Copyright © Claude Bourleau. All rights reserved.

"The pulchra case "

What about S. pulchra ? Early this year, in his article in Succulenta, Johan described a new species : Sulcorebutia callichroma. S. callichroma is nothing else than the well-known HS 78 that has always been considered as S. pulchra. The problem is that HS 78 does not fit to the original description of S. pulchra (MC 6310) by Martin Cardenas.

Johan believes he has rediscovered the original collection site of S. puchra. Therefore he thinks to have a real Sulcorebutia pulchra in the person of its VZ 642. This one fits exactly to the original description. It was therefore logical to rename the HS 78. Similarly, HS 78a that was called S. pulchra v. longispina becomes Sulcorebutia callichroma v. longispina.

The variety albiareolata (which I did not know, I have to recognize it ...) which was described by Slaba & Sorma in 2007, is elevated to the range of species. Some field numbers of this Sulcorebutia albiareolata: VZ 309 - 310 - 311 (formerly S. frankiana), VZ 348-349 - 350.

S. pulchra VZ 642/1

S. pulchra VZ 642/2

S. pulchra VZ 642/3

S. pulchra VZ 642/5

Some S. albiareolata

S. albiareolata VZ 349/6

S. albiareolata VZ 350

Just for the pleasure, let’s continue the visit of the collection ! Either my eyes are drawn to a plant out of the ordinary, or Johan attracts my attention by saying : "- Do you know this plant ? " " - Have you ever seen this ? "...

Anyway, we could spend the whole day and still find some interesting things !

S. glomeriseta MC 4399

S. menesesii MC 5532

Weingartia cintiensis

S. sp. KK 1769 « glomerispina »

S. spec. Quiroga VZ 390/3

S. breviflora v. haseltonii
VZ 589/1

S. santiaginiensis VZ 340/4
(damaged apex, rose offsets)

S. juckeri VZ 429

S. callichroma v. longispina
VS 347 (ident. to HS 78a)

S. caracarensis MC 6309

S. juckeri HJ 1150

W. spec. HJ 1195

S. crispata RMR 0415

Some splendid weingartias

Some S. tiraquensis
v. totorensis

S. krahnii

S. spec. EH 6278

S. cantargalloensis VZ 617/1

S. tunariensis VZ 613/2

S. juckeri VZ 430/5

Some S. patriciae
also white spined clones

Up there, there is yet to see!

General view

At the end of the visit, we went through the greenhouse in which Johan propagates the plants. I can guarantee that there will be a big choice in the future lists of plants!

I have also had the pleasure of seeing a propagation technique that I did not know : areole grafting. In fact, this technique is not new : it was born and has been used for quite some time now in Eastern European countries.

Some grafted areoles. The areole is held in place on the rootstock with an adhesive tape, a small piece of plastic bubble is placed on the graft. Elastic can be used in addition to further improve the contact graft-rootstock.

Different stages of development of the grafts.

Habitat seedlings of some clones of S. robert-vasquezii

Habitat seedlings of S. vargsii VZ 692

A wonderful grafted S. purpurea v. unguispina WR 731

I do not want to end this page without telling you that I was really amazed again by the collection of Johan de Vries. I repeat it again : any Sulcorebutia lover MUST visit this collection (I wonder if Johan will agree - he fears busses in front of his house ! ! !) If you are interested in these plants, do not hesitate, go for it !

Well, it's time for me to hit the road as Ilona and Cor Noorman are waiting for me!

Elizabeth & Johan de Vries - 2012 (2)