Echinopsis calochlora

Echinopsis calochlora, is a species of Echinopsis cactus found in Bolivia.^[2]

Echinopsis calochlora
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Order:	Caryophyllales
Family:	Cactaceae
Subfamily:	Cactoideae
Genus:	Echinopsis
Species:	E. calochlora
Binomial name
Echinopsis calochlora K.Schum.
Synonyms
Lobivia calochlora (K.Schum.) Schlumpb. 2012 Echinopsis calochlora var. claviformis Rud.Mey. 1920 Echinopsis calochlora subsp. glaetzleana P.J.Braun & Esteves 1994 Echinopsis grandiflora Linke 1857 Echinopsis hammerschmidii Cárdenas 1956

Description

Echinopsis calochlora grows singly or in groups. The spherical to short cylindrical, dark green shoots reach heights of growth of 6 to 10 cm (2.4 to 3.9 in) with a diameter of 7 to 9 cm (2.8 to 3.5 in). The shoot apex is slightly depressed. There are about 15 sharp-edged ribs up to 1.5 cm (0.59 in) high that are notched. The circular, gray areoles located on them are up to 1 cm (0.39 in) apart. Dark grey, needle-like spines emerge from them, which are thickened at their base. The single, horizontally protruding central spine is 1.5 to 2 cm (0.59 to 0.79 in) long. The eight to nine slightly unequal radial spines have a length of 0.6 to 1.2 cm (0.24 to 0.47 in).

The narrow, funnel-shaped, long tubular, white flowers open at night. They are up to 18 cm (7.1 in) long and have a diameter of 7 cm (2.8 in). The spherical to ellipsoidal, dark green fruits tear open.^[3]

Distribution

Echinopsis calochlora is distributed in the Bolivian department of Santa Cruz in the lowlands around 600 meters.

Taxonomy

The first description by Martín Cárdenas was published in 1956. The specific epithet calochlora is derived from the Greek words kalos for 'beautiful' and chloros for 'green' referring to the plant's shiny green epidermis.