Espostooa
| Espostoa | |
|---|---|
| File:Espostoa melanostele.jpg | |
| Kingdom | Plantae |
| Family | Cactaceae |
| Subfamily | Cactoideae |
| Tribe | Cereeae |
| SubTribe | Trichocereinae |
| Genus | Espostoa |
| Species | |
| Notes | Taxonomy follows Joël Lodé (2015). Lodé treats this genus as distinct from Thrixanthocereus and Vatricania. [cite: 1023] |
Etymology
The genus is named in honor of Nicolas Esposto, a Peruvian botanist of Italian origin and founder of the National School of Agriculture of La Molina. [cite: 1023]
Description
Espostoa consists of bushy or tree-like plants, characterized by their dense covering of white woolly hairs. [cite: 1023]
- Stems: Columnar stems branching from the base or halfway up, featuring numerous ribs. [cite: 1023]
- Cephalium: Adult reproductive stems develop a lateral cephalium consisting of dense wool and bristles. [cite: 1023]
- Spines: Variable, often hidden within the woolly hair of the plant body. [cite: 1023]
- Flowers: Nocturnal and self-sterile, tubular or bell-shaped. They are typically white to creamy yellow, often with a distinct odor, and are pollinated by bats. [cite: 1023]
- Fruits: Globose to egg-shaped, juicy, and naked or with small tufts of hair; floral remains are persistent. [cite: 1023]
- Seeds: Generally black and shiny, featuring fine pitting. [cite: 1023]
Habitat
The genus grows in rocky coastal valleys, canyons, and mountain slopes west of the Andes. [cite: 1024] They are found at altitudes between 450 m and 2800 m, often forming large, dominant populations. [cite: 1024]
Distribution
- Ecuador: Azuay-El Oro, Loja. [cite: 1024]
- Peru: Amazonas, Ancash, Cajamarca, Ica, La Libertad, Lambayeque, Lima, Piura. [cite: 1024]
Species
Following the classification of Lodé (2015), 11 species and 3 subspecies are recognized: [cite: 1024]
- Espostoa calva [cite: 1024]
- Espostoa frutescens [cite: 1024]
- Espostoa huanucoensis [cite: 1024]
- Espostoa hylaea [cite: 1024]
- Espostoa lanata [cite: 1024]
- Espostoa lanata subsp. lanianuligera [cite: 1024]
- Espostoa lanata subsp. ruficeps [cite: 1024]
- Espostoa laticornua [cite: 1024]
- Espostoa melanostele [cite: 1024]
- Espostoa melanostele subsp. nana [cite: 1024]
- Espostoa mirabilis [cite: 1024]
- Espostoa ritteri [cite: 1024]
- Espostoa superba [cite: 1024]
- Espostoa utcubambensis [cite: 1024]
Taxonomy Note
Lodé maintains Espostoa as distinct from Thrixanthocereus based on differences in floral structure and seed morphology. [cite: 1023] Molecular studies also show that Vatricania is a separate lineage from Espostoa s.s. [cite: 1023]
