Reicheocactus or Frailea
Reicheocactus or Frailea
Hello! I bought this plant some months ago as Reicheocactus famatimensis (actually as Lobivia famatimensis). But after the flower buds appeared I have started to suspect that it is not this species and genus, but Frailea, possibly F. pygmaea var. gloriosa. I would appreciare any comments on identity of this cactus and if I am correct. Thanks!
- Attachments
-
- Frailea?
- famatimensis sm.jpg (193.64 KiB) Viewed 678 times
Re: Reicheocactus or Frailea
Yes Frailea.
As you say Reicheocactus are actually Lobivia's. From memory Backeberg misidentified a black and white picture of Spegazinii's original Lobivia famatimensis publication with what we now know as Lobivia densispina, therefore later re-described the actual Lobivia famatimensis in his new genus Reicheocactus as pseudoreichianus simply because it looked like a picture of Echinocactus reichei of Schumann from Chile. Echinocactus reichei is actually a synonym of Eriosyce odieri which being the oldest name takes priority anyway. In fact when Ritter first started collecting in Chile he also misidentified Eriosyce lembkei as the original E. reichei giving it the number FR 501.
To add a bit more complication David Hunt corrected the spelling (as allowed under the "Rules") to famatinensis as the name of the place it comes from is Famatina, so you now see it spelt online both ways, but famatinensis is technically correct..
http://www.llifle.com/Encyclopedia/CACT ... matimensis
https://www.llifle.com/Encyclopedia/CAC ... njuanensis
https://www.llifle.com/Encyclopedia/CAC ... achalensis
Another closely related one is Lobivia bonniae which grows much longer or taller. Flower colour is variable as mine has a white flower
http://llifle.com/Encyclopedia/CACTI/Fa ... r._bonniae
My L. bonniae in flower.
As you say Reicheocactus are actually Lobivia's. From memory Backeberg misidentified a black and white picture of Spegazinii's original Lobivia famatimensis publication with what we now know as Lobivia densispina, therefore later re-described the actual Lobivia famatimensis in his new genus Reicheocactus as pseudoreichianus simply because it looked like a picture of Echinocactus reichei of Schumann from Chile. Echinocactus reichei is actually a synonym of Eriosyce odieri which being the oldest name takes priority anyway. In fact when Ritter first started collecting in Chile he also misidentified Eriosyce lembkei as the original E. reichei giving it the number FR 501.
To add a bit more complication David Hunt corrected the spelling (as allowed under the "Rules") to famatinensis as the name of the place it comes from is Famatina, so you now see it spelt online both ways, but famatinensis is technically correct..
http://www.llifle.com/Encyclopedia/CACT ... matimensis
https://www.llifle.com/Encyclopedia/CAC ... njuanensis
https://www.llifle.com/Encyclopedia/CAC ... achalensis
Another closely related one is Lobivia bonniae which grows much longer or taller. Flower colour is variable as mine has a white flower
http://llifle.com/Encyclopedia/CACTI/Fa ... r._bonniae
My L. bonniae in flower.
- bonniae.jpg (55.27 KiB) Viewed 624 times