See Korotkova thesis 2011

Lymanbensonia incachacana (Cardenas) Barthlott & N. Korotkova in Willdenowia 40:167 . 2010.

= Rhipsalis incachacana Cardenas in Cactus (Paris) No. 34, 125. 1952. Holotype: Bolivia, Cochabamba, Incachaca, Cardenas 4855, June 1950 (LIL 511565).

Lepismium incachacanum (Cardenas) Barthlott in Bradleya 5; 99 (1987)

Desc from C&SJ (US) p258 (1985)

Stems - at first suberect, later pendent, to 1 - 2m long, branching laterally, complanate, somewhat twisted or undulate, obtuse, the segments 10 -60cm long, (3 -) 5 - 6cm wide, the bases tapering rather abruptly to 1 - 2cm wide, the wings 1 - 1.5mm thick, the midrib 4 - 8mm wide and 3 - 6m thick the margins subacute, crenate, the lobes more or less semicircular, more rarely oblique, projecting 5 - l0mm, 5 - 30mm wide;

  • Areoles - oblong, facing toward stem-apex at ca. 45° to main stem-axis, 3 - 6mm long, 3 - 5mm wide, the areole-margins forming an oblong cyathium-like structure filled with a dense, oblong to slightly spreading tuft of 50 - 80 spines, these becoming absent on older stems; spines stiff to rather hair-like, mostly straight or more rarely somewhat curving, 2 - l8mm long less than 0.1 mm thick, reddish when young, later grey to whitish; areolar wool less than lmm long grey to whitish, epidermis roughened by minute obtuse papillae that often form ridges, light green.
  • Flowers - 1 - 5 to an areole, directed toward the stem-apex at ca. 45°, 9 - lOmm long; Receptacle - 4mm long, 3mm thick, the pericarpel turbinate, 2mm long, pinkish white to greenish, the podaria obtuse, to 2mm long, lmm wide and less than 0.5mm high;
  • Bracteoles - ca. 6, appressed, widely ovate to deltoid, to lmm long and wide, reddish; areolar wool less than 1 mm long, sinuous, brown­ish to cream;
  • Spines - to 3 in each areole, thin and sinuous, 2 - 6mm long, cream;
  • Corolla - opening 1.5 - 2mm wide,
  • Tepals - ca. 10, the apices ex­panding, the outermost ovate-deltoid and subacute, the inner ones oblong and obtuse, 2 - 7mm long, 1.5 - 2mm wide, the basal portion light red, dark red above; ovary-chamber turbinate, ca lmm in diameter, nectaries ca. 0.75mm long,
  • Stamens - 8 - 10, adnate for 1 - 1.5mm, the adnate portions forming prominent ridges, free for 1 - 3mm, less than 0.25mm thick, cream, the anthers oblong, ca. 0.33mm long and less than 0.2mm thick,light yellow;
  • Style - 7 - 1 lmm long, 0.33mm thick, light red, the stigma ca. 5 - lobed, 0.33 mm long, shortly papillose, light yellow.
  • Fruit - subglobose, 6 - 7.5mm long, 5 - 7mm thick, the basal half lacking podaria, the apical half with ca. 4 obscure obtuse podaria ca. 3mm long and 2mm wide; bracteoles present on apical 1.5mm, the epidermis smooth, magenta, with a slight whitish waxy bloom; dried floral remains straight 5mm long, tan to dark brown; pulp magenta.
  • Seeds - obovoid, 1.75mm long, lmm wide, ca. 0.5mm thick, minutely pitted on half nearest hilum, nearly smooth elsewhere, shiny, black; hilum directed at ca. 45° from main seed-axis slightly sunken, pinkish.

DISTRIBUTION. Bolivia (Cochabamba): epiphyte at 2200 m altitude.

Note from Bradleya 13

This is clearly the sister species of L. cruciforme

Rhipsalis incachacana sp. nova Cardenas Quelques cactacees nouvelles de Bolivie. Cactus (France) 34:125-126 (1952)

Treated as L. incachacanum by B&T in Bradleya 13
Original description based on both the French and the Latin!

  • Plant epiphytic, branched hanging from high forest trees in dense tufts
  • Branches pendulous, 0.20 - 1.50m long, leaflike, crenate.
  • Joints, margins undulate, thin, light green, 20 - 30cm long, 4 - 6cm wide, median nerve 2 -3 mm thick, hard.
  • Areoles sunken, 2cm apart at the base of the stems, closer on the terminal joints, 5mm diam (7mm when young), with light brown tomentum; bristles rigid, brush-like, dense, 18mm long, pale yellow-brownish later whitish
  • Flower buds Conical, above red, below yellow.
  • Flowers 1 - 2 per areole, 1cm long, tubular.
  • Ovary 2mm long, green, at the base white hairy, scales wide, purple, sparingly white hairs
  • Tepals outer ones 2 - 6mm long, lanceolate, acute, reddish/green (bright red in the French!), inside ones lanceolate, purple, 6mm long.
  • Stamens ca. 9, inserted at base of tube, 5mm long, filament white, larger at the base, inner ones longer; anthers light yellow.
  • Style ca. 7mm long, dark purple in the upper part, lighter coloured lower, 3 - 4 branched stigmas, white, short, 0.5mm long, Thick corona.
  • Fruit Globose, 8mm diam., green, with 5 red angles.
  • Seeds 2mm diam., shiny black, lightly depressed near the umbilicus (?hilum), sparingly punctulate.

    Type locality Bolivia, Prov. Chapare, Dept. Cochabamba, near Incachaca 2200m, June 1950 M Cardenas No.4855. Type in Berb. Cardenasianum

This rare plant does not approach any other species in the sub-tribe of the Rhipsalidanae. It is distinguished by the tufts of wool in the areoles. This character might justify a new genus, but we do not want to add another to this subtribe, not until this entire group is better known.


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