Echinopsis saltensis

Echinopsis saltensis, synonym Chamaecereus saltensis, is a species of cactus from northwestern Argentina.

Description

Echinopsis saltensis is generally found growing as an individual plant, developing clusters with a robust taproot. The light green shoots, varying from spherical to short cylindrical, can attain a diameter of up to. These shoots display 17 to 18 ribs adorned with flat tubercles. The areoles, situated closely along the ribs, contain one to four robust central spines, typically curved, measuring in length. Additionally, there are twelve to fourteen radial spines, thinner than the central spines, with a length of up to.
The red, funnel-shaped flowers, darker towards the center, blossom on the sides of the shoots and unfurl during daylight hours. These flowers can extend to a length of up to. The spherical fruits, measuring up to in diameter.

Taxonomy

Carlo Luigi Spegazzini initially described the species as Echinopsis saltensis in 1905. The specific epithet saltensis denotes its occurrence in the Argentine province of Salta. In 2012, Boris O. Schlumpberger reclassified the species under the genus Chamaecereus. When Chamaecereus was made a synonym of Echinopsis, the species returned to its original name.

Distribution

Echinopsis saltensis is found in the Argentina provinces of Salta and Tucumán, at elevations ranging from 1200 to 2400 meters growing in shrublands on clay soils.