Cumulopuntia corotilla

Budowa populacji opisanych jako C. corotilla

In the narrow treatment of the 2020 revision, plants formed low compact cushions up to about 20 cm tall and 40 cm in diameter, with a thick storage root. Stem segments were ovoid to elongated, with areoles concentrated mainly in the upper part. Spine number varied from nearly spineless forms to those armed with several distinct spines per areole. Flowers had a pale-yellow perianth that changed shade with age. [Pauca-Tanco and Quipuscoa 2020]

Yura and the slopes of Misti

Populations identified in this study as C. corotilla grew in the Yura area at 3000–3820 m, including communities with the grass Jarava ichu. Flowering was observed from August to October and fruiting from November to February. These data apply to the sites studied in Arequipa. [Pauca-Tanco and Quipuscoa 2020]

Separately described C. mistiensis (now a synonym of C. corotilla) grew in places including the foothills of Misti and Pichu Pichu at 3000–3732 m. They also had a thick root, variable stem-segment shape and often orange flowers. Plants occurred with grasses, scrub and Polylepis communities. Comparing the two descriptions reveals the range of variation formerly divided between two species. [Pauca-Tanco and Quipuscoa 2020] [2-WWW]

Identification and names

An entire set of characters is useful for identification, including root, growth form, areole arrangement, fruit structure and comparison with type material. Spine number alone varies even within a population. The names Tephrocactus corotilla and T. mistiensis remain important terms when reading older literature and collection labels. [Pauca-Tanco and Quipuscoa 2020] [2-WWW]