Publication: Lazaroa 17: 53. 1996
Description
Echinopsis pentlandii subs. Larae, better known as Lobivia larae, is one of the many geographical or morphological form of Echinopsis pentlandii. Many variant of Echinopsis pentlandii was early classified as different independent species, but nowadays all this plants are considered part of a multiform species, where each form is linked to others by populations of plants with intermediate characteristics. Echinopsis pentlandii subs. Larae has distinctive dark purple, to pink lilac flowers with a paler throat. The stems are hemispherical and quite flattened with comb shaped radial spines, slightly curved and thickened at the base.
Habit: Simple at first it slowly ramifies from the base to form clusters.
Roots: Tap root.
Stem: Low thick flat, or spherical, but usually broader than high, somewhat umbilicate at apex, bright green, dark green, up to 4 cm tall and 12 cm in diameter.
Ribs:9–12, sharp edged, broken into long acute, hatchet-shaped, tubercles, separated by acute intervals.
Areoles: Felted about 1,5 cm apart.
Spines: Variable, stout, all radial or sometime with one central.
Central spines: Usually absent.
Radial spines: 9–12, somewhat pectinated, slightly curved backward, pale grey to whitish, thickened at the base.
Flowers: Diurnal, funnel shaped, dark purple to pink lilac, with a usual clearer centre, 6 cm long, 5 cm diameter. Tube relatively stout up to 1 cm in diameter. Inner perianth-segments, narrowly obovate, abruptly acute, spreading. Stamens and style much shorter than the inner perianth-segments. Style below green, above yellow. Scales on ovary and flower-tube lanceolate with short hairs in their axils.
Blooming season: Blooms are produced in spring and remain open for about three days.
Fruit: Subglobose, 10 to 12 mm in diameter.
Origin and Habitat
Tarata to Rio Caine, Dept. Cochabamba, Bolivia
Altitude: 2500 metres above sea level.
Cultivation and Propagation
This is a a much decorative frost hardy cactus easily found in cultivation. It is a summer grower species that offers no cultivation difficulties.
Soil: Use a very a particularly draining substratum, as it is very sensitive to rottenness when in presence of humidity and low temperatures and let the soil dry out between waterings, since it’s natural habitat is in volcanic soil, it has adapted to more acidic conditions.
Repotting: Repot in the spring, when their roots become cramped. Generally, they should be repotted every other year in order to provide fresh soil. After repotting, do not water for a week or more. Needs a large pot to accommodate a large root system.
Water: In summer, during the vegetative period, it must be regularly watered, but allowing the substratum to completely dry up before irrigating again (but do not overwater); in winter, it’s to be kept dry. Preferable not to water on overcast days, humid days or cold winter days.
Hardiness: It is a quite frost resistant cactus, hardy to -5° C (- 10° C if very dry). However in cultivation it is better not to expose it to temperatures lower than -0° C, even if in an aerated and protected location, in order to avoid the formation of anti-aesthetic spots on the epidermis. In presence of high atmospheric humidity avoid any frost as it is particularly sensitive to root rot.
Exposure: Outside full sun or afternoon shade, inside needs bright light, and some direct sun, but, as a former mountain dweller, does not care for extremely high temperatures in summer.
Use: It is suitable for small “desert” gardens, in association with other xerophytes. Where the open air cultivation is not possible due to the climate, it is to be cultivated in pot in order to shelter it in winter.
Propagation: By seeds and by cuttings, provided left drying up well, in summer.
Bibliography
Major references and further lectures
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N. L. Britton, J. N. Rose “The Cactaceae. Descriptions and Illustrations of Plants of the Cactus Family.” Volume 3, The Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington 1922
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Edward Anderson “The Cactus family” Timber Press, Incorporated, 2001
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James Cullen, Sabina G. Knees, H. Suzanne Cubey “The European Garden Flora Flowering Plants: A Manual for the Identification of Plants Cultivated in Europe, Both Out-of-Doors and Under Glass” Cambridge University Press, 11/Aug/2011
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David R Hunt; Nigel P Taylor; Graham Charles; International Cactaceae Systematics Group. “The New Cactus Lexicon” dh books, 2006
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E Haustein “Der Kosmos Kakteenfuehrer” Balogh Scientific Books, United States, 01/Dec/1998
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Willy Cullmann, Erich Götz (Dozent Dr.), Gerhard Gröner “The encyclopedia of cacti” Timber Press, 1987
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S. H. Scott “The Observer’s Book of Cacti and Other Succulents” F. Warne, 1958
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Clive Innes, Charles Glass “Cacti” Portland House, 01/May/1991
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Haage Walther “Kakteen von A bis Z” Anaconda 2008
