Matucana

This article is about the genus. For the town, see Matucana, Peru.
Matucana
Matucana paucicostata
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Core eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Cactaceae
Subfamily: Cactoideae
Tribe: Trichocereeae
Genus: Matucana
Britton & Rose
Species

See text.

Matucana is a genus of cacti (family Cactaceae), containing approximately 20 species of mostly globular plants.[1] The genus is only known from Peru,[2] mostly along the Marañón River.

The first species was discovered near the town of Matucana and described as Echinocactus haynii by Otto in 1849. Matucana was erected by Britton & Rose in 1922.[2] The genus Eomatucana F.Ritter has been brought into synonymy with this genus.

Some species are endangered due to collection for the specialist market.

Description

Low, globose or shortly cylindrical bodies, either solitary or clustering. The flowers are subapical, usually more or less zygomorphic, diurnal, in various colours, but mainly red, yellow or pink.[3] However, a few species, notably M. oreodoxa and M. madisoniorum have actinomorphic flowers and were placed in a separate genus - Eomatucana - by F. Ritter. They are reported to flower easily at a young age.[4]

Cultivation

All members of the genus cannot tolerate too much moisture and must be watered only during their growing season and when the substrate is dry.[2] They must also be kept warm through the winter or risk losing their roots.[2] Members of Matucana grow quickly and may be grown from seed.[2]

Species

Matucana polzii
Matucana madisoniorum

References

  1. ↑ "BioLib - Matucana". Biolib. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Divulgazione, Divisione (15 January 2013). "Matucana". Seeds Cactus. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
  3. ↑ Anderson, Miles (2008). The Complete Illustrated Guide to Growing Cacti & Succulents. London: Lorenz Books. pp. 92–93. ISBN 9780754818427.
  4. ↑ "Plant of the Month: Matucana madisoniorum". The British Cactus & Succulent Society. August 2014. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
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