Matucana formosa

Matucana formosa is a species of Matucana found in Peru.

Matucana formosa
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:	Matucana
Species:	M. formosa
Binomial name
Matucana formosa F.Ritter 1963
Synonyms
Borzicactus formosus (F.Ritter) Donald 1971 Loxanthocereus formosus (F.Ritter) Buxb. 1974 Submatucana formosa (F.Ritter) Backeb. 1963 Matucana formosa var. minor F.Ritter 1963 Submatucana formosa var. minor (F.Ritter) Backeb. 1963

Description

Matucana formosa usually grows with globular, gray-green shoots that branch out from the base and reaches stature heights of 10 to 15 cm (3.9 to 5.9 in) and the same diameter. There are 20-30 narrow, slightly bumpy ribs. Areoles have straight to slightly curved, stiff, dark brown spines have a darker tip and turn gray with age. The 1 to 4 central spines are 2 to 5 cm (0.79 to 1.97 in) and 6 to 11 radial spines growing up to 3 cm (1.2 in) long.

The crimson flowers have a curved flower tube and a crooked mouth. They are 8 to 10 cm (3.1 to 3.9 in) long and have a diameter of 4 to 7.5 cm (1.6 to 3.0 in). The length of the spherical, green and red fruits is 1.5 cm (0.59 in). Their diameter is 1 cm (0.39 in).^[2]

Distribution

Matucana formosa is distributed in the Peruvian departments of La Libertad, Cajamarca and Amazonas in the valley of the Río Marañón at altitudes of 800 to 1100 meters.

Taxonomy

The first description was in 1963 by Friedrich Ritter.^[3] Nomenclature synonyms are Submatucana formosa (F.Ritter) Backeb. (1963), Borzicactus formosus (F.Ritter) Donald (1971) and Loxanthocereus formosus (F.Ritter) Buxb. (1974).