Publication: Cactaceae Syst. Init. 9: 11. 2000
Description
Tunilla soehrensii is a low low growing cactus, often prostrate and creeping , rooting on under-edges of growth. It forms masses usually 1 meter in diameter or less
Derivation of specific name: “soehrensii” For Prof. Johannes Sohrens (t 1934), German botanist and later director of the Botanical Garden at Santiago de Chile.
Stem (cladodes): At first erect or ascending, finally prostrate and rooting and forming new colonies, flattened, orbicular, sometimes inequilateral or crescent shaped, somewhat tuberculate, very spiny, 4-6 cm long, green, often purplish.
Areoles: Close set, as many as 60 or more per segment.
Leaves: Very small falling off early.
Spines: 2-12, usually 5-8, needle-like, stout, rather variable in color,
usually yellowish to brownish, erect, unequal, spreading, on most areoles, the longest ones
to 7 cm long.
Flowers: Mostly yellow, occasionally orange or red, 3-5.5 cm long; pericarpels with areoles nearly to bases, bristly above. Sepals brown; filaments yellow; style white; stigma-lobes green.
Fruits: to 2.5(-3) cm long, lacking areoles below, with some spines to 2 cm long above.
Seeds: 3 to 3.5 mm. broad, ovate, thickish, with narrow margin and roughened sides.
Taxonomy notes: According to Kiesling & Ferrari (2005, 29), in habitat the boundaries between species of the genus Tunilla are not so well defined. More precisely, the boundaries are not so defined between Tunilla soehrensii and Tunilla tilcarensis.
Origin and Habitat
Tunilla soehrensii is widely distributed in Argentina (Jujuy, Salta, and Tucumán), Peru (Arequipa, Puno, Moquegua, and Tacna), south through the Bolivian Altiplano ( La Paz and Oruro) into Chile (Arica y Parinacota, Tarapacá, and Antofagasta ). Tunilla soehrensii is widespread and abundant in portions of its range
Altitude range: It grows at elevations from 2,000 to 3,800 metres above sea level.
Habitat and Ecology: This species grows in shrublands and high altitude grasslands, in the heat of the sun and in the shadow of nurse plants. This species may be favored by livestock grazing. It is not exposed to any major threat. This cactus has no conservation problems and is present in several protected areas.
Cultivation and Propagation
Tunilla soehrensii is a low maintenance groundcover plant that tolerate considerable neglect and will naturalize, it is drought-tolerant; and suitable for xeriscaping.
Growing rate: It is relatively fast-growing species; in cultivation with generous irrigation it sprawls to form large low mounds in only a few years. It is suitable for hanging baskets too.
Soils: Easy to cultivate outdoor in dry, sandy or gravely, well-drained soils. May be grown in clay soils as long as drainage is good and soils do not remain wet, it is very adaptable both in acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils, but prefers a pH in the range 6 to 7.5.
Repotting: Use pot with good drainage.
Feeding: During the beautiful season it’s good to enrich the soil using a fertilizer rich in potassium and phosphorous, but poor in nitrogen, because this chemical element doesn’t help the development of succulent plants, making them too soft and full of water.
Watering Needs: Outdoors little or no water once established, in the green house irrigate regularly from March to october, keep fairly dry in winter, tolerate dry condition but suffer if exposed to prolonged and severe drought. A position at the base of a south-facing wall or somewhere that can be protected from winter rain is best for this plant, but is however resistant to moisture and rain.
Sun Exposure: Full sun, in semi shaded position wont produce many flowers.
Frost hardiness: They are reasonably cold hardy , tolerating temperatures down to -5° to -15° C (or even less) depending on clone, they are also quite tolerant of winter wet. (In good drained soils)
Heat Tolerance: Excellent.
Pest & diseases: No serious insect or disease problems. Watch for mealy-bugs.
Propagation: Propagated by cuttings of leaf pads at any time in the growing season. (Allow cut surface to callus over before planting).
Bibliography
Major references and further lectures
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Kiesling, R., Demaio, P., Cáceres, F., Faundez, L., Walter, H.E. & Saldivia, P. 2013. Tunilla soehrensii. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2015.1. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 10 June 2015.
