''Austrocactus'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...

cacti A cactus (, or less commonly, cactus) is a member of the plant family Cactaceae, a family comprising about 127 genera with some 1750 known species of the order Caryophyllales. The word ''cactus'' derives, through Latin, from the Ancient Gree ...

with ten species endemic of southern

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the souther ...

, in

Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, t ...

and

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the eas ...

. They have solitary or branched bodies, the ribs are usually divided into tubercules (except ''Austrocactus spiniflorus''). The tallest species in this genus is 80 centimeters.

Flower A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism ...

s are pink, orange, red or yellow with a characteristic spiny tube.

Species

Ribs divided into tubercles: * stems upright ** large stems (>25 cm) *** ''

Austrocactus bertinii ''Austrocactus'' is a genus of cacti with ten species endemic of southern South America, in Argentina and Chile. They have solitary or branched bodies, the ribs are usually divided into tubercules (except ''Austrocactus spiniflorus''). The talle ...

'' *** ''Austrocactus dusenii'' – synonym of ''Austrocactus bertinii'' *** ''

Austrocactus intertextus ''Austrocactus'' is a genus of cacti with ten species endemic of southern South America, in Argentina and Chile. They have solitary or branched bodies, the ribs are usually divided into tubercules (except ''Austrocactus spiniflorus''). The tall ...

sensu Speg.'' *** ''Austrocactus patagonicus'' – synonym of ''Austrocactus bertinii'' ** smaller stems (<25 cm) *** ''

Austrocactus ferrarii ''Austrocactus'' is a genus of cacti with ten species endemic of southern South America, in Argentina and Chile. They have solitary or branched bodies, the ribs are usually divided into tubercules (except ''Austrocactus spiniflorus''). The talle ...

'' *** ''

Austrocactus longicarpus ''Austrocactus'' is a genus of cacti with ten species endemic of southern South America, in Argentina and Chile. They have solitary or branched bodies, the ribs are usually divided into tubercules (except ''Austrocactus spiniflorus''). The talle ...

'' *** '' Austrocactus philippii'' * stems prostrate ** stems with adventitious roots *** ''

Austrocactus colloncurensis ''Austrocactus'' is a genus of cacti with ten species endemic of southern South America, in Argentina and Chile. They have solitary or branched bodies, the ribs are usually divided into tubercules (except ''Austrocactus spiniflorus''). The talle ...

'' *** ''

Austrocactus coxii ''Austrocactus coxii'' is a plant species in the genus ''Austrocactus'' from the cactus family (Cactaceae), indigenous to southern Argentina and southern Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of S ...

'' *** ''Austrocactus gracilis'' – synonym of ''Austrocactus coxii'' *** ''

Austrocactus hibernus ''Austrocactus'' is a genus of cacti with ten species endemic of southern South America, in Argentina and Chile. They have solitary or branched bodies, the ribs are usually divided into tubercules (except ''Austrocactus spiniflorus''). The talle ...

'' ** stems without adventitious roots *** ''

Austrocactus subandinus ''Austrocactus'' is a genus of cacti with ten species endemic of southern South America, in Argentina and Chile. They have solitary or branched bodies, the ribs are usually divided into tubercules (except ''Austrocactus spiniflorus''). The talle ...

'' Ribs smooth: * ''

Austrocactus spiniflorus ''Austrocactus'' is a genus of cacti with ten species endemic of southern South America, in Argentina and Chile. They have solitary or branched bodies, the ribs are usually divided into tubercules (except ''Austrocactus spiniflorus''). The talle ...

References

External links

Cactiguide.com: ''Austrocactus''
{{Taxonbar, from=Q137862 Cactoideae Cactoideae genera Cacti of South America Flora of Argentina Flora of Chile Flora of Colombia Flora of Ecuador Flora of Peru