Lobivia aurea var. dobeana (Dölz) Rausch

Lobivia aurea var. dobeana (Dölz) Rausch

Origin and Habitat: Sierra Ancasti and adjacent areas, Catamarca, Argentina Northwest
Altitude: 1000-2000 meters above sea level.
Habitat: Gently rolling grass covered hills together with Parodia malyana.

Description: Echinopsis aurea var. dobeana better known as Lobivia dobeana, is a rather controversial plant which Rausch refers to the Echinopsis aurea complex, but Backberg says is a synonym of Lobivia andalgaiensis (Echinopsis huascha var. andalgalensis). Nowadays it is considered by most authors nothing else than one of the geographical forms of the very variable Echinopsis aurea (= Lobivia aurea) distinguished from the type for its red flowers (never yellow). If not in flower it look very similar to other varieties of Echinopsis aurea which are linked one to each others by populations of plants with intermediate characteristics. Nowadays all them are thought to belong to a unique polymorphic species with some individual producing red blooms, while others do not. Such variations has led to establishment of several unnecessary names for this species.
Habit: Solitary or with several basal and lateral offshoots.
Stems: Dark green globular or elongated reaching a height of 15 cm and a diameter of 5-6 cm or more.
Ribs: 14 to 15 sharp-edged separated by deep grooves.
Areoles: Whitish or brownish on young plants, closely set and oval.
Spines: The central spines are long and brown while the numerous radial spines are white and thinner.
Flowers: Very showy, nearly 10 cm long an up to 7 cm across, bright red. Buds are covered by long silky hairs and grow laterally from the centre of the stem. The tube is slightly curved, funnel-shaped, slender with green scales often red at the base, with abundant white and black hairs.
Blooming season: It flowers in mid spring on into summer. Sometimes it blooms profusely, especially on older plants.

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