Trichocereus Tarijensis

 Trichocereus Tarijensis

New Name: Echinopsis Tarijensis + ssp. herzogiana, ssp. tarijensis and ssp. totorensis

Trichocereus Tarijensis is large closely related to the bigger Trichos like Trichocereus Bertramineus and Trichocereus Poco. It is most likely synonymous with trichocereus totorensis, bertramineus and poco.

The location of the typus is Tarija in Bolivia and it grows throughout southwest and south bolivia, parts if Argentina and the Andes.

Synonyms: Trichocereus Poco, Helianthocereus Poco, cereus Tarijensis, Lobivia Formosa ssp. tarijensis, Trichocereus Herzogiana, Helianthocereus Herzogiana, Helianthocereus Tarijensis, Trichocereus totorensis, Helianthocereus Totorensis.

Typically, Trichocereus Tarijensis has 15-25 ribs, can get up to 40 centimeters in diameter with many 1-10 centimeters long spines. Spines yellowish in color. 1-5 Middle thorns and up to 45 radial thorns. The spines are usually long and are pointing downwards, what gives Trichocereus Tarijensis a great protection against anything trying to touch it. The diameter can reach a stunning 40-50 centimeters. Young specimens are very similar to Trichocereus Pasacana, but are a lot more spiny, especially later on.

Flowers: Red to pink to milky white and over 10 centimeters in lenght. Green fruits, up to 5 centimeters in lenght. 3 centimeters in diameter. There is great variation within the look of the flowers and while some can be more rose-colored, some others look more reddish.

And also the rest of the plant can be greatly variable, which is the reason that this species caused a lot of confusion due to numerous descriptions of plants that somehow seem to belong into the same complex. A lot of the species inside Backeberg´s genus „Helianthocereus“ belong into the Tarijensis group, that now consists of a handful of subspecies, instead of varieties. That is a fine but very important difference and I tend to agree that this is exactly the right way to classify this group of impressive giants that can be found all over the Andes.

Pic: Prier

Trichocereus Poco, which is probably synonymous with Trichocereus Tarijensis

Trichocereus Poco, which is probably synonymous with Trichocereus Tarijensis

This is a herbarium specimen, Copyright: Ben Kamm, Sacredsucculents.com

Victorio_Angelelli

Jujuy- by Marian ocecowski QuebradaDeHumahuaca

by Evasaco Jardin_Botanico_de_Altura-Tilcara-Jujuy

Young specimen of Trichocereus Poco. You can perfectly see the similarity to Trichocereus Pasacana and Terscheckii. The plant is a lot more spiny though and that´s exactly how you can differentiate it.

This plant was labeled Trichocereus Herzogianus ssp. Totorensis. It is also the same plant called Trichocereus Totorensis, Helianthocereus Totorensis or the new name Trichocereus Tarijensis ssp. Totorensis.

Trichocereus Tarijensis