Cactus sulcolanatus

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Since 4 Aug 2013

Cactus sulcolanatus Kuntze
Revis. Gen. Pl. 1: 261. 1891 [5 Nov 1891]
Family: CACTACEAE

= Coryphantha elephantidens subs. sulcolanata (Lem.) hort., nov. comb. ined.

Accepted Scientific Name: Coryphantha elephantidens (Lem.) Lem.
Cactées 35. 1868

Cactus sulcolanatus (Coryphantha elephantidens subs. sulcolanata) Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli
It is very similar (if not the same plant) to C. elephantidens but the flowers are always yellow and never pink.

Origin and Habitat: Mexico (Hidalgo, Vera Cruz, and Oaxaca)

Synonyms:

Coryphantha elephantidens subs. sulcolanata (Lem.) hort., nov. comb. ined.

See all synonyms of Coryphantha elephantidens

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Accepted name in llifle Database:
Coryphantha elephantidens (Lem.) Lem.
Cactées 35. 1868
Synonymy: 27

Coryphantha elephantidens (Lem.) Lem.

Coryphantha elephantidens f. aurea hort.
Coryphantha elephantidens var. barciae L.Bremer
Coryphantha elephantidens subs. bumamma (Ehrenb.) Dicht & A.Lüthy

Coryphantha bumamma (Ehrenb.) Britton & Rose
Mammillaria bumamma Ehrenb.
Mammillaria elephantidens var. bumamma (Ehrenb.) K.Schum.
Mammillaria elephantidens f. bumamma (Ehrenb.) Schelle

Coryphantha elephantidens subs. greenwoodii (Bravo) Dicht & A.Lüthy

Coryphantha greenwoodii Bravo

Coryphantha elephantidens var. recurvispina (de Vriese) hort., nov. comb. ined.

Cactus recurvispinus (de Vriese) Kuntze
Coryphantha recurvispina (de Vriese) L.Bremer
Mammillaria recurvispina de Vriese

Coryphantha elephantidens var. roseiflora Y.Itô
Coryphantha elephantidens subs. sulcolanata (Lem.) hort., nov. comb. ined.

Coryphantha elephantidens f. variegata hort.
Coryphantha garessii L.Bremer

Cultivars (2):

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Common Names include:
ENGLISH: Elephant Tooth

Description: Large, depressed-globular cactus, often clumping and group-forming
Stem: Each head is 5-8 cm tall and 6 to 10(-18) cm in diameter depressed globose often flattened apically.
Tubercles: Very large, shiny green, 20-30 (60) mm wide, rounded on top, pentaedrical at the base, always broader than rounded , without glands, the tubercles axil and furrow is densely woolly.
Central spines: Absent.
Radial spines: 5 to 9 unequal, upper and lower one short, laterals longer, stout, reflexed, 12-26 mm long never porrect, but adpressed to the body. Yellowish white with dark tips at first, later darker.
Flowers: Sweet smelling large 4 to 8 cm creamy- yellow, Stamens yellow to purple.
Blooming season: Produced in late summer to autumn.
Fruits: Very big, oblong, opaque green, juicy, (ca. 4 cm long, 1 cm diameter)

Subspecies, varieties, forms and cultivars of plants belonging to the Coryphantha elephantidens group

Coryphantha elephantidens (Lem.) Lem.: Large, depressed-globular cactus, often clumping with large dark-green tubercles rounded on top, the tubercles axil is very woolly. The radial spines are stout reflexed and adpressed to the body. Flowers whitish, yellow or pink.
Coryphantha elephantidens f. aurea hort.: Mutant lacking chlorophyll pigment. The result is a completely cream-yellow or golden-yellow plant.
Coryphantha elephantidens var. barciae L.Bremer: It has a big tap-root. Parastichy number 8/13.
Coryphantha elephantidens subs. bumamma (Ehrenb.) Dicht & A.Lüthy: Strongly offsetting species forming large groups up to 50 cm in diameter. Stem glaucous green. It is very similar to Coryphantha elephantidens but the flower are much smaller and nearly yellow.
Coryphantha elephantidens subs. greenwoodii (Bravo) Dicht & A.Lüthy: Solitary or group-forming, flat-globose mostly under the ground-level, intermediate between Coriphantha elepantidens and Coriphantha pycnacantha.
Coryphantha elephantidens var. recurvispina (de Vriese) hort., nov. comb. ined.: Solitary, depressed, about 16 cm. in diameter, tubercles few, large, glaucous, obtuse; areoles and axils naked ; spines all radial, 8 more or less incurved. ( = Coryphantha elephantidens)
Coryphantha elephantidens var. roseiflora Y.Itô: Pink flowering form.
Coryphantha elephantidens subs. sulcolanata (Lem.) hort., nov. comb. ined.: Very similar (if not the same plant) to Coryphantha elephantidens but the flowers are always yellow and never pink. Origin: Hidalgo.
Coryphantha elephantidens f. variegata hort.: Variegated form. The stems have sectors, patches or stripes with two colours, yellow and green. There are several forms of variegation.
Coryphantha elephantidens cv. Tanshi Zougemaru: Cultivar with short but strong spines and very large tubercles. Flowers pink. Origin: Japan.
Coryphantha elephantidens cv. Tanshi Zougemaru inermis
Coryphantha garessii L.Bremer: Probable synonym of Coryphantha elephantides. Origin: Zacatecas

Bibliography: Major references and further lectures
1) Edward Anderson “The Cactus family” Timber Press, Incorporated, 2001
2) James Cullen, Sabina G. Knees, H. Suzanne Cubey "The European Garden Flora Flowering Plants: A Manual for the Identification of Plants Cultivated in Europe, Both Out-of-Doors and Under Glass" Cambridge University Press, 11/Aug/2011
3) David R Hunt; Nigel P Taylor; Graham Charles; International Cactaceae Systematics Group. "The New Cactus Lexicon" dh books, 2006
4) Hernández, H.M., Gómez-Hinostrosa, C., Guadalupe Martínez, J., Sánchez , E., Dicht, R.F. & Lüthy, A.D. 2013. Coryphantha elephantidens. In: IUCN 2013. "IUCN Red List of Threatened Species." Version 2013.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 17 February 2014.

Cactus sulcolanatus (Coryphantha elephantidens subs. sulcolanata) Photo by: Cactus Art

Cactus sulcolanatus (Coryphantha elephantidens subs. sulcolanata) Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli

Cactus sulcolanatus (Coryphantha elephantidens subs. sulcolanata) Photo by: Cactus Art

Cactus sulcolanatus (Coryphantha elephantidens subs. sulcolanata) Photo by: Andrea B.

Cactus sulcolanatus (Coryphantha elephantidens subs. sulcolanata) Photo by: Cactus Art

Cactus sulcolanatus (Coryphantha elephantidens subs. sulcolanata) Photo by: Cactus Art

Cultivation and Propagation: Full sun to light shade in summer. Water sparingly, keep drier in winter. Needs good drainage. Frost Tolerance: Hardy to -3°C.
Propagation: Offsets as it is a suckering cactus or by seeds.

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