Xerophyte

Central Spines

1-4, stout, grey, 1-7 cm long, pointing obliquely downwards, bright golden yellow.

Description

Haageocereus pacalaensisSN|5576]]SN|5657]] is a srubby cactus species branching basally to produce several erect thick stems with a covering of dense golden spines. It is a somewhat variable taxon with several extreme forms that were early published as full species or as varieties, but these were too weak botanically to consider them as new species or subspecies, so they are all combined in Haageocereus pacalaensisSN|5657]]SN|5657]], except for the creeping subsp. repens.Derivation of the specific name. “pacalaensis” For the occurrence near Pacala, Dept. Libertad, Peru.

Flowers

White, externally green, to 10 cm long.

Taxonomic Notes

Calderón et al. (2007) indicate that H. pacalaensis is a synonym of Haageocereus pseudomelanosteleSN|5657]]SN|5576]]. However, Hunt et al. (2006) consider them as separate species. Taxonomic studies are needed to clarify this issue.

Ribs

17-20 low, 1 cm wide.

Stem

Columnar, branched from the base,1 to 1.7 m tall, 10-12 cm in diameter, yellowish green with close, yellow spines, flowers white.

Radial Spines

up to 25(-40), fine, radiating, grey, to 10(-14) mm long yellow.

Fruits

Globose, green to reddish green, to 8 cm in diameter.

Areoles

Small, brownish felted.