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Useful Tropical Plants

Echinopsis formosa

(Pfeiff.) Jacobi ex Salm-Dyck

Cactaceae

+ Synonyms

Acanthocalycium formosum (Pfeiff.) Backeb.

Echinocactus formosus Pfeiff.

Echinopsis kieslingii (Rausch) Anceschi & Magli

Echinopsis korethroides Werderm.

Echinopsis mieckleyi R.Mey.

Echinopsis randallii (Cárdenas) H.Friedrich & G.D.Rowley

Eriosyce korethroides (Werderm.) Backeb.

Helianthocereus randallii (Cárdenas) Backeb.

Lobivia formosa (Pfeiff.) Dodds

Lobivia kieslingii Rausch

Lobivia korethroides (Werderm.) Werderm.

Lobivia rosarioana Rausch

Soehrensia formosa (Pfeiff.) Backeb.

Soehrensia korethroides (Werderm.) Backeb.

Trichocereus formosus (Pfeiff.) F.Ritter

Trichocereus korethroides (Werderm.) F.Ritter

Trichocereus randallii Cárdenas

Common Name: Pasakana

No Image.

General Information

Echinopsis formosa is a spiny, succulent cactus producing a single stem when young but later branching basally to form wide colonies. Individual stems are globose to cylindrical, up to 150cm tall and 25 - 50cm in diameter[
1987
Title
The Cactus Family
Publication
 
Author
Anderson E.F.
Publisher
Timber Press; Portland, Oregon
Year
2001
ISBN
0-88192-498-9
Description
An excellent work, giving botanical descriptions of virtually all the cacti, together with their range (but not their habitats) and sometimes also a photo. it also contains a long chapter detailing the many uses of cacti and another on cultivation..
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and a medicine.
Echinopsis formosa has a wide range, is abundant and is found in protected areas. However it is threatened in parts of its range by illegal collecting of the plants for horticulture and by mining activities. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2017)[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

1987
Title
The Cactus Family
Publication
 
Author
Anderson E.F.
Publisher
Timber Press; Portland, Oregon
Year
2001
ISBN
0-88192-498-9
Description
An excellent work, giving botanical descriptions of virtually all the cacti, together with their range (but not their habitats) and sometimes also a photo. it also contains a long chapter detailing the many uses of cacti and another on cultivation..

Range

S. America - northwest Argentina, northern Chile, Bolivia

Habitat

Grassland, mountane shrubland and higher montane levels; at elevations from 1,000 - 4,000 metres[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].

Properties

Conservation StatusLeast Concern
Edibility Rating *  *
Medicinal Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitEvergreen Perennial
Height1.00 m
Cultivation StatusOrnamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw[
1915
Title
Ethnobotany of the Andes
Publication
 
Author
Bussmann R.W. & Paniagua-Zambrana N.Y. (Editors)
Website
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-28933-1
Publisher
Springer Nature; Switzerland
Year
2020
ISBN
978-3-030-28932-4
Description
 
]. The taste is somewhat like a melon, but more acidic[
1915
Title
Ethnobotany of the Andes
Publication
 
Author
Bussmann R.W. & Paniagua-Zambrana N.Y. (Editors)
Website
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-28933-1
Publisher
Springer Nature; Switzerland
Year
2020
ISBN
978-3-030-28932-4
Description
 
]. The broadly globose, green fruit is up to 35mm long and 40mm in diameter[
1987
Title
The Cactus Family
Publication
 
Author
Anderson E.F.
Publisher
Timber Press; Portland, Oregon
Year
2001
ISBN
0-88192-498-9
Description
An excellent work, giving botanical descriptions of virtually all the cacti, together with their range (but not their habitats) and sometimes also a photo. it also contains a long chapter detailing the many uses of cacti and another on cultivation..
].

Medicinal

The fruit is an effective febrifuge[
1915
Title
Ethnobotany of the Andes
Publication
 
Author
Bussmann R.W. & Paniagua-Zambrana N.Y. (Editors)
Website
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-28933-1
Publisher
Springer Nature; Switzerland
Year
2020
ISBN
978-3-030-28932-4
Description
 
].

Other Uses

The thorns are used to weave wool and the hairs are used to make brushes[
1915
Title
Ethnobotany of the Andes
Publication
 
Author
Bussmann R.W. & Paniagua-Zambrana N.Y. (Editors)
Website
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-28933-1
Publisher
Springer Nature; Switzerland
Year
2020
ISBN
978-3-030-28932-4
Description
 
].

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-11-10. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Echinopsis+formosa>

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