Ayr Branch BCSS

April 2006 Meeting &

Plant of the Month Competition

April's talk on Rebutia given by John Carr.

It was all about sulcorebutia and the distribution of the species. They come from South America. The botanists now say all sulcorebutia are rebutia and even weingartia are now in rebutia. Some species can grow very close (1 metre) but they do not cross with one another, even have the same pollinator. They are pollinated by a small black bee, which flies from one site to another and the same plants remain faithful to its type, one being solitary and one clumps.

Bolivia is four times the size of Britain and has half the people that we have in Scotland. All the genus grows in Bolivia except one which has strayed into Argentina. Sulcorebutia grow up to 2000 to 4000 metres. They nearly all have yellow flowers, but there is lots of variety within the genus. Some of the genus has white spines and some have brown. In habitat they live about 15 years but in cultivation they live longer. You never find cristates in the wild.

This was an excellent talk and everyone enjoyed it

Plant of the Month Pictures - Rebutia Group

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