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David Hunt, Nigel Taylor “The New Cactus Lexicon” DH Books, 2006
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Edward F. Anderson “The Cactus Family” Timber Press, 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/August/2011
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Nathaniel Lord Britton, Joseph Nelson Rose “Cactaceae: Descriptions and Illustrations of Plants of the Cactus Family” vol. 1 The Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington 1919
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Edgar Heim “Flora of Arequipa, Peru: A Field Guide for Nature Lovers” BoD – Books on Demand, 01 December 2014
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Urs Eggli, Leonard E. Newton “Etymological Dictionary of Succulent Plant Names” Springer Science & Business Media, 29 June 2013
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Roberto Kiesling, Omar E. Ferrari “100 Cactus Argentinos” Editorial Albatros, 30/June/2005
From llifle page Airampoa tilcarensis
Description
Tunilla tilcarensis, best known in cultivation as Airampoa tilcarensis, is a low low growing cactus with flattened, semicircular stems, covered with long needle-like spines. The flowers are large and showy, yellow to red. According to Kiesling & Ferrari (2005), in habitat the boundaries between species of the genus Tunilla are not so well defined. More precisely, the boundaries are not so defined between Tunilla soehrensii and Tunilla tilcarensis, these two species are very similar (if not the same) and it is hard to tell apart one from the other, if not for the geographical provenance and they are not considered distinct. The names Tunilla tilcarensis is not accepted by many botanists that treat it as synonym, but it still has a value for a collector because they identify plants with particular characters.
Habit: It forms carpets usually 1 meter in diameter or less.
Derivation of specific name: “tilcarensis” For the town of San Francisco de Tilcara (usually referred to as Tilcara) in the province of Jujuy, Argentina, and the head town of the Tilcara Department.
Stem (cladodes): At first erect or ascending, finally prostrate and rooting on under-edges of growth and forming new colonies, flattened, orbicular, sometimes crescent shaped, somewhat tuberculate, very spiny, 4-6 cm long.
Leaves: Very small falling off early.
Spines: 2-12, usually 5-8, needle-like, stout, rather variable in colour, usually yellowish to brownish, erect, unequal, spreading, on most areoles, 3-7 cm long, but occasionally up to 13 cm long (see: Tunilla tilcarensis cv. Fuchs).
Flowers: Mostly yellow, occasionally orange or red, to 5.5 cm long
Fruits: to 2.5(-3) cm long, lacking areoles below, with some spines to 2 cm long above. Fruits split either horizontally, or vertically on the umbilicus, a character, this latter, that in Hunt et al. (2006) indicated as distinctive of T. tilcarensis.
Origin and Habitat
Tunilla tilcarensis is endemic to Argentina, where it occurs in Jujuy, more specifically in Tilcara (extent of occurrence is 5,200 km2).
Altitude range: It grows at elevations between 2,000 and 3,000 metres above sea level.
Habitat and Ecology: This cactus grows in rocky soils in the Prepuna Region of northern Argentina. Although Tunilla tilcarensis has a restricted range, it is abundant and there are no major threats affecting it.
Cultivation and Propagation
Tunilla tilcarensis is a low maintenance groundcover plant that tolerate considerable neglect and will naturalize, it is drought-tolerant; and suitable for xeriscaping.
Growing rate: It is relatively fast-growing species; in cultivation with generous irrigation it sprawls to form large low mounds in only a few years. It is suitable for hanging baskets too.
Soils: Easy to cultivate outdoor in dry, sandy or gravely, well-drained soils. May be grown in clay soils as long as drainage is good and soils do not remain wet, it is very adaptable both in acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils, but prefers a pH in the range 6 to 7.5.
Repotting: Use pot with good drainage.
Feeding: During the beautiful season it’s good to enrich the soil using a fertilizer rich in potassium and phosphorous, but poor in nitrogen, because this chemical element doesn’t help the development of succulent plants, making them too soft and full of water.
Watering Needs: Outdoors little or no water once established, in the green house irrigate regularly from March to october, keep fairly dry in winter, tolerate dry condition but suffer if exposed to prolonged and severe drought. A position at the base of a south-facing wall or somewhere that can be protected from winter rain is best for this plant, but is however resistant to moisture and rain.
Sun Exposure: Full sun, in semi shaded position wont produce many flowers.
Frost hardiness: They are reasonably cold hardy , tolerating temperatures down to -5° to -15° C (or even less) depending on clone, they are also quite tolerant of winter wet. (In good drained soils)
Heat Tolerance: Excellent.
Pest & diseases: No serious insect or disease problems. Watch for mealy-bugs.
Propagation: Propagated by cuttings of leaf pads at any time in the growing season. (Allow cut surface to callus over before planting).
Bibliography
Major references and further lectures
-
Demaio, P. & Kiesling, R. 2013. Tunilla tilcarensis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2015.1. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 11 June 2015.
-
David Hunt, Nigel Taylor “The New Cactus Lexicon” DH Books, 2006
-
Edward F. Anderson “The Cactus Family” Timber Press, 2001
-
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/August/2011
-
Roberto Kiesling, Omar E. Ferrari “100 Cactus Argentinos” Editorial Albatros, 30/June/2005
-
Urs Eggli, Leonard E. Newton “Etymological Dictionary of Succulent Plant Names” Springer Science & Business Media, 29 June 2013
Source: Airampoa tilcarensis, LLIFLE - Encyclopedia of living forms, CC-BY-SA, retrieved 2026-10-25.