# Espostoa > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Espostoa > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Espostoa.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Espostoa > Source revision: 1340487919 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Genus of plants Espostoa Espostoa lanata Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae Clade: Embryophytes Clade: Tracheophytes Clade: Spermatophytes Clade: Angiosperms Clade: Eudicots Order: Caryophyllales Family: Cactaceae Subfamily: Cactoideae Tribe: Cereeae Subtribe: Trichocereinae Genus: Espostoa Britton & Rose[1] Type species Espostoa lanata Species See text. Synonyms[1] Binghamia Britton & Rose, nom. illeg. Pseudoespostoa Backeb. Thrixanthocereus Backeb. ***Espostoa*** is a [genus](/source/Genus) of columnar [cacti](/source/Cactus), comprising 16 [species](/source/Species) known from the [Andes](/source/Andes) of southern [Ecuador](/source/Ecuador) and [Peru](/source/Peru). It usually lives at an altitude of between 800m and 2500m. Its fruit is edible, sweet, and juicy. The genus is named after Nicolas E. Esposto, a renowned botanist from Lima.[2] *[Espostoa melanostele](/source/Espostoa_melanostele)* subsp. *nana* ## Description Members of this genus are similar to those in the Mexican genus [Cephalocereus](/source/Cephalocereus). They have pink-white flowers, and are covered with spines and white hair. In adulthood, a [cephalium](/source/Cephalium) sometimes appears, similar to the Mexican genus *[Cephalocereus](/source/Cephalocereus)*.[3] Only the older specimens can divide.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] The cephalium is elongated and forms along the outer side of each column facing away from the center of the plant.[4] This kind of [inflorescence](/source/Inflorescence) is unique to the cactus family.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] ## Taxonomy They were discovered by [Alexander von Humboldt](/source/Alexander_von_Humboldt) and [Aimé Bonpland](/source/Aim%C3%A9_Bonpland) in the early nineteenth century. They are appreciated for their decorative qualities due to their white fleece. They can be propagated by seed. For full development they must be planted in the ground. The cultivated specimens very rarely flourish. Like all cacti, *Espostoa* requires a sunny location and well-drained soil. But in summer, it appreciates fertilizer and wetter conditions. In winter, it needs a rest[*[clarification needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Please_clarify)*], but the temperature must not drop below 12 °C. ### Species list As of October 2023[\[update\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Espostoa&action=edit), [Plants of the World Online](/source/Plants_of_the_World_Online) accepted the following species:[1] Image Scientific name Distribution Espostoa blossfeldiorum (Werderm.) Buxb. Peru Espostoa calva F.Ritter Peru (Amazonas) Espostoa cremnophila Hoxey Peru Espostoa frutescens Madsen Ecuador Espostoa hylaea F.Ritter Peru (Amazonas) Espostoa lanata (Kunth) Britton & Rose Ecuador, Peru Espostoa melanostele (Vaupel) Borg Peru Espostoa mirabilis F.Ritter Peru (Huanuco) Espostoa senilis (F.Ritter) N.P.Taylor Peru (Ancash) Espostoa superba F.Ritter Peru (Ancash) Espostoa utcubambensis G.J.Charles Peru (Amazonas) ## References 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-POWO_295142-2_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-POWO_295142-2_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-POWO_295142-2_1-2) ["*Espostoa* Britton & Rose"](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/295142-2). *[Plants of the World Online](/source/Plants_of_the_World_Online)*. [Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew](/source/Royal_Botanic_Gardens%2C_Kew). Retrieved 2023-10-08. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Yetman_2008_p._2-0)** Yetman, David (2008-01-31). *The Great Cacti*. University of Arizona Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-8165-4637-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-8165-4637-4). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Britton, Nathaniel Lord; Joseph Nelson, J. N. (1920). *The Cactaceae*. Vol. 2. [Carnegie Institution of Washington](/source/Carnegie_Institution_of_Washington). p. 60. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Mauseth et al, Cactus Odyssey, page 131. ## Bibliography - Innes C, Wall B (1995). *Cacti' Succulents and Bromaliads*. Cassell & The Royal Horticultural Society. - Edward F. Anderson : "The Cactus Family" (2001) ## External links Data related to [Espostoa](https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Espostoa) at Wikispecies - (in English) [photos onr www.cactiguide.com](http://www.cactiguide.com/cactus/?genus=Espostoa) - (in English) [Espostoa guentheri](http://holiday.monacoeye.com/jardinexotique/cactusphotos/page7-1043-full.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20060627005303/http://holiday.monacoeye.com/jardinexotique/cactusphotos/page7-1043-full.html) 2006-06-27 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Espostoa](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Espostoa). Taxon identifiers Espostoa Wikidata: Q133254 Wikispecies: Espostoa BioLib: 105587 CoL: 633DN EoL: 5190008 EPPO: 1EPOG GBIF: 7279705 GRIN: 4466 iNaturalist: 363441 IPNI: 5327-1 IRMNG: 1073199 ITIS: 907005 NCBI: 432453 Open Tree of Life: 668200 POWO: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:295142-2 Tropicos: 40006303 WFO: wfo-4000014051 This Cactaceae article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information. - [v](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cactus-stub) - [t](/source/Template_talk%3ACactus-stub) - [e](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Cactus-stub) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Espostoa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Espostoa) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Espostoa?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.