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Echinopsis

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the genus of sea urchin, see Echinopsis (echinoderm).
Not to be confused with Echinops or Echidnopsis.

Echinopsis
Echinopsis oxygona
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Cactaceae
Subfamily: Cactoideae
Tribe: Cereeae
Subtribe: Trichocereinae
Genus: Echinopsis
Zucc.
Type species
Echinopsis eyriesii, now Echinopsis oxygona
Species

See text.

Synonyms[1]
  • Acantholobivia Backeb.
  • Andenea Kreuz.
  • Aureilobivia Frič ex Kreuz., not validly publ.
  • Chamaecereus Britton & Rose
  • Cinnabarinea Frič ex F.Ritter
  • Cosmantha Y.Itô
  • × Cosmopsis Y.Itô
  • Echinonyctanthus Lem.
  • Furiolobivia Y.Itô
  • Helianthocereus Backeb.
  • Hymenorebulobivia Frič ex Kreuz., not validly publ.
  • Hymenorebutia Frič ex Buining
  • Lobivia Britton & Rose
  • Lobiviopsis Frič ex Kreuz., not validly publ.
  • Megalobivia Y.Itô, not validly publ.
  • Mesechinopsis Y.Itô
  • Neolobivia Y.Itô
  • Pilopsis Y.Itô, not validly publ.
  • Pseudolobivia (Backeb.) Backeb.
  • Salpingolobivia Y.Itô
  • × Salpingolobiviopsis Y.Itô
  • Scoparebutia Frič & Kreuz. ex Buining
  • Soehrensia Backeb.
  • Trichocereus (A.Berger) Riccob.

Echinopsis is a genus of cacti native to South America, sometimes known as hedgehog cactus, sea-urchin cactus or Easter lily cactus. As of November 2025, Plants of the World Online used a broad circumscription of the genus, resulting in about 80 accepted species, ranging from large and treelike types to small globose cacti. The name derives from echinos hedgehog or sea urchin, and opsis appearance, a reference to these plants' dense coverings of spines.

They are remarkable for the great size, length of tube, and beauty of their flowers, borne upon generally small and dumpy stems.

Taxonomy

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Studies in the 1970s and 1980s resulted in several formerly separate genera being absorbed into Echinopsis. When very broadly circumscribed, Echinopsis sensu lato included over 100 species.[2] Some genera have been absorbed and then accepted again. For example, the genus name Trichocereus was given to a number of columnar cacti in 1909 by Vincenzo Riccobono. The genus was subsumed into Echinopsis in 1974 by Friedrich, along with Lobivia. In 2011, it was argued that Trichocereus was distinct from Echinopsis,[3] and a 2012 genetic and morphological study by Albesiano found Trichocereus to be monophyletic if it included three species of Harrisia.[4]

A 2012 genetic analysis of chloroplast DNA indicated Echinopsis was made up of several divergent lineages.[5] This was shown again in 2019.[2] It was concluded that previous taxonomic confusion was due to convergent evolution: species in different lineages had evolved to have similar growth and/or to share pollinators.[5]

As of October 2025, Plants of the World Online subsumed Soehrensia, Chamaecereus, Trichocereus, and Lobivia into Echinopsis, resulting in a genus of around 80 species.[1]

Species

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Species of Echinopsis accepted by Plants of the World Online as of November 2025:[1]

