mr b.caapi Posted January 10, 2001 i saw a beutiful speciman of t.gladiatus at a local nursery. it was 20/25 feet tall,very healthy and damn it ,not for sale it looked very much the same if not exactly like a long spined peruvianus. ive never heard of a gladiatus before? has anyone got any info on them? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Torsten Posted January 10, 2001 I have a small gladiatus. It seems that this is actually a Trich candicans var gladiatus. Don't know whether that is the old name or the new name, or just a bit of license. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest wira Posted January 11, 2001 Backeberg regarded it to be T. gladiatus [T. gladiatus (Lem.) Backbg.], though the generally accepted name is T. candicans var. gladiatus (Lem.) Berg. It might be a different species, if it is as high as you said [did you intend feet or inches?] Curt Backeberg gives a description of smaller plants - I'll give the candicans description first, then the details for the gladiatus variety. T. candicans - body erect or upcurving, to 75cm long, yellowish-green, forming colonies to 3m across; branches 8-12cm diam. or more; ribs 9-11, broad, low; areoles large, white; radial spines 10-12, to 4cm long; central spines mostly 4 recognisable as such, to 8cm long; all spines fairly stoutly subulate to stoutly acicular, yellowish or horn coloured, spreading; flowers to 20cm long, strongly perfumed, white; fruit ellipsoid-spherical. Argentina (Mendoza, Cordoba). v. gladiatus - body bluish to pale green, to 65cm high, little branching; branches to 14cm diam.; up to 11 ribs; areoles large; up to 13 radial spines, to 5cm long; central spines 1-4, to over 7.5cm long; spines more subulate, yellow, often banded red, or red below, sometimes twisted. [This message has been edited by wira (edited 11 January 2001).] Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
