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Austrocylindropuntia shaferi (Britton & Rose) Backeb.

Family: CACTACEAE

Publication: Cact. Succ. J. (Los Angeles) 23: 14. 1951

Description

AustrocylindrSN’>4067’ alt=‘4152’>Opuntia vestita#SN#4068’>Austrocylindr[[Opuntia vestitaSN’ style=‘border:none;’> is a moderately branched, cactus species forming erect clumps, to 30 cm or more tall and 15 cm in diameter.

Derivation of specific name: This member of the Cactaceae family was given this name by John Adolf Shafer (1863–1918). USAmerican botanist, pharmacist and plant collector who collected cacti for the botanists N. L. Britton and J. N. Rose in South America in 1916–1917. Shafer’s Opuntia.

Stems: Usually in clusters of 2 to 20, branching near soil level, erect, sometimes divided into distinct segments. Segments cylindrical to subclavate, to 15 cm long and 2.5 to 3.5 cm in diameter, dark green, very spiny. Tubercles low, often indistinct, irregular.

Leaves: Deciduous, conical, 6 mm long, dark green.

Areoles: 1 cm apart or less, small, circular, white-felted.

Glochids: Numerous, prominent, whitish from the upper margin of the areole.

Spines: 6-15 at an areole, brownish, reddish brown or whitish, needle-like, unequal, not stout, flexible, spreading, varying from 1 to 5 cm long and sometimes associated with long white hairs or bristles. Hairs few to several (5-20), 0.5-2 cm long, white, caducous.

Flowers: Deep red, to 3 cm long arising at upper areoles. Pericarpels globose to pear shaped, 1.5-2 cm long and in diameter, green, spineless but with numerous areoles bearing hairs and glochids. Perianth rotate with about 20 segments, the outer smaller, greenish red, the inner to 2 cm long, broad, shining deep red. Stamens 20-30, 16 mm long, filaments and anthers yellow. Ovary

globose, 8 mm in diameter; style cylindric, slightly protruding over the stamens, cream-coloured, stigma lobes 4-5 green, papillose.

Fruit: Globular, about 2 cm in diameter, bright red, half-dry, bearing numerous large areoles, the areoles white-felted, with glochids and hairs, but no spines, caducous when ripe. umbiculus flat, pale-brown. Pulp, white.

Seeds: 10-30 per fruit, 2 mm long, 1.3 mm in diameter, turgid, pyriform, pointed at base, with apical hilum smooth, yellow-brown, with a prominent slightly paler dorsal line. The fruits do not split open at maturity, but they break up as they rot on the ground.

Similar species: AustrocylindrSN’>4151’ alt=‘4152’>Opuntia shaferi#SN#4152’>Austrocylindr[[Opuntia shaferiSN’ style=‘border:none;’> is closely related to AustrocylindrSN’>4151’ alt=‘4068’>Opuntia shaferi#SN#4152’>Austrocylindr[[Opuntia shaferiSN’ style=‘border:none;’> but less cespitose, taller and larger, and with fertile fruit. Moreover the stems of A. vestita are completely covered with hairs with spines less than 15 mm long, while the stems of A. shaferi have some hairs only on the juvenile growth and spines 10-50 mm long.

Origin and Habitat

Austrocylindropuntia shaferi is distributed in Argentina in Jujuy, and in Bolivia in Chuquisaca, Oruro, Potosí and Tarija. The species is very abundant throughout its range.

Altitude range: 1,500 to 3,800 metres above sea level.

Habitat and Ecology: Austrocylindropuntia shaferi grows in very rocky soils with very little vegetation, in prepuna and puna. It also grows on dry hills and near river shores. There is no known use or trade of this species. There are no major threats for this species.

Cultivation and Propagation

This particular species needs regular watering when soil is dry during the growing season is but it is prone to root rot, so prudent watering is necessary. Keep dry in winter. I comes from high altitude and do not like hot, stuffy summers, it is best to put them in airy places with ample airflow. It requires a very drained and mineral potting mix and a full sun or slightly shady exposure. Protect from severe frost.

Propagation: Seeds are seldom available and extremely difficult to germinate. Best reproduced by cutting that produce roots easily.

Bibliography

Major references and further lectures

  1. N. L. Britton, J. N. Rose: “The Cactaceae. Descriptions and Illustrations of Plants of the Cactus Family.” Vol I, The Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington 1919

  2. David Hunt, Nigel Taylor “The New Cactus Lexicon” DH Books, 2006

  3. Edward F. Anderson “The Cactus Family” Timber Press, 2001Hunt, D., Taylor, N. and Charles, G. (compilers and editors). 2006. The New Cactus Lexicon. dh Books, Milborne Port, UK.

