ID request - (I think it's T Cuzcoensis)

[zed240]

There's a wonderful cactus garden not far from me and I was wondering if I could get a confirmation that this big trich is a cuzcoensis? It is very large and thick.

Lovely English lady owns the garden who said she was very happy to have been able to fill her garden with cactus after moving to Australia since she couldn't do that back in the UK. She said I could have some cuts of her cactus that I'd like so I was going to go back soon with a plant or two to give her in return as she has a few cool echinocereus that I'd like pieces of.

Anyway, pics are below, what do you reckon?

[Dreamwalker.]

wow what a beast! awesome...

[Evil Genius]

Hi Zed, you come up with some outstanding Plants sometimes! ;)

Very nice. So the Question here is; is it a Cuzcoensis or a Stensonia Coryne. Because they can look remarkably similar. Personally, i´d agree about it being cuzcoensis. Is that far from you? Would love to see more pics when the Flowers are open. Besides, you might be able to collect seed. Stetonia Seeds look like tiny kidneys btw. But actually, i think you´re having a cuzcoensis here.

Edited December 1, 2014 by Evil Genius

[Berengar]

I don't think it's Stetsonia, large specimens get very different from cuzcoensis, very knobly ribs and the new spines are black.

Could it be some form of T. chilensis? The number of ribs and the thickness would point to it being something else than cuzcoensis, and I've seen some large specimens labeled as chilensis that looked very similar to this.

[Evil Genius]

Yes, you could be right Tangich. Chilensis can look very similar! Flowers look more like Chilensis too now that you mentioned it! Do you have close-ups Zed?

[zed240]

I don't have any other pics at the moment. It's not particularly far from my place so I'll try to head over there later tomorrow night.

Looking at the number of ribs, the young pup and the overall the size made me think there was a small possibility of some other genetics in it. But I think it might just be a big cuzco, I've certainly not encounterd another cactus the same as this in person until this one. If I can geta flower pic we'll see what people have to say about it.

[Gunter]

Curious... looks perhaps cuzco related but those areoles look off to me for that.

The spine shape also is similar but distinct.

It is an upright peruvianoid, branching is curious.

Edited December 1, 2014 by Gunter

[hostilis]

Damn, that's like the terscheckii of cuzcos. Nice plant!

[Gunter]

I had a plant that looked similar but was not Cuzco...

Note that cuzco spines swell towards the base and end up with a tapered look. This plant lacks that, the spines are thin and needle like without the swelling.

The number of spines per areole also is higher than normal for cuzco.

Lastly the branching pattern looks a lot like certain upright peru forms.

I would be very interested in seed from the plant in this thread.

[mutant]

definately not a Stetsonia.

note the very tidy path and all. this definately looks like a prized and pampered cuzcoid. The fatness can be due to ferts.

Awesome find, thanks for shooting it and showing us!