Espostoa

Espostoa nana

Espostoa is a genus of flowering plants of the cactus family ( Cactaceae ). The botanical name of the genus honors the Peruvian botanist Nicolas E. Esposto who taught at the Escuela Nacional de Agricultura in Lima.

Description

The tree-like or shrubby growing species of the genus Espostoa usually branch from the base or higher and can reach heights of growth of up to 4 meters. The upright, cylindrical or columnar shoots consist of many low ribs. The areoles bring forth thorns and hairs that form a kind of fabric over the engine. Of the thorns some are strong, other hair -like. The lateral cephalium derived from several reduced and reshaped ribs.

The sometimes small, tube- to bell-shaped flowers are reddish to white, spring from the cephalium and open usually at night. The flower cups and the short corolla tube are covered with small pointed scales and hair. Spines are absent.

The juicy, spherical to ovoid fruits are green to red, more or less glabrous or covered with small tufts of hair. The flowers rest is enduring. The oval - up almost hat-shaped seeds are dull brown.

Systematics and distribution

The species of the genus Espostoa are south of the Equator in Southern Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia widespread.

The first description of the genus was made in 1920 by Nathaniel Lord Britton and Joseph Nelson Rose. The type species of the genus Cactus lanatus. Belong to the genus of the following types:

• Espostoa baumannii Perhaps a hybrid of genres Espostoa and Cleistocactus
• Espostoa blossfeldiorum
• Espostoa calva
• Espostoa frutescens
• Espostoa guentheri
• Espostoa huanucoensis
• Espostoa Hylaea
• Espostoa lanata
• Espostoa lanianuligera
• Espostoa melanostele
• Espostoa mirabilis
• Espostoa nana
• Espostoa ritteri
• Espostoa ruficeps
• Espostoa senilis
• Espostoa superba
• Espostoa utcubambensis

Synonyms of the genus are Binghamia Britton & Rose, Pseudoespostoa Backeb. , Thrixanthocereus Backeb. and Vatricania Backeb.

Evidence