Eriosyce andicola

Species circumscription

The 2024 revision recognized Eriosyce andicola as a separate lineage and assigned material from Cerro Chivato to it. POWO currently accepts this name. Its former inclusion in a broad E. curvispina reflected similar globose stems and considerable character variation across the complex [Walter et al. 2024] [2-WWW].

Stem and flower characters

The solitary stem reaches about 12–16 cm in diameter and may exceed 20 cm in height. Roots are fibrous. Spines are comparatively slender, with a paler, whitish lower portion and a brownish-red upper portion. Transverse colour bands may be visible. This colour pattern helps characterize the plant together with its other features [Walter et al. 2024].

Flowers are funnel-shaped, about 5 cm long, with a green outer tube. Tepals range from lemon to olive yellow, often with a purplish central stripe. The style is white. Flower structure and colour complement the spine characters used in the identification key [Walter et al. 2024].

Montane localities and conservation

The species was reported from the mountains between Río Molles and Cerro Chivato at 1000–2000 m elevation. Known sites are affected by fragmentation, mining and grazing. The 2024 revision proposed Vulnerable, VU. Retaining provenance information helps distinguish this montane lineage from similar plants in valleys and along the coast [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 andicola · Horridocactus andicola · Neoporteria curvispina var. andicola · Horridocactus andicola var. descendens · Horridocactus andicola var. robustus · Neoporteria curvispina f. descendens · Neoporteria curvispina f. robusta · Pyrrhocactus andicola var. descendens · Pyrrhocactus andicola var. robustus [2-WWW]

Related plant cards

Eriosyce grandifloraEriosyce

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