In agreement with Anderson's position (2001, 263), confirmed again in Anderson & Eggli (2011, 225), Lobivia oligotricha Cárdenas is to be considered a synonym of the dominant Echinopsis cinnabarina (Hooker) Labouret. Lowry (2005, 19: 12), proposes a distinction of the first taxon from the second, electing Echinopsis oligotricha (Cárdenas) M. Lowry, with these arguments "... amply distinct through its smaller pale-throated flowers which arise laterally and its rough, dull brown seeds with an oblique hilum.". Given that for years, through the results of molecular analysis, we are aware of the fallability of the use of floral characters to distinguish taxa (Ritz et al. 2007; Lendel et al. umpubl. data; Nyffeler et al. umpubl. data; Nyffeler & Eggli 2010; Schlumpberger & Renner 2012; Anceschi & Magli 2013a), what about the marginality of distinctions, such as the color of the seed or the oblique hilum, to distinguish taxa within a dominant natural species such as E. cinnabarina. Also what would seem to be the other distinctive element of E. oligotricha, namely the thinner spines (Hunt et al. 2006, text: 98), is also found within the populations of E. cinnabarina.
In this regard, compare:
-A&M 1120, (E. oligotricha), Bolivia, Cochabamba, Arani, south-east of Arani, 3084 m (photo 126), with A&M 999 (E. cinnabarina), Bolivia, Chuquisaca, Tarabuco, 3363 m (photo 03);
-A&M 1120, (E. oligotricha), Bolivia, Cochabamba, Arani, south-east of Arani, 3084 m (photo 121), with A&M 999 (E. cinnabarina), Bolivia, Chuquisaca, Tarabuco, 3363 m (photo 34);
-A&M 1120, (E. oligotricha), Bolivia, Cochabamba, Arani, south-east of Arani, 3084 m (photo 140), with A&M 1001, Bolivia, Chuquisaca, Tarabuco, 3363 m (photo 47);
-A&M 1120, (E. oligotricha), Bolivia, Cochabamba, Arani, south-east of Arani, 3084 m (photo 129), with A&M 1001, Bolivia, Chuquisaca, Tarabuco, 3363 m (photo 54).
It should be noted as in the above comparisons, that the individuals chosen for the two taxa could pass indifferently from one population to another (see photos of the A&M of reference), without distinguishing themselves in any way from the other components of the population. As further confirmation of what has already been highlighted, we also bring the example of A&M 1313, Bolivia, Cochabamba, between Cochabamba and Santiváñez, 2900 m, where the "distinctive" semaphoronts of E. oligotricha (photo 145) and E. cinnabarina (photos 148-149), coexist in the same population together with the relative transitional phases in the two directions (photos 144, 142, respectively). (Quoted fromAnceschi & Magli 2021, 53-54)
In Backeberg (1966, trs. Glass, L. 1977, 240), Lobivia pugionacantha (Rose & Bödeker ex Bödeker) Backeberg and Lobivia rossii (Bödeker) Backeberg, are treated as two separate species. The rib character of L. rossii is that of being divided into oblique tubercles, hatchet-shaped (ibidem), a distinctive semaphoront of the taxon (Hennig 1966, 6-7, 32-33, 63, 65-67), but this is not so for L. pugionacantha. In Anderson (2001, 278), L. rossii is considered a ssp. of Echinopsis pugionacanthaRose & Bödeker, as Echinopsis pugionacantha ssp. rossii (Bödeker) G. Navarro. The distinctions between the two ssp. are in the flower color and the distribution, that is: color reddish yellow with distribution in Argentina and Bolivia for ssp. pugionacantha, color from orange to reddish, distribution Bolivia for ssp. rossii. The distinctive character of L. rossii, constituted by the division of the rib into hatchet-shaped tubercles, is also reported in Hunt et al. (2006, text: 99), where the taxon is always considered a ssp. of E. pugionacantha, which however, in the same publication is divided into three ssp., with the addition of Echinopsis pugionacantha ssp. haemantha (Rausch) M. Lowry, which has red flowers. The semaphoront identifying ssp. rossii