Echinonyctanthus eyriesii
Cact. Gen. Sp. Nov. 84. 1839
Family
Cactaceae
Genus
Species
Echinonyctanthus eyriesii
Author
(Turpin) Lem.
Chinese genus
-
Chinese name
-
Primary
Accepted
DescriptionEdit description
Central Spines
4-8 thick, conical, less than 5 mm tall, hard, blackish. Young plants and offshoot initially have longer and weaker spines, the stout short conical spines appear only later.
Description
Echinopsis eyriesiiSN|17377]]SN|8004]] is a very popular large caespitose cactus, widely grown for the huge nocturnal flowers. It is the best known and most commonly grown globular cactus.
Roots
Fibrous.
Flowers
Nocturnal, pure white, very large, from the side of plant but above the middle, 17 to 25 cm long, 5-10 cm in diameter (The presence of pink shades in the flower shows hybridization). Floral tube funnel-shaped with a strong basal part underlying the ovary, then narrow and variously curved and gradually extending into the crown, dark green covered with small, ovate, brownish scales and dark grey to black hair. Lower outer perianth segments, rather linear and greenish, inner perianth-segments broad and white, acuminate. Throat greenish, with several several stamens around the inner perimeter. Stamens and style shorter than the perianth-segments. Flowers are intensely fragrant.
Spines
Several, 14 to 18, very short.
Ribs
9 to 18, not tuberculate, prominent, rather thin above.
Stem
Globular, later elongated and almost cylindrical, 15-30 cm high,12 to 15 cm thick, dark green and heavily ribbed.
Fruits
Up to 5 cm long, green, covered with hairs and containing a large number of black seeds.
Habit
Simple or (usually) clustered, branching basally. In time it may exceptionally forms large mounds up to 1,5 m tall and 2-3 m wide.
Blooming Season
Flowers appears from spring to summer in several flush at night. In sunny weather the next day they fade, but in cold, rainy weather they may last two, rarely three days.
Radial Spines
Thin 5-10 mm long often missing in adult specimens.
Areoles
Circular, filled with white or tawny wool up to 1 cm apart.