Matucana ritteri is a species of Matucana found in Peru.

Matucana ritteri
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Cactaceae
Subfamily: Cactoideae
Genus: Matucana
Species:
M. ritteri
Binomial name
Matucana ritteri
Buining 1959

Description

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Matucana ritteri usually grows solitary with flattened spherical, glossy dark green shoots and reaches a height of 3 to 5 cm (1.2 to 2.0 in) with a diameter of 5 to 10 cm (2.0 to 3.9 in). There are twelve to 22 blunt ribs present. The straight to slightly curved brownish-black spines turn gray with age. The one to five central spines are 2 to 4 cm (0.79 to 1.57 in), the seven to 14 radial spines 1 to 3 cm (0.39 to 1.18 in) long.

The crooked, crimson flowers are 7 to 9 cm (2.8 to 3.5 in) long and have a diameter of 4.5 to 5 cm (1.8 to 2.0 in). The bright red and green, scaly fruits reach a diameter of 1 to 1.5 cm (0.39 to 0.59 in).[2]

Distribution

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Matucana ritteri is common in the region of La Libertad in Peru, near Otuzco at altitudes of 2500 meters.

Taxonomy

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The first description was in 1959 by Albert Frederik Hendrik Buining.[3] The specific epithet ritteri honors the German cacti specialist Friedrich Ritter. Nomenclature synonyms are Submatucana ritteri (Buining) Backeb. (1962) and Borzicactus ritteri (Buining) Donald (1971).

References

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  1. ^ "The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2011-05-07. Retrieved 2023-08-27.
  2. ^ Anderson, Edward F.; Eggli, Urs (2005). Das grosse Kakteen-Lexikon (in German). p. 421. ISBN 3-8001-4573-1.
  3. ^ "Au Cactus Francophone :". Au Cactus Francophone (in French). Retrieved 2023-08-27.
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