  4. Lowry, M., Ortega-Baes, P. & Perea, M. 2013. Austrocylindropuntia shaferi. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2013: e.T152086A595592. Downloaded on 27 February 2016.

  5. Kiesling, R. and Ferrari, O.E. “100 Cactus Argentinos”. Albatros, Buenos Aires. 2009.

  6. Santecchia, S. and Rajal, M.V. ”Descripción de las cactáceas del extremo norte de la Puna Jujeña - Argentina.” Boletín de la Sociedad Latinoamericana y del Caribe de Cactáceas y otras Suculentas 6(1): 14-17.2009.

  7. Urs Eggli, Leonard E. Newton ”Etymological Dictionary of Succulent Plant Names.” Springer, Berlin/Heidelberg 2010

  8. López, R. P. “La prepuna boliviana.” Ecol. Bolivia 34: 45–70. 2000.

  9. Cactus and Succulent Journal. 23(1): 14.1951

  10. Roberto Kiesling “The identity of Austrocylindropuntia weingartiana” The Cactus and Succulent Journal of Great Britain Volume 42(4): 109 -no (1980)

  11. Curt Backeberg “Blätter für Kakteenforschung: Bulletin of actus research” 1935(pt. 8, sine pag.): [4] genus 10, subgen. IV-1-b, sp. 2 (fig.). Type (not preserved): S. Bolivia, 3000 m., collector not stated.

  12. “Bradleya: Yearbook of the British Cactus and Succulent Society” The Society, 2005

  13. Austrocylindropuntia shaferi (Britton & Rose) Backeb. in Cact. Succ. J. Amer. 23:14 (1951).

  14. Cylindropuntia shaferi (B. & R.) Backeb., in Backeb. & F. M. Knuth, “Kaktus-ABC”, 119 (1935).

  15. Cylindropuntia weingartiana {Backch.) Backeb. in Backeb. & F. M. Knuth, “Kaktus-ABC”, 119 (1935)

  16. Austrocylindropuntia weingartiana (Backeb.) Backeb., in Cact. Succ. J. Amer. 23:14 17) (1951).

From llifle page Austrocylindropuntia humahuacana

Description

Austrocylindropuntia shaferi var. humahuacana is just an ecological form of Austrocylindropuntia shaferi.

Source: Austrocylindropuntia humahuacana, LLIFLE - Encyclopedia of living forms, CC-BY-SA, retrieved 2026-10-25.

From llifle page Austrocylindropuntia weingartiana

Origin and Habitat

Bolivia (Potosí, Tarija, Chuquisaca, Cochabamba), and Argentina (Jujuy).

Altitude range: 2700-3700 metres above sea level.

Type locality: Bolivia, above Tupiza, altitude c. 3000 m.

Habitat and ecology: Steep rocky slopes and small hill in valley bottom almost exclusively between or among shrubs.

Bibliography

Major references and further lectures

  1. Curt Backeberg “Blätter für Kakteenforschung: Bulletin of actus research” 1935 (pt. 8, sine pag.): [4] genus 10, subgen. IV-1-b, sp. 2 (fig.). Type (not preserved): S. Bolivia, 3000 m., collector not stated.

  2. Roberto Kiesling “The identity of Austrocylindropuntia weingartiana” The Cactus and Succulent Journal of Great Britain Volume 42(4): 109 -no (1980)

  3. “Bradleya: Yearbook of the British Cactus and Succulent Society” The Society, 2005

  4. Austrocylindropuntia shaferi (Britton & Rose) Backeb. in Cact. Succ. J. Amer. 23:14(1951).

  5. Opuntia shaferi Britton & Rose, The Cact. 1: 72 (1919). Type: Argentina, Jujuy, between Purmamarca and Tumbaya, 6 Feb. 1917, Shafer 90 (US, holo.; K, iso.!).

  6. Cylindropuntia shaferi (B. & R.) Backeb., in Backeb. & F. M. Knuth, “Kaktus-ABC”}, 119 (1935).

  7. {{Cylindroptwtia weingartiana {Backch.) Backeb. in Backeb. & F. M. Knuth, “Kaktus-ABC”, 119 (1935)

  8. Austrocylindropuntia weingartiana (Backeb.) Backeb., in Cact. Succ. J. Amer. 23:14 (1951).

Source: Austrocylindropuntia weingartiana, LLIFLE - Encyclopedia of living forms, CC-BY-SA, retrieved 2026-10-25.

Cultivars and forms (1)

Varieties (1)