Some Choice (Thelocephala) Eriosyces

[David_L]

I'm a big fan of the smaller Eriosyces, especially the Thelocephala group and in particular the many subspecies and forms found under the name 'Eriosyce (Neoporteria) napina'. The naming is a nightmare and I can't really cope with it, so I present these pretty much as labelled, and leave the real experts to quibble over names. I think this plants are attractive and interesting because of their unusual shapes, even when not in flower. However when the flowers do come, they are stunning and often underrated I think. I'll try to keep this thread going as my plants flower, and please feel free to contribute with your own photos of this group of plants

Eriosyce napina ssp. mitis fa. glabrescens

The same plant in direct sunlight. The petals assume quite a different appearance when brightly lit.

Eriosyce napina ssp. mitis fa. glabrescens direct sun

Eriosyce napina WJ264

Eriosyce napina WJ264

This came labelled simply Eriosyce AWC 513. I think it may be a form of Eriosyce napina ssp. lembckei var. duripulpa, but I'm open to correction.

Eriosyce AWC513

[DaveW]

AWC are the late Alan Craig's numbers. You will find most Thelocephalas and their present classification on Juan Acosta's site:-

http://www.eriosyce.info/NCL.htm

Many of Ritter's names under Thelocephala have been reduced to subspecies of napina, apart from a few of the more northerly ones like odieri and esmeralda etc. Fred Katteman reduced the Thelocephala's to a subsection as "Chileosyce" in his Eriosyce book. Not everybody goes along entirely with his classification however.

DaveW

[iann]

I can't add to your names. I can't even see the plants under those flowers The collection location for AWC513 matches E. napina ssp lembkei, although it usually becomes elongated in cultivation and easy to distinguish from other Thelocephalas. Craig did seem to collect odd looking plants that aren't always easy to name.

The Thelocephalas, E. napina, E. odieri, and E. esmeraldana, are now contained in Eriosyce subgenus Chileonapina. Ferryman didn't distinguish them from subgenus Horridocactus, to which they are very similar.

[David_L]

Thanks for the information Dave and Ian. AWC 513 is elongated and I'm pretty sure it's a form of lembckei v. duripulpa. You can see a bit more of the plant body and spination in this picture.

AWC 513

Alan Craig certainly did collect some 'oddball' Thelocephalas as well as some more classic napinas. I have a number of them that Crofton Cactus propagated and distributed.

[Diane]

Hope you don't mind a few of my additions to your thread, David, although my pics are nowhere as good as yours!

These are my two Eriosyce napina ssp. mitis fa. glabrescens grown from seed 15 years ago:

Eriosyce napina ssp. mitis fa. glabrescens

and the one in flower:

Eriosyce napina ssp. mitis fa. glabrescens

This is Eriosyce napina v. lembkei KK113

Eriosyce napina v. lembkei

Eriosyce odieri:

Eriosyce odieri

This was a rogue seedling that popped up in another pot, looks similar to the previous plant, but could it be E. tenuissima? The monstrose form was sitting near aforesaid pot at one time...

Eriosyce ???

[Diane]

And lastly, my mahoosive Eriosyce kraussii which is grafted (obviously!) and must be over 20 years old now - it was exhibited at the National Show in '96 if I remember correctly, got an award of some sort.

Eriosyce kraussii

IMG_0997 (Small).JPG (41.7 KiB) Viewed 2715 times

[David_L]

Some terrific plants there Diane. That kraussii is really something and I love that lembcekii KK113.

[iann]

E. tenuissima? You mean Copiapoa tenuissima? I'd have to say not, looks like an Eriosyce. If it opens a Copiapoa flower, I'll have to back up very quickly

The E. napina ssp lembckei also doesn't look correct. Perhaps ssp napina? Or another ssp glabrescens?

[Diane]

Ooops, having a senior moment there, Ian! It's not a Copiapoa is it? Eriosyce unknown, then!

The E. napina ssp lembckei KK113 from Maitencillo is from Mesa Garden seed, sown in 1999. I agree it looks much more like another glabrescens, but that is the data I have.

[iann]

Some lembckeis, including from Maitencillo, but I can't find a picture of a KK113.