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It is difficult to take good pictures of this plant because the
petals are translucent and some colours are not captured well by digital
cameras.
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Description:
Small geophytic cactus up to 4cm in diameter but in culture it grows
slowly more than 7 cm tall and about 7cm in
diameter
Stem: Brown or grey-greenish with the a reddish-violet nuance.
Radial spines: 7-10 short.
Central spines: 0-1
Flowers: Dirty orangish with a silky shine
Cultivation:
Have thick
taproot and are
susceptible
to
over-watering, sometimes are
grafted to avoid
root
rot problems. Likes warmth (recommended minimum
winter temperature 5° C) But plant kept perfectly dry can easily
survive to winter night temperatures below 0° C (In our
greenhouse no damage with -10° C for a few hours in winter
2002-2003).
Sun Exposure: Suited for
sunny-brightly exposure; can
tolerate
light shade.
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Cultural Practices: Suited for
airy exposures. Needs deep pot
and good
drainage to accommodate its
tap root.
Keep dry in
winter.
Propagation: Seeds or
graft. Seeds can be sown in the spring or summer. The seedlings
should not be disturbed until they are well rooted after which
they can be planted separately in small pots.
Photo of conspecific taxa, varieties, forms and
cultivars of E. napina.
(This
Taxon
has lots of synonyms, with several controversial varieties and
subspecies, and comprises a multitude of different forms)
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Family:
Cactaceae (Cactus
Family)
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Scientific name:
Eriosyce aerocarpa
(F.Ritter) F.Kattermann 1994
Origin: Chile, Atacama (Around Carrizal Bajo at west of
Canto del Agua )
Habitat:
Grows in some extremely arid areas, in superficial soils covered with
quartz, and then the sand sustain the roots or in rocky quebradas deep
seated in rock crevices. They cohabit with Eriosyce napina ssp.
Challensis
Conservation status: Listed in
CITES appendix 2.
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Synonyms:
- Neochilenia aerocarpa
(F.Ritter) Backeb. 1959
- Chileorebutia aerocarpa
F.Ritter (Nom inval.) 1960
- Thelocephala aerocarpa
(F.Ritter) F.Ritter (Nom. inval.) 1980
- Neoporteria aerocarpa
(F. Ritter) Ferryman 1991
- Neoporteria reichei v.
aerocarpa (F. Ritter) J.D. Donald & G.D. Rowley, R. & K.
Preston-Mafham, Cacti: illus. dict.: 147: 1991
- Neoporteria reichei f.
aerocarpa
- Neoporteria napina v.
aerocarpa (F. Ritter) A.E. Hoffmann J.
In: Cactaceas en la flora silvestre de Chile: 226:
1989 arpa (F. Ritter) Don. & Rowley
- Eriosyce napina ssp.
aerocarpa Ferriman
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Heterotypic synonyms:
- Thelocephala nuda
F.Ritter 1980
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Plant dehydrated and retracted at the end
of winter rest shoving the first new spines.
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Cultivation and Mail Sale 
