Espostoa Britton & Rose (1929)
named after Nicolas E. Esposto
Peruvian botanist on the Escuela Nacional de Agricultura in Lima
columnar cactus, dendriform to bushy, somewhat branched like candelabra, usually dense white hairy
hairs silky, like cobwebs around the plants, on the crown not soft and dense
on the sprout end is an cephalium with whiteish, yellowish or brownish hairs
spines short, thin, white, yellowish or red
flowers about 5 cm (2 in) long, whiteish, at nights, appears on the cephalium
fruits berry like, red, sparse hairy; seeds dull black |
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Distribution |
south America - Ekuador, Peru, Bolivia
steppes and mountains |
Growth period |
many warmness and full sun
only moderate watering, only at warm weather,
moisture at cold weather is dangerous
not watering from above,therewith the hairs stay clean
occasionally spraying with water is to recommend in the evening
to hold the plants clean, is cultivating in a greenhouse recommendable
in midsummer keep the plant dry for a growth rest, main growth period is in spring time and fall |
Winter period |
absolutly dry at 10–14°C (50–57°F), as possible not under 10°C (50°F) |
Substrat |
minerally, nutrient-rich, loose and well-permeable for water
with addition of crushed bricks |
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| Espostoa melanostele (Vaupel) Borg (1937) |
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Habitat |
Peru
Chosica -
at Huinco in the Eulalia valley, from Rio Pisco to Rio Saña
in (800) 1000–2000 (2800) m ((2620) 3280–6560 (9190) ft) altitude |
Description |
black columnar Espostoa (spines and hairs of older plants are black)
to 2 m (6.5 in) tall, branching at the base, shoots to 10 cm (3.9 in) Ø
ribs about 25, with tubercles
areoles dense
lenght and strenght of the spines are very variable, usually hardly 0.5 cm (0.2 in) long, thin, bristly,
several to 4 cm (1.6 in) long, strong, yellow
hairs are dense, white, covers the crown and complete plant like a cobweb
on older plants spines and hairs are blackish
cephalium over about 8 ribs, yellow-brown
fruits white to yellowish, slight hirsute |
Synonyms |
Cephalocereus melanostele F. Vaupel (1913)
Binghamia melanostele (F. Vaupel) Britton & Rose (1920) (incorrect name)
Pseudoespostoa melanostele (F. Vaupel) C. Backeberg (1934)
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CITES |
Appendix II |
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