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Trichocereus skottsbergii / Echinopsis skottsbergii (T. chiloensis)

Trichocereus skottsbergii Echinopsis chiloensis ssp. skottsbergii Ulrich Hörner (5)

Trichocereus skottsbergii Backeberg, also called Echinopsis skottsbergii, is a columnar cactus that is closely related to Trichocereus chiloensis / Echinopsis chiloensis. Under current taxonomy it is placed as a subspecies below Trichocereus chiloensis with Echinopsis skottsbergii as currently accepted name.

Trichocereus skottsbergii grows together with Trichocereus chiloensis without forming zones of hybridization. The easiest way to differentiate Tr. skottsbergii from Trichocereus chiloensis is by comparing the number of ribs. Echinopsis skottsbergii has 16-21 ribs, while Trichocereus chiloensis only has 16-18 ribs.

Curt Backeberg gives the form T. skottsbergii v. breviatus as a valid variety, but it was probably just a regional form of the same species. In the past, there were many unnecessary descriptions made that would not stand today. In my personal opinion, all the Chilean Trichocereus species are so closely related that it might not be a bad idea to consider them as one, very big and variable species. The same treatment works well with the whole group of species around T. peruvianus.

In Chile, the variability of the genus Trichocereus is just as big as the variability of Trichocereus species in Peru or Bolivia. E. skottsbergii is extremely close to Trichocereus litoralis, also known as Trichocereus chiloensis ssp. litoralis as well. It is very difficult to distinguish them and descriptions are absolutely necessary.

Photos of Trichocereus skottsbergii

Trichocereus skottsbergii Trichocereus chiloensis Pedro Lopez Artes JN 380 Highway Fray Jorge, Coquimbo, Chile 269m 

Trichocereus skottsbergii Trichocereus chiloensis Pedro Lopez Artes JN 380 Highway Fray Jorge, Coquimbo, Chile 269m (2)
Trichocereus skottsbergii Trichocereus chiloensis Pedro Lopez Artes JN 380 Highway Fray Jorge, Coquimbo, Chile 269m
Trichocereus chiloensis ssp. skottsbergii Friedrich Ritter

Original photo by Friedrich Ritter

Pato novoa Trichocereus skottsbergii Echinopsis_skottsbergii_—_Pato_Novoa_001
Trichocereus skottsbergii Pato novoa Echinopsis_skottsbergii_—_Pato_Novoa_001
Trichocereus skottsbergii Echinopsis chiloensis skottsbergii Ulrich Hörner (4)
Ulrich Hörner (4)
Trichocereus skottsbergii Echinopsis chiloensis skottsbergii Ulrich Hörner
Trichocereus skottsbergii Echinopsis chiloensis skottsbergii Ulrich Hörner (2)
Ulrich Hörner (2)

A hybrid between Trichocereus deserticolus x T. skottsbergii (Pedro Lopez Artes)

A hybrid between Trichocereus deserticolus x Trichocereus skottsbergii Pedro Lopez Artes

Ulrich Hörner (below)

Trichocereus skottsbergii Echinopsis chiloensis ssp. skottsbergii Ulrich Hörner (4)
Trichocereus skottsbergii Echinopsis chiloensis ssp. skottsbergii Ulrich Hörner (5)
Trichocereus skottsbergii Echinopsis chiloensis ssp. skottsbergii Ulrich Hörner (223)
Trichocereus skottsbergii Echinopsis chiloensis ssp. skottsbergii Ulrich Hörner (2)
Trichocereus skottsbergii Trichocereus chiloensis Ulrich Hörner 2
Trichocereus skottsbergii Trichocereus chiloensis Ulrich Hörner

Pedro Lopez Artes (Below)

Trichocereus skottsbergii Trichocereus chiloensis Pedro Lopez Artes
Trichocereus skottsbergii Trichocereus chiloensis Pedro Lopez Artes (2)
Trichocereus skottsbergii Trichocereus chiloensis Pedro Lopez Artes (3)
Trichocereus skottsbergii Trichocereus chiloensis Pedro Lopez Artes (4)
Trichocereus skottsbergii Trichocereus chiloensis Pedro Lopez Artes (5)
Trichocereus skottsbergii Trichocereus chiloensis Pedro Lopez Artes (6)
Trichocereus skottsbergii Trichocereus chiloensis Pedro Lopez Artes (7)
Trichocereus skottsbergii Trichocereus chiloensis Pedro Lopez Artes (8)
Trichocereus skottsbergii Trichocereus chiloensis Pedro Lopez Artes (9)
Trichocereus skottsbergii Pedro Lopez Artes (2) Echinopsis chiloensis skottsbergii

Ulrich Hörner (below)

Trichocereus skottsbergii Echinopsis chiloensis skottsbergii Ulrich Hörner (3)

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