Eriosyce subgibbosa

Description

Eriosyce subgibbosa is a species of plant in the genus Eriosyce of the cactus family (Cactaceae). The specific epithet subgibbosa means 'slightly bumpy'. Eriosyce subgibbosa initially grows with globular to elongated, later prostrate, yellowish green to deep green, occasionally glaucous shoots and reaches lengths of up to 100 centimeters with diameters of 6 to 25 centimeters. The roots are mostly fibrous. There are 16 to 22 ribs which are deeply notched and appear resolved into large protuberances. The stiff, needle-like, usually straight, sometimes strongly curved spinesare yellow to brown or black. They are not always easy to distinguish between central and radial spines. The one to 16 central spines are thicker than the radial spines. The often thin, sometimes even hair-like eight to 40 radial spines are 1 to 2 centimeters long. The crimson flowers appear from young areoles and vary in size. Sometimes more than one flower is formed per areole. Their pericarpel and flower tube are lined with wool and sometimes bristles. The elongated, bright red fruits open with a basal pore. The near-coastal range of Eriosyce subgibbosa ranges from the south of the Chilean region of Atacama (Huasco) to the Bío-Bío to Concepción. The first description as Echinocactus subgibbosus was in 1831 by Adrian Hardy Haworth. Fred Kattermann placed the species in the genus Eriosyce in 1994. Other nomenclatural synonyms are Neoporteria subgibbosa (Haw.) Britton & Rose (1922), Chilenia subgibbosa (Haw.) Backeb. (1936) and Euporteria subgibbosa (Haw.) Cross. & Building (1941). In the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the species is listed as " Least Concern (LC) ". H. listed as not endangered.