Echinocereus cinerascens

Echinocereus cinerascens is a species of cactus native from Texas to Mexico.

Echinocereus cinerascens
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Cactaceae
Subfamily: Cactoideae
Genus: Echinocereus
Species:
E. cinerascens
Binomial name
Echinocereus cinerascens
Synonyms

Cereus cinerascens DC. 1828

Description edit

Echinocereus cinerascens grows with many shoots and usually forms cushions of prostrate to upright shoots. The bright green, cylindrical shoots are up to 30 centimeters long and have a diameter of 1.5 to 12 centimeters. There are five to twelve ribs, which usually have well-developed cusps, but are occasionally almost uncusped. The one to six protruding to spreading, sometimes criss-crossing central spines are slightly pink or orange and turn brown or even white. They are up to 4.5 centimeters long. The six to ten round, yellowish to whitish marginal spines are 1 to 3.5 centimeters long.

The broadly funnel-shaped flowers are slightly pink-magenta in color and have a white or very light throat. They appear well below the shoot tips, are 7 to 10 centimeters long and reach a diameter of 6 to 12 centimeters. The green and thorny fruits smell and taste like strawberries.[2]

Subspecies edit

Accepted subspecies:[3]

Image Scientific name Distribution
  Echinocereus cinerascens subsp. cinerascens Central Mexico
  Echinocereus cinerascens subsp. septentrionalis (N.P.Taylor) N.P.Taylor Mexico (Zacatecas, San Luis Potosí)
  Echinocereus cinerascens subsp. tulensis (Bravo) N.P.Taylor Mexico (Tamaulipas, San Luis Potosí)

Distribution edit

Echinocereus cinerascens is distributed in Mexico in the Federal District and the states of México, Hidalgo, Tamaulipas, Querétaro, Guanajuato, Zacatecas and San Luis Potosí.

Taxonomy edit

The first description as Cereus cinerascens by Augustin-Pyrame de Candolle was published in 1828.[4] The specific epithet cinerascens comes from Latin, means 'turning ashen' and refers to the thorns of the species. Charles Lemaire placed the species in the genus Echinocereus in 1868.[5]

References edit

  1. ^ SG), Succulent Plants; SG), Succulent Plants; Biología, Héctor Hernández (Instituto de; Assessment), Martin Smith (Global Cactus (2009-11-16). "The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
  2. ^ Anderson, Edward F.; Eggli, Urs (2005). Das grosse Kakteen-Lexikon (in German). Stuttgart (Hohenheim): Ulmer. pp. 193–194. ISBN 3-8001-4573-1.
  3. ^ "Echinocereus cinerascens (DC.) Haage". Plants of the World Online. 2019-02-27. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
  4. ^ D&Amp, Um National; (France), histoire naturelle (1828). "Mémoires du Muséum d'histoire naturelle". G. Dufour. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
  5. ^ Lemaire, C. (1869). Les cactées: histoire, patrie, organes de végétation. Bibliothèque du jardinier (in French). Maison rustique. p. 56. Retrieved 2023-12-10.

External links edit