Image Scientific name Distribution
Echinopsis albispinosa K.Schum.
(including E. silvestrii)		 Argentina
Echinopsis ancistrophora Speg.
Echinopsis angelesiae (R.Kiesling) G.D.Rowley
Echinopsis arachnacantha (Buining & F.Ritter) Friedrich
Echinopsis arboricola (Kimnach) Mottram
Echinopsis aurea Britton & Rose Argentina
Echinopsis ayopayana F.Ritter & Rausch
Echinopsis backebergii Werderm.
Echinopsis breviflora (Backeb.) M.Lowry Argentina (Salta)
Echinopsis bridgesii Salm-Dyck
Echinopsis bruchii (Britton & Rose) H.Friedrich & Glaetzle
Echinopsis caineana (Cárdenas) D.R.Hunt
Echinopsis calochlora K.Schum.
(including E. hammerschmidii)		 Bolivia to Brazil (Mato Grosso do Sul)
Echinopsis calorubra Cárdenas
Echinopsis camarguensis (Cárdenas) H.Friedrich & G.D.Rowley
Echinopsis candicans (Gillies ex Salm-Dyck) D.R.Hunt
Echinopsis cardenasiana (Rausch) Friedrich
Echinopsis caulescens (F.Ritter) M.Lowry
Echinopsis chalaensis (Rauh & Backeb.) H.Friedrich & G.D.Rowley
(sometimes in Trichocereus)		 Peru
Echinopsis chamaecereus H.Friedrich & Glaetzle
Echinopsis chrysantha Werderm. Argentina
Echinopsis chrysochete Werderm.
Echinopsis cinnabarina (Hook.) Labour.
Echinopsis clavata (F.Ritter) D.R.Hunt
(sometimes in Trichocereus)		 Bolivia
Echinopsis crassicaulis (R.Kiesling) H.Friedrich & Glaetzle
Echinopsis cuzcoensis (Britton & Rose) H.Friedrich & G.D.Rowley
(sometimes in Trichocereus)		 Peru
Echinopsis densispina Werderm. Argentina
Echinopsis ferox (Britton & Rose) Backeb.
Echinopsis formosa (Pfeiff.) Jacobi ex Salm-Dyck
Echinopsis friedrichii G.D.Rowley
Echinopsis haematantha (Speg.) D.R.Hunt Argentina and Bolivia
Echinopsis hahniana (Backeb.) R.S.Wallace
Echinopsis hertrichiana (Backeb.) D.R.Hunt
Echinopsis huascha (F.A.C.Weber) H.Friedrich & G.D.Rowley
Echinopsis jajoana (Backeb.) Blossf.
(including E. sanguiniflora)		 Argentina
Echinopsis lageniformis (C.F.Först.) H.Friedrich & G.D.Rowley
(sometimes in Trichocereus)		 Bolivia.
Echinopsis lateritia Gürke
Echinopsis luisramirezii (Lodé & F.Carlier) M.H.J.van der Meer
Echinopsis macrogona (Salm-Dyck) H.Friedrich & G.D.Rowley
Echinopsis mamillosa Gürke
Echinopsis marsoneri Werderm. Bolivia to Argentina (Jujuy, Salta)
Echinopsis maximiliana Heyder ex A.Dietr.
Echinopsis minutiflora (Rausch) M.Lowry
Echinopsis obrepanda (Salm-Dyck) K.Schum.
Echinopsis oligotricha (Cárdenas) M.Lowry Bolivia
Echinopsis oxygona (Link) Zucc. ex Pfeiff. & Otto
(including E. adolfofriedrichii, E. brasiliensis, E. eyriesii, E. tubiflora)		 Brazil, Uruguay and northern Argentina
Echinopsis pachanoi (Britton & Rose) H.Friedrich & G.D.Rowley
Echinopsis pampana (Britton & Rose) D.R.Hunt
Echinopsis pamparuizii Cárdenas
Echinopsis pentlandii (Hook.) Salm-Dyck ex A.Dietr.
Echinopsis pereziensis Cárdenas
Echinopsis pugionacantha Rose & Boed.
Echinopsis quadratiumbonata (F.Ritter) D.R.Hunt
Echinopsis rauschii Friedrich Bolivia (Cochabamba)
Echinopsis rojasii Cárdenas Bolivia
Echinopsis saltensis Speg.
Echinopsis sandiensis Hoxey
Echinopsis schickendantzii F.A.C.Weber
Echinopsis schieliana (Backeb.) D.R.Hunt
Echinopsis schreiteri (A.Cast.) Werderm.
Echinopsis serpentina M.Lowry & M.Mend.
Echinopsis smrziana Backeb.
Echinopsis spachiana (Lem.) H.Friedrich & G.D.Rowley
Echinopsis spinibarbis (Otto ex Pfeiff.) A.E.Hoffm.
Echinopsis stilowiana (Backeb.) J.G.Lamb.
Echinopsis strigosa (Salm-Dyck) H.Friedrich & G.D.Rowley
Echinopsis sucrensis Cárdenas
Echinopsis tacaquirensis (Vaupel) H.Friedrich & G.D.Rowley Bolivia
Echinopsis tarijensis (Vaupel) H.Friedrich & G.D.Rowley
Echinopsis tegeleriana (Backeb.) D.R.Hunt
Echinopsis thelegona (F.A.C.Weber) H.Friedrich & G.D.Rowley
Echinopsis thelegonoides (Speg.) H.Friedrich & G.D.Rowley
Echinopsis tiegeliana (Wessner) D.R.Hunt
Echinopsis torrefluminensis M.Lowry Bolivia
Echinopsis uyupampensis (Backeb.) H.Friedrich & G.D.Rowley
Echinopsis vasquezii (Rausch) G.D.Rowley
Echinopsis volliana (Backeb.) H.Friedrich & G.D.Rowley
Echinopsis walteri (R.Kiesling) H.Friedrich & Glaetzle
Echinopsis werdermannii Frič ex Fleisch.
(sometimes in E. oxygona)		 Paraguay
Echinopsis yuquina D.R.Hunt

