Commonly known in cultivation by its synonym Pseudolobivia kermesina, E. mamillosa subsp. sylvatica is an important component of some modern Echinopsis hybrids. Species of Echinopsis lend their large showy flower structure to these hybrids. Typically the species have white nocturnal flowers to attract moth pollinators. However, of the two clones that produced the seed for this offering, one is white-flowered while the other is pink. The feature that seems to distinguish them from other echinopsis plants is the succulent, claw-like bracts on the flower tube that in one of our clones are curled like pig’s tails. Plants grown from seed from controlled pollination of HBG 83220, plants received as W. Rausch 510, which applies to the type of his var. flexilis (a synonym of subsp. sylvatica) reported from 3300 m. near Iruya, Salta Prov., Argentina. HBG 104547. $4.
According to Brian Bates, Rausch 510, the parents of our offering, is the type collection of this subspecies published in KuaS 28 (10): 235 (1977). It was collected at 3300 m, near Iruya, Salta, Argentina.
Published in the Cactus and Succulent Journal, Vol. 75 (2), March - April, 2003