always remains a distinctive element, compared to the other two ssp. in which it is absent (i.e., these show at all stages of the ontogenetic process straight or wavy ribs, not divided into oblique tubercles). In confirmation, see the photos illustrating the three taxa in Hunt et al. (ibidem, atlas: 252, 252.2 (E. pugionacantha ssp. haemantha); 252, 252.3, 252.4 (E. pugionacantha ssp. pugionacantha); 252, 252.5 (E. pugionacantha ssp. rossii). The same position of Anderson (2001) is maintained by Eggli in DGKL (2011, 240-241). There is another taxon that clearly shows the semaphoront characterized by ribs with oblique tubercles hatchet-shaped or, if you prefer, irregular and oblique ribs, divided into acute tubercles, with red or scarlet flowers, recognized by all the authors mentioned above (Anderson 2001, 263; Hunt et al. 2006, text: 94; Anderson & Eggli 2011, 225), whose distributional range, i.e. Chuquisca, Cochabamba, Potosí (Hunt et al. 2006, text: 94; Anderson & Eggli 2011, 225), also includes that of L. rossii. We are talking about the dominant Echinopsis cinnabarina (Hooker) Labouret. Even Lowry & Winberg (2013, 8: 44), and recognizing the close proximity between these two taxa, pointing out that sometimes they grow together, adding however “but usually it is quite easy to tell them apart since L. cinnabarina grows applanate and has red flowers, whereas L. rossii is more spherical and has yellow/orange flowers." Obviously, it is demonstrable that, both in the dominant E. cinnabarina,spherical individuals can be encountered, as well as the fact that among the populations attributed to L. rossii there are flattened individuals.
As for E. cinnabarina with a spherical habit, see the A&M list that follows:
A&M 1095, Bolivia, Potosí, Sijlani-Turuchipa, 3700 m (photo 114)
Regarding the distinction of the flower colour mentioned above, immediately after, the same authors conclude: "At this place they both had red flowers [Figs. 8 & 9]" (Ibidem). The captions with which Lowry & Winberg describe the photos of the two taxa in their article, further underline how weak the distinctions they made about the effectivness of discriminating the two taxa in habitat are; we include them here: “Fig. 8 Lobivia rossii, or is it just a spiny L. cinnabarina? " and again " Fig. 9 Lobivia cinnabarina, or is it just a flat L. rossii? " (Ibidem, 43). Indeed it is difficult to distinguish the two taxa, with L. rossii being a spinier form in the morphological and geographical range of the dominant E. cinnabarina. As we will demonstrate, individuals with more spines, assimilable to the idea of L. rossii or E. pugionacantha ssp. rossii, are found in the common populations of E. cinnabarina. Compare for example:
A&M 999, (E. cinnabarina), Bolivia, Chuquisaca, Tarabuco, 3363 m (photo 43, spherical semaphoront, with long spines), with A&M 1095 (L. rossii), Bolivia, Potosí, Sijlani-Turuchipa, 3700 m (photo 112);
A&M 1045, (E. cinnabarina), Bolivia, Chuquisaca, south-east of Tarabuco, 2970 m (photo 71, spherical-elongated semaphoront, with long spines), with A&M 1093 (BLMT 916), (L. rossii), Bolivia, Potosí, Sijlani-Turuchipa, 3727 m (photo 97, flattened specimen);
A&M 1067, (E. cinnabarina), Bolivia, Chuquisaca, west of Tarabuco, Umbate, 3238 m (photos 75-76, spherical semaphoront, with long spines), with A&M 1093 (BLMT 916), (L. rossii), Bolivia, Potosí, Sijlani-Turuchipa, 3727 m (photo 106);
A&M 1091, (E. cinnabarina), Bolivia, Potosí, Sijlani-Turuchipa, 3460 m, (photos 88-89, spherical semaphoronts with long spines), and compare again with A&M 1093 (BLMT 916), (L. rossii), Bolivia, Potosí, Sijlani-Turuchipa, 3727 m (photo 106).
Based on the evidence found in habitats, it seems correct to assimilate L. rossii-E. pugionacantha ssp. rossii into the synonymy of E. cinnabarina. (Quoted fromAnceschi & Magli 2021, 54-57)