In addition, many hybrids exist, mostly between similar species, such as the cross between Echinopsis pachanoi (formerly Trichocereus macrogonus var. pachanoi) and E. eyriesii (now E. oxygona) which was sold under the name "Trichopsis pachaniesii" by Sacred Succulents.

Distribution

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Echinopsis species are native to South America (Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay).[1] They thrive in desert grasslands, shrubland, and in situations where the soil is sandy or gravelly, such as the sides of hills in the crevices of rocks.[6]

Cultivation

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Time-lapse video of a blooming echinopsis

The growing and resting seasons for Echinopsis are the same as for Echinocactus.[citation needed] Research by J. Smith (former Curator at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew) showed that species like the Chilean Echinopsis cristata and its Mexican relatives thrive if potted in light loam, with a little leaf mould and a few nodules of limestone. The limestone keeps the soil open; it is important that the soil should be well drained.

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  • Echinopsis oxygona visited by a European honeybee; Kfar Blum Kibbutz garden, Israel.
    Echinopsis oxygona visited by a European honeybee; Kfar Blum Kibbutz garden, Israel.
  • Echinopsis oxygona
    Echinopsis oxygona

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Echinopsis Zucc". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 2025-11-15.
  2. ^ a b Guerrero, Pablo C.; Majure, Lucas C.; Cornejo-Romero, Amelia & Hernández-Hernández, Tania (2019). "Phylogenetic Relationships and Evolutionary Trends in the Cactus Family". Journal of Heredity. 110 (1): 4–21. doi:10.1093/jhered/esy064. PMID 30476167.
  3. ^ Schick, Robert (2011), "Echinopsis sensu stricto and Trichocereus: Differentiating the Genera", Cactus and Succulent Journal, 83 (6): 248–255, doi:10.2985/0007-9367-83.6.248, S2CID 83700680
  4. ^ Albesiano, Sofía; Terrazas, Teresa (2012). "Cladistic Analysis of Trichocereus (Cactaceae: Cactoideae: Trichocereeae) Based on Morphological Data and Chloroplast Dna Sequences: Dedicated to Omar Emilio Ferrari (1936-2010)". Haseltonia. 17: 3–23. doi:10.2985/1070-0048-17.1.2. S2CID 9835045.
  5. ^ a b Schlumpberger, Boris O.; Renner, Susanne S. (2012). "Molecular phylogenetics of Echinopsis (Cactaceae): Polyphyly at all levels and convergent evolution of pollination modes and growth forms". American Journal of Botany. 99 (8): 1335–49. Bibcode:2012AmJB...99.1335S. doi:10.3732/ajb.1100288. PMID 22859654.
  6. ^ "Sea-urchin cactus | Description, Distribution, & Facts | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2024-05-09.

Bibliography

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Echinopsis.
Wikispecies has information related to Echinopsis.
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