Eriocephala
| Eriocephala | |
|---|---|
| File:Eriocephala leninghausii.jpg | |
| Kingdom | Plantae |
| Family | Cactaceae |
| Subfamily | Cactoideae |
| Tribe | Notocacteae |
| SubTribe | |
| Genus | Eriocephala |
| Species | |
| Notes | Taxonomy follows Joël Lodé (2015). Lodé reinstates Eriocephala as the priority name over Eriocactus for this group within Notocacteae. |
Etymology
The name comes from the Greek erion (wool) and kephale (head), referring to the woolly apex (top) of the plants where the flowers emerge.
Description
Eriocephala includes cacti that are initially globose but often become distinctly columnar and tall with age.
- Stems: The stems are usually many-ribbed, with a slanted, woolly apex that often faces the sun (oblique apex).
- Spines: Generally fine, bristly to acicular, often in golden or yellow shades, densely covering the plant.
- Flowers: Diurnal, appearing at the woolly apex. They are relatively large, funnel-shaped, and typically lemon-yellow or golden-yellow.
- Fruits: Globose to slightly elongated, thin-walled, and becoming dry at maturity, often hidden in the wool of the apex.
- Seeds: Small, bell-shaped to helmet-shaped, brownish-black.
Habitat
These plants are native to hilly and mountainous regions, often growing on rocky slopes or in pampa grasslands. те се срещат на надморска височина от 100 m до 1300 m, често в пукнатини на скали, където има натрупване на хумус.
Distribution
- South America: Primarily Southern Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul), Northern Uruguay, and parts of Paraguay and Argentina.
Species
Following Lodé (2015), the genus includes several popular species previously classified under Parodia or Eriocactus:
- Eriocephala claviceps
- Eriocephala gertiana
- Eriocephala grossei
- Eriocephala leninghausii (известен като „Златната топка“)
- Eriocephala magnifica
- Eriocephala nigrispina
- Eriocephala schumanniana
- Eriocephala warasii
Taxonomy
Lodé separates Eriocephala from Parodia based on morphological differences in the fruit (dry vs. fleshy/dehiscent) and the specialized woolly apex. Although molecular data sometimes nests them within a broader Parodia clade, Lodé maintains them as a distinct lineage within the tribe Notocacteae.
