Matucana formosa is a species of Matucana found in Peru.

Matucana formosa
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Cactaceae
Subfamily: Cactoideae
Genus: Matucana
Species:
M. formosa
Binomial name
Matucana formosa
F.Ritter 1963
Synonyms
  • Borzicactus formosus (F.Ritter) Donald 1971
  • Loxanthocereus formosus (F.Ritter) Buxb. 1974
  • Submatucana formosa (F.Ritter) Backeb. 1963
  • Matucana formosa var. minor F.Ritter 1963
  • Submatucana formosa var. minor (F.Ritter) Backeb. 1963

Description

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Matucana formosa usually grows with globular, gray-green shoots that branch out from the base and reaches stature heights of 10 to 15 cm (3.9 to 5.9 in) and the same diameter. There are 20-30 narrow, slightly bumpy ribs. Areoles have straight to slightly curved, stiff, dark brown spines have a darker tip and turn gray with age. The 1 to 4 central spines are 2 to 5 cm (0.79 to 1.97 in) and 6 to 11 radial spines growing up to 3 cm (1.2 in) long.

The crimson flowers have a curved flower tube and a crooked mouth. They are 8 to 10 cm (3.1 to 3.9 in) long and have a diameter of 4 to 7.5 cm (1.6 to 3.0 in). The length of the spherical, green and red fruits is 1.5 cm (0.59 in). Their diameter is 1 cm (0.39 in).[2]

Distribution

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Matucana formosa is distributed in the Peruvian departments of La Libertad, Cajamarca and Amazonas in the valley of the Río Marañón at altitudes of 800 to 1100 meters.

Taxonomy

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The first description was in 1963 by Friedrich Ritter.[3] Nomenclature synonyms are Submatucana formosa (F.Ritter) Backeb. (1963), Borzicactus formosus (F.Ritter) Donald (1971) and Loxanthocereus formosus (F.Ritter) Buxb. (1974).

References

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  1. ^ Assessment), Jose Roque (Global Cactus (2011-05-05). "The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 2023-08-23.
  2. ^ Anderson, Edward F.; Eggli, Urs (2005). Das grosse Kakteen-Lexikon (in German). p. 418. ISBN 3-8001-4573-1.
  3. ^ Ritter, F. (1963). "Diagnosen von neuen Kakteen (Continued)". Taxon. 12 (3). International Association for Plant Taxonomy (IAPT): 123–125. ISSN 0040-0262. JSTOR 1217203. Retrieved 2023-08-23.
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