‘PPK’ Clone – Trichocereus bridgesii – Cuts

Locality

Trichocereus bridgesii is native to Bolivia, where it grows in the dry Andean valleys.

History and Taxonomy

The species was originally published as Cereus bridgesii by German botanist Joseph zu Salm-Reifferscheidt-Dyck, usually cited as Salm-Dyck, in 1850. His original account records that English botanist and plant collector Thomas Bridges brought the plant from Bolivia in 1846. The name bridgesii was given in his honour. Britton and Rose transferred the species to the genus Trichocereus in 1920, creating the familiar name Trichocereus bridgesii. Following the later reclassification of Trichocereus into Echinopsis, the species became Echinopsis lageniformis. It could not be called Echinopsis bridgesii because that name had already been used for a different Bolivian cactus. Echinopsis lageniformis is the currently accepted botanical name, although Trichocereus bridgesii remains firmly established among growers and collectors, many of whom still refuse to bow to the great Echinopsis takeover!

Synonyms

• Echinopsis lageniformis
• Bolivian Torch Cactus
• Cereus bridgesii var. lageniformis
• Trichocereus bridgesii var. lageniformis
• Wachuma Bolivia
• Achuma Bolivia