Chamaecereus silvestrii | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Order: | Caryophyllales |
Family: | Cactaceae |
Subfamily: | Cactoideae |
Genus: | Chamaecereus |
Species: | C. silvestrii
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Binomial name | |
Chamaecereus silvestrii (Speg.) Britton & Rose
[1]
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Synonyms [1] | |
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Chamaecereus silvestrii is a species of cactus from northwestern Argentina and Bolivia. Synonyms include Echinopsis chamaecereus and Lobivia silvestrii. [1] It has been called the peanut cactus. [2] This plant should not be confused with Echinopsis silvestrii, a synonym of Echinopsis albispinosa, a species with a very different appearance.
Chamaecereus silvestrii has long stems about 1 cm (0.4 in) across. Orange flowers up to 4 cm (1.6 in) wide appear in late spring. In cultivation, Ch. silvestrii is hardy to temperatures as low as −7 °C (19 °F) if kept dry. [2]
Ch. silvestrii was first collected and described in 1896 as Cereus silvestrii by Italian-Argentinian botanist Carlo Luigi Spegazzini in the mountains between the provinces of Tucuman and Salta, Argentina. [3] However, subsequent expeditions to the area failed to find the species Spegazzini had collected and it is unknown whether the species has gone extinct since the initial collection. [4]
This plant is a recipient of the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. [5]