Lilac flower cactus

Description

Acanthocalycium spiniflorum is a species of flowering plant in the cactus family Cactaceae from Argentina. It produces many spines and, in summer, trumpet-shaped flowers which may be purple, pink or white. Under its synonym Echinopsis spiniflora this plant has won the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. Acanthocalycium is a genus of cactus consisting of several species from Argentina. The taxon name comes from Greek akantha (meaning prickly) and kalyx (meaning buds), which refers to the spines on the floral tubes. These plants are globose to elongate, with numerous ribs on the spiny stems. Flowers range from white to pink to red and open during the day. Spinicalycium Fric (nom. inval.) has been brought into synonymy with this genus. Besides, the genus Acanthocalycium has been periodically included in the genus Echinopsis. Acanthocalycium spiniflorum is native to Argentina. In particularly, it grows in the regions Catamarca, Cordoba, La Rioja, San Luis, Santiago del Estero, in an altitude range between 1000 and 1500 meters above sea level. Its native climate area is the warm, humid zone of the Pampas. Acanthocalycium spiniflorum is a solitary cactus, composed of only one globose stem which tend to elongate gradually along to the plant growth. The stem is divided into 16 to 20 ribs, covered in greyish pinkish beige spines, 10 to 20 for each areole. “Areole” is a botanic term used to describe the typical buds of Cactaceae, which are only able to form spines. The areoles are exactly what distinguish a Cactacea from any other succulents. The number of spines present on each areole is really useful to distinguish Cactaceas different species. The areoles of Acanthocalycium spiniflorum are white and woolly. Flowers are pinkish white, from 4 to 7 centimeters in diameter. Blossoming period occurs from late Spring to Summer, with abundant flowerings.