Maihuenia poeppigii

Botanical Description

Maihuenia poeppigii is a spiny, succulent, evergreen, low-growing cactus with small, persistent leaves and a fleshy taproot 40 - 80cm long. The plant can form a mat of growth up to 10cm high and 200cm wide[ 1987 Title The Cactus Family Publication Author Anderson E.F. Publisher Timber Press; Portland, Oregon Year 2001 ISBN 0-88192-498-9 Description An excellent work, giving botanical descriptions of virtually all the cacti, together with their range (but not their habitats) and sometimes also a photo. it also contains a long chapter detailing the many uses of cacti and another on cultivation.. ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food. It is often cultivated as an ornamental, being one of the few cactus species that can withstand standing snow for several months of the year[ 330 Title ChileFlora Publication Author Website http://www.chileflora.com/index.html Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Not realy a flora, but a lovely site with lots of helpful information for the gardener and an abundance of excellent photos covering over 2,000 species of Chilean plants. ]. Maihuenia poeppigii is widespread, locally abundant, and in the majority of its range there are no threats. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2017)[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].