Acanthocalycium hoevenii. Globular stem and spines
Illustrative depiction of Acanthocalycium hoevenii from the supplied collection.
AI-generated illustration supplied by the site author.
Enlarge plate ↗Diagnostic characters
The depressed stem has grey-green epidermis with a bluish tint. Its ribs are divided into rounded swellings bearing oval areoles with a light brown felt. The spreading spines curve slightly and can show a pinkish tint within their grey-brown colour. Rausch’s diagnosis uses the combination of stem proportions, areole shape and floral structure. [Grätz 2009]
Flower and fruit
The red inner tepals have pale pink margins, with their broad tips narrowing to a small point. The outer tepals are paler. Scales and brown hairs cover the floral tube. Orange stamen filaments and a greenish-white style are conspicuous inside the flower. The globose fruit in the original description has a dark brown surface bearing small pale scales and dark wool. [Grätz 2009]
Origin and name
The type material came from near Santa Barbara in Salta Province, between Cafayate and Alemania. Rausch reported a locality at 1520 m and the collection WR 1013 made in 1990. At the time of description, he knew the species from its type locality. Current POWO confirms a native range in Salta and assigns it to the desert and dry shrubland biome. The type locality documents the origin of the name, while the complete range depends on separate field records. [Grätz 2009] [2-WWW]
The epithet commemorates Leo van der Hoeven, one of Rausch’s travelling companions. V. Gapon published the transfer to Acanthocalycium in 2024. POWO accepts this combination and retains Lobivia hoevenii as a synonym based on the same type. Both names can therefore refer to the same material in collections, literature and seed catalogues. [Grätz 2009] [2-WWW]
Related articles
Synonyms and names in the literature
Lobivia hoevenii [2-WWW]