Oreocereus trollii

Oreocereus trollii, commonly known as the Old Man of the Andes cactus, is a species of cacti native to Argentina and Bolivia.[2][3] Though listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, the plant is collected extensively, and in some areas is threatened.[4]

Oreocereus trollii
A mature O. trollii
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Cactaceae
Subfamily: Cactoideae
Genus: Oreocereus
Species:
O. trollii
Binomial name
Oreocereus trollii
(Kupper) Backeb.

Description

Slow growing, O. trollii produces red flowers, typically after reaching several feet in height.[2] Oreocereus trollii grows with shoots that branch out from the base, forms small groups and reaches heights of up to 50 centimeters. The short, columnar, light green shoots reach a diameter of 6 to 10 centimeters and are densely wrapped in wool. There are 15 to 25 strongly tuberous ribs. The white areoles on it are covered with wool up to 7 centimeters long. The resulting thorns are yellow, reddish or brown. The strong, subulate three to five central spines are up to 5 centimeters long and darker in color at the top. The 10 to 15 radial spines are bristle-like.[5]

The pink to crimson flowers are up to 4 centimeters long. The fruits are spherical.

  • closeup of spines and hairs
    closeup of spines and hairs
  • Plants
    Plants
  • closeup of spines and hairs
    closeup of spines and hairs

Distribution

Oreocereus trollii is distributed in the Bolivian departments of Chuquisaca, Oruro, Potosí and Tarija and in the Argentine province of Jujuy in the puna vegetation at altitudes of 3000 to 4000 meters.

Taxonomy

Named after Wilhelm Troll,[6] its common name comes from the abundant white hairs surrounding the plant which serve to protect it from scorching sunlight and frosts in its mountain habitat.[7] The first description as Cereus trollii was made in 1929 by Walter Kupper.[8] Curt Backeberg placed the species in the genus Oreocereus in 1936.[9] Nomenclature synonyms are Borzicactus trollii (Kupper) Kimnach (1960), Echinopsis trollii (Kupper) Anceschi & Magli (2013), Pilocereus trollii Kupper (1929) and Borzicactus celsianus var. trollii (Kupper) G.D.Rowley (1986)


Ecuadorian band EVHA takes its name from the local name of this cactus, "El Viejo Hombre de los Andes".

References
  1. "The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2010-09-23. Retrieved 2023-08-25.
  2. Graham Charles (30 April 2014). Cacti and Succulents: An illustrated guide to the plants and their cultivation. Crowood. p. 146. ISBN 978-1-84797-786-1.
  3. "Oreocereus trollii (Kupper) Backeb". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  4. "Oreocereus trollii". www.iucnredlist.org. Retrieved 2018-07-10.
  5. Anderson, Edward F.; Eggli, Urs (2005). Das grosse Kakteen-Lexikon (in German). p. 484. ISBN 3-8001-4573-1.
  6. Gynelle Leon (9 October 2017). Prick: Cacti and Succulents: Choosing, Styling, Caring. Octopus Books. ISBN 978-1-78472-394-1.
  7. Tonwen Jones (29 May 2018). How to Train Your Cactus: A Guide to Raising Well-Behaved Succulents. Andrews McMeel Publishing. p. 104. ISBN 978-1-4494-9467-4.
  8. "Au Cactus Francophone :". Au Cactus Francophone (in French). Retrieved 2023-08-25.
  9. "Au Cactus Francophone :". Au Cactus Francophone (in French). Retrieved 2023-08-25.
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