Origin and Habitat: Chile (Coquimbo), at medium elevations in the Andes.
Habitat: They grow only in the mountain at an altitude of 100-2000 meters or more.

• Eriosyce ceratistes (Otto) Britton & Rose
• Echinocactus ceratistes Otto
• Trichocereus ceratistes (Otto) H.P.Kelsey & Dayton

• Eriosyce aurata (Pfeiff.) Backeb.
• Echinocactus auratus Pfeiff.
• Eriosyce ihotzkanae
• Eriosyce lampapaensis
• Eriosyce algarrobensis F.Ritter
• Eriosyce sandillon var. algarrobensis (F.Ritter) A.E.Hoffm.
• Eriosyce ausseliana F.Ritter
• Eriosyce ceratistes (Otto) Britton & Rose
• Echinocactus ceratistes Otto
• Trichocereus ceratistes (Otto) H.P.Kelsey & Dayton
• Eriosyce ceratistes subs. ceratistes var. tranquillaensis F.Ritter
• Eriosyce ceratistes var. coquimbensis Backeb.
• Eriosyce ceratistes var. gilesii
• Eriosyce ceratistes var. llapalensis
• Eriosyce ceratistes var. mollesensis Backeb.
• Eriosyce sandillon var. mollesensis (Backeb.) A.E.Hoffm.
• Eriosyce ceratistes var. ravidavia
• Eriosyce ceratistes var. vallenarensis Backeb.
• Eriosyce sandillon var. vallenarensis (Backeb.) A.E.Hoffm.
• Eriosyce ceratistes var. zorillaensis Backeb.
• Eriosyce combarbalensis
• Eriosyce ceratistes var. combarbalensis Backeb.
• Eriosyce ihotzkyanae F.Ritter
• Eriosyce aurata ihotzkyanae
• Eriosyce ceratistes var. jorgensis Backeb.
• Eriosyce jorgensis
• Rodentiophila montana KK 1311 Chile, Pueblo Hundido,500m. Kníže
• Eriosyce lapampaensis F.Ritter
• Eriosyce sandillon Phil.
• Echinocactus sandillon hort. ex Förster
• Echinocactus sandillon Remy in Gay
• Eriosyce sp. nova JS252 Illapel, 04 Coquimbo, Chile
• Eriosyce spinibarbis F.Ritter
• Eriosyce aurata var. spinibarbis (F.Ritter) Katt.

Description: Eriosyce ceratistesSN|2337]]SN|2337]] is a large barrel-shaped cactus with many ribs and very spiny. Most of the plants in habitat are single headed unless they are damaged.
Stem: Solitary, emerald-blue, spherical fattened with abundant white wool on top, up to 50 cm in diameter (usually 20 to 30 cm) when very old become shortly columnar, reaching over 90 cm in height (but usually less).
Ribs: Adult specimens have around 21-35 ribs, but fewer in young plant, while in old ones sometime more.
Areoles: Large, approx 3 cm apart.
Spines: 11-20 nearly equal 2,5-3,5 cm long, horn-shaped, subulated, straight or slightly curved. The colour is brown to almost black (often pale-brownish or yellowish when very young). Juvenile specimens have 1 central spine and 8 radial, but the number increase as they get older and areoles can have over 20 spines on mature specimens.
Flowers: Red campanulate or funnel-shaped 5 cm long, with a white hairy floral tube. Inner perianth-segments 1,5 cm long. The flower open for 3-4 hours and then whitening. There might be over 50 flowers on a mature specimen (only mature specimens bloom).
Fruits: 4 cm long.
Seeds: 3 mm long.

Bibliography: Major references and further lectures
1) James Cullen, Sabina G. Knees, H. Suzanne Cubey “The European Garden Flora Flowering Plants: A Manual for the Identification of Plants Cultivated in Europe, Both Out-of-Doors and Under Glass” Cambridge University Press, 11/Aug./2011
2) David Hunt, Nigel Taylor “The New Cactus Lexicon” DH Books, 2006
3) Edward F. Anderson “The Cactus Family” Timber Press, 2001

Cultivation and Propagation: Slow growing, extremely rot prone if kept in a non ventilated place. Requires a very fast-draining drying soil. Water regularly in summer, but do not overwater.
Needs a full sun exposure (or light shade) Good heat tolerance. Hardy to at least -5°C.
Propagation: Usually propagated from Seeds. (seldom produces offsets), but as this species is very sensitive to root rot the young seedlings are frequently grafted on a strong stock.