Echinopsis haematantha

Echinopsis haematantha, is a species of Echinopsis found in Argentina and Bolivia.

Description
Echinopsis haematantha grows singly or branching, and then forms small groups, with a large carrot-like taproot. The flattened spherical to short cylindrical, olive green to brownish green to gray-green shoots reach heights of up to 12 cm with diameters of 5 to 8 cm. There are twelve to 15 low and narrow ribs arranged in a spiral. The circular areoles on them are white. Yellow to dark brown or black spines emerge from them. There are one to four central spines are unequal, strong are often hooked and up to 6 cm long and ten to twelve radial spines that are thin, needle-like, and interwoven, to 1.2 cm long.

The short, funnel-shaped, yellow to orange to slightly purple flowers open during the day. They have a diameter of 3 to 4 cm. The spherical to egg-shaped, green to purple-brown fruits are semi-dry and tear open.

Distribution
Echinopsis haematantha is widespread in the Argentine provinces of Salta, Tucumán and Catamarca at altitudes of 2000 to 3000 meters.

Taxonomy
The first description as Echinocactus haematanthus by Carlos Luis Spegazzini was published in 1905. The specific epithet haematantha is derived from the Greek words haima for 'blood' and anthos for 'flower' and refers to the dark red flowers of the species. David Richard Hunt placed the species in the genus Echinopsis in 1991. Another nomenclature synonym is Lobivia haematantha (Speg.) Britton & Rose (1922).