Leucostele litoralis

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Leucostele litoralis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Cactaceae
Subfamily: Cactoideae
Genus: Leucostele
Species:
L. litoralis
Binomial name
Leucostele litoralis
(Johow) P.C.Guerrero & Helmut Walter 2019
Synonyms
  • Cereus litoralis Johow 1923
  • Echinopsis chiloensis subsp. litoralis (Johow) M.Lowry 2003
  • Echinopsis litoralis (Johow) H.Friedrich & G.D.Rowley 1974
  • Trichocereus chiloensis subsp. litoralis (Johow) Faúndez 2007
  • Trichocereus litoralis (Johow) Looser 1929

Leucostele litoralis is a species of Leucostele found in Chile.

Description[edit]

Leucostele litoralis grows shrubby, branches from the base with several arched or upright branches and reaches heights of 1 to 3 meters. The cylindrical, gray-green to dark green shoots reach a diameter of 10 to 18 centimeters and 50 cm long. There are about 17-21 fairly distinct and not very wide ribs that are somewhat humpbacked. The oblique areoles on them are yellowish white and are up to 1 centimeter apart. The spines emerging from them are initially yellowish and later turn gray. The two to seven somewhat unequal, fairly thick central spines are 1.6 to 2.4 centimeters long. The 15 to 29 thin, apical marginal spines are radiating, 2 cm long, gray to light brown.

The 1-2 funnel-shaped, white flowers appear on the subapical sides near the tips of the shoots and are also open during the day. They are 12 to 16 centimeters long and have a diameter of up to 11 centimeters. The brownish green fruits reach a diameter of 3 to 5 centimeters.[1][2]

Distribution[edit]

Leucostele litoralis is found in the Chilean regions of Coquimbo and Valparaíso, close to the coast at elevations of 33 to 100 meters. The plant is found growing in scrub along with Fuchsia lycioides.[1]

Taxonomy[edit]

The first description as Cereus litoralis by Friedrich Richard Adelbert Johow was published in 1923. The specific epithet litoralis comes from Latin, means 'on the coast' and refers to the species' near-shore occurrence. Pablo C. Guerrero and Helmut Walter placed the species in the genus Leucostele in 2019.[3] Further nomenclature synonyms are Trichocereus litoralis (Johow) Looser (1929), Echinopsis litoralis (Johow) H.Friedrich & G.D.Rowley (1974), Echinopsis chiloensis subsp. litoralis (Johow) M.Lowry (2003) and Trichocereus chiloensis subsp. litoralis (Johow) Faúndez (2007).

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Anderson, Edward F.; Eggli, Urs (2005). Das grosse Kakteen-Lexikon (in German). Stuttgart (Hohenheim): Ulmer. pp. 234–235. ISBN 3-8001-4573-1.
  2. ^ Albesiano, Sofía (2012). "A New Taxonomic Treatment of the Genus Trichocereus (Cactaceae) in Chile". Haseltonia. 18: 116–139. doi:10.2985/026.018.0114. ISSN 1070-0048.
  3. ^ GUERRERO, PABLO C.; WALTER, HELMUT E. (2019-02-12). "Nomenclatural novelties and a new species in Chilean Cactaceae". Phytotaxa. 392 (1). Magnolia Press: 89. doi:10.11646/phytotaxa.392.1.11. ISSN 1179-3163.

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