Autor: Britton & Rose
• ETYMOLOGY
Genus honouring Carlos Emilio Porter (1867-1942), Chilean entomologist and naturalist; “neo” because the genus Porteria had already been assignated to a Valerianaceae (now Caprifoliaceae s.I.).
• DESCRIPTION
Genus of usually solitary plants, sometimes branched from the base, subglobose flattened or becoming elongated, with the apex more or less depressed, very variable in size, from 1 cm to 1 m, with fibrous roots or taproots, sometimes with a constriction at the base. Ribs in variable number, usually crenulated between areoles; areoles borne at the top pf tubercles. Spines variable in size and shape, aciculate, sturdy or setose.
Flowers diurnal, sometimes self-fertile, appearing near the apex, funnel-shaped or almost tubular, colour variable, white, creamy-white, yellowish, brown, pink to carmine red, sometimes bi-coloured, some pleasantly scented, pollinated by insects like hymenoptera (Alloscirtetica lanosa) and hummingbirds. Fruits egg-shaped to davate, often woolly, almost all with a basal dehiscence, floral remains persistent. Seeds small, variable, brown to black, subglobose, with micropyle sometimes visible, ruminate to finely tuberculate, retaining, in some species, remnants of the mucilage. Dispersal of seeds ensured by ants (myrmecochory).
• HABITAT
The genus Neoporteria includes extremely variable species and grows near the Pacific coast, inlands, up to the mountains of the Andes, to the Chilean pampa, on rocky soils, among rocks, in crevices or on outcrops, on cliffs, on dry slopes, also in colonies on coastal rocky capes, exposed to the breeze (N. subgibbosa), or to the camanchaca, (Chilean coastal fog) (Neoporteria crispa) from the sea level up to 4200 m in altitude (N. curvispina [aconcaguensis]). Unfortunately, many species are in danger for different reasons: overgrazing, mining activity, reforestation, collection, climate change…
• DISTRIBUTION (in the acceptance of Neoporteria s.I. as presented here)
Argentina (Jujuy, La Rioja, Mendoza, Rio Negro, Salta, San Juan), Chile (Antofagasta, Atacama, Coquimbo, Maule, O’Higgins, Santiago, Tarapaca, Valparaiso).
Currently 40 possible species:
How they were classified before: H = ex Horridocactus; P = ex Pyrrhocactus; T = ex
Thelocephala.
– Neoporteria (H.) aspillagae (Sohrens) Backeb. 1935
– Neoporteria (P.) atroviridis (F.Ritter) Ferryman 1991
– Neoporteria (P.) bulbocalyx* (Werderm.) Donald & G.D.Rowley 1966
– Neoporteria (H.) calderana (F.Ritter) Donald & G.D.Rowley 1966
– Neoporteria (P.) caligophila (R. Pinto) J.Lode 2013
– Neoporteria (H.) chilensis* (Hildm. ex K.Schum.) Britton & Rose 1922
– Neoporteria clavata* (Sohrens ex K.Schum.) Werderm. 1939
– Neoporteria coimasensis* F.Ritter 1963
– Neoporteria (H.) confinis (F.Ritter) Donald & G.D.Rowley 1966
– Neoporteria (H.) crispa (F.Ritter) Donald & G.D.Rowley 1966
– Neoporteria (H.) curvispina* (Bertero ex Colla) Donald & G.D.Rowley 1966
– Neoporteria (P.) echinus (F.Ritter) Ferryman 1991
– Neoporteria (H.) engleri (F.Ritter) Donald & G.D.Rowley 1966
– Neoporteria (H.) eriosyzoides (F.Ritter) Donald & G.D.Rowley 1966
– Neoporteria (T.) esmeraldana (F.Ritter) Donald & G.D.Rowley 1966
– Neoporteria (P.) fioccosa (F.Ritter) J.Lode 1992
– Neoporteria (H.) garaventae (F.Ritter) Ferryman 1991
– Neoporteria (H.) heinrichiana (Backeb.) Ferryman 1991
– Neoporteria (H.) huascensis (F.Ritter) Donald & G.D.Rowley 1966
– Neoporteria (P.) iquiquensis (F.Ritter) Donald & G.D.Rowley 1966
– Neoporteria (H.) kunzei (C.F.Forst.) Backeb. 1935
– Neoporteria (H.) marksiana (F.Ritter) Donald & G.D.Rowley 1966
– Neoporteria (P.) megliolii (Rausch) Donald 1976
– Neoporteria (T.) napina* (Phil.) Backeb. 1935
– Neoporteria nigrihorrida* Backeb. 1939
– Neoporteria (H.) occulta (Phil.) Britton & Rose 1922
– Neoporteria (T.) odieri* (Lem. ex Salm-Dyck) Backeb. 1935
– Neoporteria (H.) paucicostata* (F.Ritter) Donald & G.D.Rowley 1966
– Neoporteria (H.) recondita ((F.Ritter) Donald & G.D.Rowley 1966
– Neoporteria senilis* Backeb. 1935
– Neoporteria (H.) simulans (F.Ritter) Donald & G.D.Rowley 1966
– Neoporteria sociabilis* F.Ritter 1963
– Neoporteria (P.) strausiana* (K.Schum.) Donald & G.D.Rowley 1966
– Neoporteria subgibbosa* (Haw.) Britton & Rose 1922
– Neoporteria (H.) taltalensis* Hutchison 1955
– Neoporteria (P.) totoralensis (F.Ritter) Donald & G.D.Rowley 1966
– Neoporteria (P.) umadeave* (Werderm.) Donald & G.D.Rowley 1966
– Neoporteria (P.) villicumensis (Rausch) Donald 1976
– Neoporteria villosa* (Monv.) A.Berger 1929
– Neoporteria wagenknechtii* F.Ritter 1963
References: "TAXONOMY of the CACTACEAE" - ISBN 978-84-617-3692-8 (Vol. 2)