Eriosyce aconcaguensis

Eriosyce aconcaguensis

Eriosyce aconcaguensis (F.Ritter) P.C.Guerrero & Helmut Walter

A globose cactus from the Aconcagua Valley with yellow funnel-shaped flowers and strong spines that become grey. The 2024 revision recognized it at species rank [Walter et al. 2024].

2 min readUpdated 21 October 2026

Name and identification

Eriosyce aconcaguensis is accepted by POWO. Earlier literature includes it as a subspecies or variety of E. curvispina. The molecular revision assigned the Escorial population to this lineage. Recognition combines evidence of relationships with stem, flower and seed characters [Walter et al. 2024] [2-WWW].

Stem, flowers and fruits

The stem is usually 8–12 cm in diameter and may elongate with time. The root system is fibrous, and 17–21 ribs divide the stem surface. Areoles bear strong, needle-like spines. Central spines reach 4 cm, while radial spines are usually 1–3 cm long. Older spines become grey [Walter et al. 2024].

Funnel-shaped flowers measure about 4–5 cm. Yellow tepals may carry a faint reddish central stripe, and the style is white. The red barrel-shaped fruit opens at its base. The seed description emphasizes pronounced ridges on the seed coat, useful when comparing plants of the former complex [Walter et al. 2024].

Range and threats

Reported localities lie in the middle Aconcagua Valley between Llay-Llay and San Felipe, usually at 500–700 m elevation. Agriculture, mining and conversion to plantations reduce remaining habitat. The 2024 revision proposed Critically Endangered, CR, with an extent of occurrence below 100 km². This is the assessment proposed in that publication [Walter et al. 2024].

Hidden diversity in Eriosyce. DNA, geography and pollinators in species recognition

Materials from the author's archive

The species also appears in Konrad Szychowski's private material archive [Kaktusy i Inne 2004].

Synonyms and names in the literature

Pyrrhocactus aconcaguensis · Horridocactus aconcaguensis · Eriosyce curvispina subsp. aconcaguensis · Eriosyce curvispina var. aconcaguensis · Neoporteria curvispina f. aconcaguensis · Pyrrhocactus horridus var. aconcaguensis [2-WWW]

Related plant cards

Eriosyce orientalisEriosyce

Created 21 October 2026

Last modified 21 October 2026

Sources for this account

[2-WWW]Source website

Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

https://powo.science.kew.org/

Accepted names, synonyms and distribution. A citation beside a taxon leads to its record.

Accessed 2026-10-08.

Article2024

Taxonomic dissection based on molecular evidence of the Eriosyce curvispina complex (Cactaceae): identifying nine endemic species from Central Chile

Walter H. E., Cádiz-Véliz A., Meriño B. M., Villalobos-Barrantes H. M., Guerrero P. C., Taxonomic dissection based on molecular evidence of the Eriosyce curvispina complex (Cactaceae): identifying nine endemic species from Central Chile, PhytoKeys, 2024, 237:117-139, doi: 10.3897/phytokeys.237.107403

A revision of the Eriosyce curvispina complex recognizes nine species using molecular evidence, morphology, distribution and historical nomenclature. It provides an identification key, diagnostic descriptions, habitat information and proposed threat categories. Material from the vicinity of the original locality helps establish a narrower application of E. curvispina.

Physiology and anatomyGenusEriosyce

DOI ↗Article or source page ↗

Zeszyt czasopisma2004

Kaktusy i Inne — zeszyt 2

[Autor nieustalony, Kaktusy i Inne — zeszyt 2, Kaktusy i Inne, 2004, nr 2]

A 2004 issue preserved in Konrad Szychowski's private archive. Supplied excerpts include material on Copiapoa, Neoraimondia, Neowerdermannia and Samaipaticereus.

GenusCopiapoaNeoraimondiaNeowerdermanniaSamaipaticereus

Bibliographic details and access scope

Data according to the source used. Author unknown.

Copy in the supplied material