Echinopsis schieliana (syn Lobivia) -- red flowers?

[amanzed]

I know many species of cacti have different flower colors -- sometimes mixed together in the same habitat population.

I have a question about flower color and CactiGuide: Guide to Positive Identification.

I'm writing a post on Lobivia schieliana Backeburg 1957 (syn Echinopsis schieliana [Backeburg] D. R. Hunt 1987).

In The Cactus Family (2001), Anderson writes "[f]lowers bright light red".

I notice in CactiGuide, [edit] two pictures of E schieliana have yellow flowers, the third has no open flowers.

I'm curious whether this is a common, accepted variation in this type, a fluke, or a possible mistake in ID.

Thanks!

[robby]

Walter RAUSCH reports in his book Lobivia 85 red and yellow flowers in the same population WR207 (east of Lake Titicaca).
In another book from 1975 RAUSCH reports '...and flower is red to yellow. Again one can observe that red with bluish sheen in higher reaches and red with yellow in lower reaches is always true'

[amanzed]

Thank you so much for that information! Thus one sees the virtues of multiple references.

[amanzed]

Vivid description in that Rausch text: "red with a bluish sheen". That's exactly what I observe in my plant, and that bluish sheen comes through fairly well even in that shot with my inexpensive camera.