved, protruding to slightly splaying spines darken with age. There are initially up to 20 spines, two to five central spines with a length of and ten to 25 radial spines with a length of .

The lopsided, light orange to vermilion and scarlet flowers are long and have a diameter of . Their bracts are edged with purple. The spherical, green fruits reach a diameter of .[3]

Subspecies

The following subspecies are currently accepted:[1]

Distribution

Matucana intertexta is distributed in the Peruvian region of Cajamarca at altitudes of 1500 to 2300 meters.

Taxonomy

The first description was in 1963 by Friedrich Ritter.[4] Nomenclature synonyms are Submatucana intertexta (F.Ritter) Backeb. (1963) and Borzicactus intertextus (F.Ritter) Donald (1971).

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Matucana intertexta F.Ritter . . 2017 . Plants of the World Online . Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . 5 November 2020 .
  2. Web site: Matucana intertexta . The Royal Horticultural Society . 5 November 2020 .
  3. Book: Anderson, Edward F. . Eggli . Urs . Das grosse Kakteen-Lexikon . 2005 . 3-8001-4573-1 . de . 419.
  4. Ritter . F. . Diagnosen von neuen Kakteen (Continued) . Taxon . International Association for Plant Taxonomy (IAPT) . 12 . 3 . 1963 . 00400262 . 1217203 . 123–125 . 2023-08-26.