Матукана: род перуанских кактусов

Genus of cacti
the genus
Automatic taxobox
|image = Matucana paucicostata 02. jpg
|image caption = Matucana paucicostata
|display parents = 2
|taxon = Matucana
|authority = Britton & Rose The genus is only known from Peru, mostly along the Marañón River. Some species are endangered due to collection for the specialist market.

Plants within this genus are identified by the fruit's distinctive structure, marked by vertical splits that release seeds upon maturity. The overall body shape, spination, offset production, and preferred habitat exhibit considerable variability, mirroring the diverse nature of the flowers within the genus. Species of Matucana have low, globose or shortly cylindrical bodies, either solitary or clustering. The flowers are subapical, usually more or less zygomorphic, diurnal, in various colours, but mainly red, yellow or pink. However, a few species, notably M. oreodoxa, have actinomorphic flowers and were placed in a separate genus Eomatucana by F. Ritter. They are reported to flower at a young age.

The first species was discovered near the town of Matucana and described as Echinocactus haynii by Christoph Friedrich Otto in 1849. The genus Matucana was erected by Nathaniel Lord Britton and Joseph Nelson Rose in 1922 to differentiate it from the diverse Echinocactus genus. Image Scientific name Distribution Matucana aurantiaca Peru. Matucana aureiflora Peru. Matucana charlesiorum Peru Matucana chrysacantha Peru Matucana formosa Peru. Matucana gigantea Peru Matucana haynii Peru. Matucana hoxeyi Peru. Matucana huagalensis Peru. Matucana intertexta Peru. Matucana klopfensteinii Peru (Cajamarca). Matucana krahnii Peru. Matucana madisoniorum Peru. Matucana oreodoxa Peru. Matucana paucicostata Peru. Matucana pughii Peru. Matucana pujupatii Peru. Matucana rebutiiflora Peru. Matucana ritteri Peru. Matucana roseiflora Peru. Matucana tuberculata Peru. Matucana weberbaueri Peru.

All members of the genus cannot tolerate too much moisture so that it is recommended that they be watered only during their growing season and when the substrate is dry. They risk losing their roots if they are not kept warm through the winter. Members of Matucana grow quickly and may be grown from seed.