Xerophyte

Habit

Simple or clustering from base with age.

Central Spines

(1-)3-6(-10), up to 5 cm often curved, whitish, brown or nearly black, flexible.

Description

Oreocereus hempelianusSN|3798]]SN|3798]] (Best known as Arequipa hempelianaSN|3803]]SN|3803]]), is a short cylindrical cactus with dense short brown spines and bright purple/red flowers when mature. This species is quite variable in spination and has received numerous unnecessary names of no botanical value, representing no more than local phenotypes.

Flowers

Arising near apex, 5-7,5 cm long, 2,5-3,5 cm across, scarlet to purplish red, tube slightly curved, open to one side, the scales densely and softly hairy in the axil, limb more or less oblique, the segments acute.

Spines

Very variable yellow to reddish, becoming dull grey.

Ribs

10-20 flattened and large, 5-15 mm distant.

Stem

Spherical at first becoming elongated and eventually short-cylindric with age, erect or decumbent up to 30-40 (rarely 60) cm tall, 10-15 cm across, usually greyish-green or glaucous green.

Radial Spines

(8-)10-15(-30), 1-3 cm long, needle-like to finely bristle-like, diverging, yellowish to glassy white.

Fruits

Barrel shaped to ovoid about 1,5-2,5 cm in diameter, yellowish, thin-walled, opening basally.