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  Eriosyce senilis "multicolor"
(Syn: Eriosyce nidus var. multicolor)
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Eriosyce multicolor is a heavy bloomer.
 


         (Left) A specimen with brownish-black spines

and (Right) one with white/pastel spines.                       
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              Frequently labelled    "Neoperteria multicolor"


in reference to the very variable coloured spines.   

Photo gallery: Alphabetical listing of Cactus and Succulent pictures published in this site.

Photo gallery ERIOSYCE


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Family: Cactaceae (Cactus Family)

Accepted Scientific name: Eriosyce senilis (Backeb.) F.Kattermann 1994

Origin: Chile (Valley of Rio Chapoa)

Conservation status: Listed in CITES Appendix II

Habitat: These plants live among small valleys and traverse to the sea.

Synonyms:

  • Echinocactus senilis Phillipii (Nom illeg.)
  • Neoporteria nidus Britton & Rose
  • Neoporteria nidus v. multicolor (Ritt.) Hoffmann
  • Neoporteria nidus var. gerocephala
  • Neoporteria senilis Backeberg 1935
  • Neoporteria gerocephala Y.Itô (Nom illeg.) 1957
  • Neoporteria multicolor Ritter 1963
  • Neoporteria robusta F.Ritter 1963
  • Neoporteria coimasensis var. robusta
  • Eriosyce kunzei 'multicolor' (Ritter)
 


Description:
Solitary cacti with with dens covering of spines, it hybridize easily in habitat and in cultivation too with other species of the genus Eriosyce.
Stems: Purplish and solitary, globose to short columnar, 6-18 cm tall, 5-8 cm in diameter;
Ribs:13 to 21 notched somehow depressed between the areoles.
Root: Large, tuberose yellowish.
Areoles: Woolly.
Spines:; 15 to 40 radials Very dense, glassy, variable in colour from blond/white, yellow, brown to almost black, with darker tips; straight to strongly curled and tangled, some hairlike soft and flexible, other needle-like and stiff, of variable length, obscuring the plant body and becoming longer with age.
Central spines: About 20, 30-60 mm long.
Radial spines:
15-40 20-60 mm long.
Flowers: 1-5 (or more) cm long and in diameter, borne at plant apex on young areoles, tubular to narrow funnel-form, showing various shades of purple-pink with clearer throat in the spring, 2.5-5 cm, 1-3 cm wide; Floral tube with tufts of white wool.
Fruits: elongate to clavate, reddish opening by basal pores at maturity.
curled and tangled, some hairlike soft and flexible, other needle-like and stiff, of variable length, obscuring the plant body and becoming longer with age.

 E. senilis subspecies:

ssp. senilis: It has thin twisted spines and flowers with few bristles and wool. Origin: Rio Choapa.
ssp. coimasensis: It has strong stiff straight spines. Origin: Las Copimas south to Monte Negro.
ssp. elquiensis:  It has thin twisted spines but the flowers have many bristles and wool. Origin: Elqui Valley.
 


Cultivation: It is a summer-growing species. Water regularly in summer, but do not over-water (rot prone).  It needs good drainage and very a porous potting soil Keep dry in winter. Feed with a high potassium fertilizer in summer.
 Need Full sun to bright shade. Frost Tolerance: -4°C. Propagation: Seeds
 
Propagation: Seeds (seldom produces offsets)

Photo of conspecific taxa, varieties, forms and cultivars of plants belonging to the Eriosyce senilis complex (This Taxon has lots of synonyms (like many other cacti) with several controversial varieties and subspecies, and comprises a multitude of different forms, but where each form is linked to others by populations of plants with intermediate characteristics):

Home | E-mail | Plant files | Mail Sale Catalogue | Links | Information | Search

All the information and photos in cactus art file are now available also in the new the Enciclopedia of Cacti. We hope you find this new site informative and useful.