Specie con corpo cilindrico descritta recentemete. E' una pianta bellissima i cui fiori hanno la lucentezza della seta.

Family: Cactaceae (Cactus Family)

Scientific Name: Lobivia famatimensis
v. bonniae   Hogan & Halda

Type: Janeba 99061503, Deposited in Prague

Basionym: Lobivia Bonnieae Halda, Hogan & Janeba spec. nov.
 Original description : Halda, Hogan & Janeba under Halda & Horácek, New descriptions and combinations, Acta Mus. Richnov, Sect. Natur. 6(3): 234 (1999)

Distribution: Argentina, Prov. of Catamarca: Tinogasta, in the mountains around the Fiambalá valley, in the Sierra de Fiambalá and in the Sierra de Narváez.

Habitat: Grows along with a very sparse vegetation of Puna bonnieae, Echinopsis leucantha, Pterocactus tuberosus, Tephrocactus geometricus,  Cumulopuntia sp.,  Maihueniopsis sp. and Opuntia sulphurea on gravel slopes, in a  very drained and arid soil (composed of clay, sand and stones) at 1700 - 2.400 m ASL.

Conservation status: Listed in CITES Appendix II

Etymology: The genus name "Lobivia" is an anagram of Bolivia, which is the main centre of distribution of this plant.  The species name "famatimensis" derives from the "Sierra de Famatima" (LA RIOJA in Argentina) to which the species is native.  The variety name "bonnieae" derives from the name of one of  the discoverers: Mrs. Bonnie brunkow (moreover "bonnie" means beautiful).

Synonyms:

• Lobivia bonnieae Halda, Hogan & Janeba spec. nov.
• Lobivia bonnieae (Halda & Horacek, 1999)
• Lobivia famatimensis v. catamarcensis Rausch
• Echinopsis bonnieae (Halda, Hogan & Janeba) Halda & Malina

Newly described with thin cylindrical body.
Field number: FK96 Locality: (Kuhas) Fiambla, Rioja, Prov. Catamarca,  Argentina

Habit: Small solitary or branched, columnar geophytic cactus.
Stem: Thin, cylindrical, usually not branched, with a constant diameter ,but separated from the roots by a narrow collar. 10(-40) cm in height, diameter 1,5-2,5cm. The apex is depressed. The stems can be deciduous in the dry season, as is usual for the genus Pterocactus.
Areoles : On small tubercles, arranged in about 30 spiral lines whit short white hairs.
Spines: About 10, pectinate pink-brown that turn grey, 1-1,5mm long.
Roots: Tuberous, 10-15cm long, up to 5-15 mm in diameter.
Flower: Diurnal, silver-yellow, shining, outer tepals are bronze, diameter and height: 2,5 (-4) cm.  Blooming time: May.  Stigma yellow with red stylus.
Fruit: Ovate 1,2-1, 8cm long, 0,6-1,1 cm in diameter, dark violet, longitudinally dehiscent.  Covered by hairy scales.
Seeds: Seed black, up to 400 per fruit.

A beautiful photo from Brigitte Pelloux  (France)

  Notes: Related to L. famatimensis, clearly distinguished from it by the narrow neck that separates the large tuberous roots from the stem an for the tall cylindrical stem.

Cultivation: Very slow growing. The Lobivia famatimensis  have a thick taproot and are susceptible to over-watering.  Sometimes they are grafted to avoid root rot problems. Suited for sunny-bright exposure; they can tolerate light shade.  They like warmth (recommended minimum winter temperature 5° C).  But plant kept perfectly dry can easily survive in winter night temperatures below 0° C (In our greenhouse there was no damage at -10° C for a few hours in the winter of 2002-2003 ) They prefer airy exposures.  Water regularly in summer, but do not overwater, it prefer a completely dry place during winter. Suited for sunny-brightly exposure; can tolerate light shade.
Pests & diseases:   L. famatimensis is especially prone to rot, therefore, underpot in a smaller but deep pot filled with a highly gritty compost and much drainage, to accommodate its tap root. 

Propagation: Seeds or graft.  Seedlings of the var. bonnieae grow faster than other Lobivia famatimensis. 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.