Matucana aureiflora

Matucana aureiflora is a species of Matucana found in Peru.^[2]

Matucana aureiflora
Conservation status
Critically Endangered  (IUCN 2.3)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Order:	Caryophyllales
Family:	Cactaceae
Subfamily:	Cactoideae
Genus:	Matucana
Species:	M. aureiflora
Binomial name
Matucana aureiflora Friedrich Ritter, 1965
Synonyms
Borzicactus aureiflorus (F.Ritter) Donald 1971 Submatucana aureiflora (F.Ritter) Backeb. 1966

Description

Matucana aureiflora usually grows solitary with flat spherical, shiny dark green shoots up to 13 cm (5.1 in) in diameter. There are 11-27 blunt ribs made up of flat protuberances. The spines are firm, curved, yellow to tan yellow, darker at their base. The areoles have up to four central spines, which can also be missing, are 1.2 to 2.5 cm (0.47 to 0.98 in) long and 8 to 14 comb-shaped radial spines reach a length of 0.7 to 1.8 cm (0.28 to 0.71 in).

The broad, funnel-shaped, radial flowers are golden yellow, 3–4.5 cm (1.2–1.8 in) long and have a diameter of up to 4 cm (1.6 in). The fruits are egg-shaped, purplish and 1.4 cm (0.55 in) long with a 1 cm (0.39 in) diameter.^[3]

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Distribution

Matucana aureiflora is found in the Peruvian region of Cajamarca at altitudes of 2800 to 2900 meters. In the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the species is classified as "Critically Endangered (CR)".^[1]

Taxonomy

The first description was in 1965 by Friedrich Ritter. Further nomenclature synonyms are Submatucana aureiflorus (F.Ritter) Backeb. (1966) and Borzicactus aureiflorus (F.Ritter) Donald (1971).