Matucana
Matucana is a genus of cacti (family Cactaceae), containing approximately 20 species of mostly globular plants. The genus is only known from Peru, mostly along the Marañón River. The first species was discovered near the town of Matucana and described as Echinocactus haynii by Christoph Friedrich Otto in 1849. The genus Matucana was erected by Nathaniel Lord Britton and Joseph Nelson Rose in 1922. Some species are endangered due to collection for the specialist market. Description
Species of Matucana have low, globose or shortly cylindrical bodies, either solitary or clustering. The flowers are subapical, usually more or less zygomorphic, diurnal, in various colours, but mainly red, yellow or pink. However, a few species, notably M. oreodoxa, have actinomorphic flowers and were placed in a separate genus - Eomatucana - by F. Ritter. They are reported to flower at a young age. Species
, the following species were accepted:

Cultivation
All members of the genus cannot tolerate too much moisture so that it is recommended that they be watered only during their growing season and when the substrate is dry. They risk losing their roots if they are not kept warm through the winter. Members of Matucana grow quickly and may be grown from seed. References

 Bregman, Rob: The Genus Matucana. Biology and systematics of fascinating Peruvian cacti. A.A.Balkema 1996. Ritter, Friedrich: Kakteen in Südamerika, Band 4, s. 1486-87. Friedrich Ritter Selbstverlag 1981. Cacti of South America
Endemic flora of Peru
Cactoideae genera