Eriosyce grandiflora (F.Ritter) P.C.Guerrero & Helmut Walter, 2024

Walter, Helmut E., Cadiz-Veliz, Aron, Merino, Beatriz M., Villalobos-Barrantes, Heidy M. & Guerrero, Pablo C., 2024, Taxonomic dissection based on molecular evidence of the Eriosyce curvispina complex (Cactaceae): identifying nine endemic species from Central Chile, PhytoKeys 237, pp. 117-139 : 117

5. Eriosyce grandiflora (F.Ritter) P.C.Guerrero & Helmut Walter comb. nov.

Pyrrhocactus grandiflorus F.Ritter, Succulenta (NL) 4: 41. 1960. Basyonym.

≡ Pyrrhocactus grandiflorus F.Ritter in Succulenta (Netherlands) 4: 41. 1960 syn. sec. Kew WCVP (2019) ≡ Horridocactus grandiflorus (F.Ritter) Backeb., Cactaceae 6: 3796. 1962 syn. sec. Kew WCVP (2019) ≡ Neoporteria curvispina var. grandiflora (F.Ritter) Donald & G.D.Rowley in Cact. Succ. J. Gr. Brit. 28: 56. 1966 syn. sec. Kew WCVP (2019) ≡ Pyrrhocactus curvispinus var. santiagensis F. Ritter, Kakt. Südamerika 3: 932. 1980 (nom. inval., Art. 34.1, 37.1).

Type.

Chile, Southern America, Santiago Region, San Ramon , 2000 m, May 1955, F. Ritter 469 (Holotype: U 0249323, digital image!). (Image available at https://bioportal.naturalis.nl/en/specimen/U__0249323) .

Iconography.

F. Ritter, Kakt. Südam. 3, 1980.

Morphological notes.

Stems simple, grey-green, subglobose, 10-18 cm diameter Roots fascicular. Ribs many, 21-24, 1-1.5 cm high, notched below areoles, tubercles with chin-like protrusions. Areoles 6 × 10 × 5 mm, up to 1.2 cm apart. Spines are acicular, blackish-brown; radial ones 9-12, straight or somewhat curved upward, 1.5-3 cm; central ones 4-7, curved upward, 2-4 cm. Flowers large, 6-7 cm, pericarpel and hypanthium with small bract scales, axils with very short wool, upper ones with short fine bristles; perianth segments lanceolate, 7-10 mm wide and 3.5-4.5 cm long, red with a darker mid-stripe; nectary tubular; style white, superior portion pale reddish, stigma lobes yellow; ovary isodiametric to somewhat elongate. Fruits 1.5 cm, covered as for the flower, short barrel-shape, 1.5 cm, reddish to red brown; perianth remnant attachment area large, basal pore large; fruit wall thick. Seeds 1 × 0.8 mm; testa blackish brownish, evenly tuberculate, not ribbed, cells medium-domed; hilum oval; position oblique.

Distribution.

Endemic species occurring from east of Santiago (33°S, 70°W) to the upper Río Aconcagua Valley (32°S, 70°W) at high altitudes, around 2000 m.

Conservation status.

The Extent of Occurrence (EOO) of E. grandiflora is estimated at <5000 km2, with presence in 5 or less locations. It is estimated that there will be a decrease in population size and number of localities, loss of habitat quality due to mining activities, opening of roads, livestock and stump removal. We propose to classify the species as Endangered (EN) according to the criteria B1ab(i,iii,iv).