On 12/05/2011 20:10, Chris Hogg wrote:
On Thu, 12 May 2011 13:34:53 +0100, "Bob
wrote:
Had this Cactus for about 40 years, given to me by an elderly lady who said
she could not get it to flower. The original large plant flowered a couple
of years ago whilst we were away (Sod's law!!) but now the offshoot is
flowering. Anyone with knowledge of cacti know what this is?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bobhobd...57626703667192
Don't know much about cacti, but I have a quite a good little book, so
here's some guesswork:
Probably not a Mammillaria as it has no 'mammilla'.
Echinocactus flowers are generally yellow or pink, and deeply embedded
in the 'wool', top centre, so probably not that.
Possibly an Echinoceras but their flowers are usually large, yellow or
pink.
Possibly a Parodia.
Possibly a Notocactus (the RHS encyclo includes Notocactus in
Parodia).
Very few of them have red flowers.
Don't think it's a Rebutia, as they seem to have 'mammilla' a bit like
Mammillaria.
Very possibly a Lobivia. I think these are quite common and popular.
(Lobivias are named after Bolivia, would you believe!)
Echinopsis have long flowers on 'tubes' so probably not that.
Loads of other types ruled out on shape etc.
My best guess would be Lobivia formosa, but could also be L. jajoiana
or L. haematantha or L. pentlandii or L. cinnabarina. I wouldn't know
how to distinguish one from the other.
These days a lot of things are actually lumped into Echinopsis and many
Echinopsis hybrids even when an older name exists based on new genetic
evidence. Both names float around but it is worth searching on either.
It looks like a red flowered Lobivia to me - shot from the side showing
where the flower leaves the stem and the external structure of the
flower side on would be helpful.
Closest match I can see is for E. (lobivia) cinnabarina or crassicalis
but the colour isn't quite right. May well be a hybrid. eg
http://cactiguide.com/graphics/e_cinnabarina_d_600.jpg
The OP may find flicking though the following pages helpful:
http://cactiguide.com/cactus/?genus=Echinopsis
Or it could be a hybrid, of which there are lots AIUI, especially
between Trichocerus, Echinopsis and Lobivia.
There are lots of hybrids about.
Regards,
Martin Brown