#eriosyce

Neoporteria villosa (Eriosyce villosa)

This cactus is another example of a group where some classifiers have consolidated a bunch of genera into one large genus, while others consider this to be a mistake. In this case, the Chilean genera Neoporteria, Neochilenia, Horridocactus, Pyrrhocactus, Rodentiophila and Eriosyce were all lumped into a greatly expanded conception of Eriosyce. The flower of the plant shown is typical for Neoporteria: narrow pointed tepals (petals) that are magenta to deep pink, but turning white at their bases. Whatever genus we place it in, it provides some vivid color in the autumn, even if its flowers are not large. From north of Huasco along the coast of northern Chile.

Neoporteria villosa (Eriosyce villosa)

This cactus from northern Chile (north of Huasco) was named Neoporteria villosa, and it has a flower type seen in other Neoporteria species: pointed petals that are magenta-pink at their tips and creamy yellow at the base. Some classifiers have gone along with the proposal to merge all of the Neoporteria (and Neochilenia) species into Eriosyce, while others feel this merging is unwarranted. By any name, these are wonderful plants, and the coast of northern Chile has many of them, as well as Copiapoa species.

Eriosyce curvispina

To round out my assortment of dark-bodied cacti from Chile, here is one of the many forms of Erisyce curvispina, showing off its beautiful pink flowers.