Xerophyte

Central Spines

5-11, not angled, stronger than radials straight, spreading in all directions from centre of areole, uppermost 3-6 mm long, slender; rest heavier, 6-18(-27) mm long, translucent yellow, white or light brown, often with reddish tip, or occasionally all reddish.

Seeds

0,9-1,2 mm long and wide , black, papillate (warty), the hilum nearly basal, round.

Description

It is a perennial stem succulent usually simple or branching, but older plants may exhibit limited branching above.

Flowers

As in Echinocereus viridiflorus var. chloranthusSN|7770]]SN|7770]]. Diurnal, produced on lateral midstems, but sometime lower, funnelform, not opening widely, 25-32 mm long, 15-25 mm in diameter, dark green, yellowish green, bronze-green, brown or dark chocolate-brown. Usually the lemon scent of other related taxa. Ovary with white wool and white spines about 6-12 mm long. Inner perianth segments linear, edges entire, sharply pointed, not broadening throughout their length brownish-green or rusty and greener toward the center, often with dark green midlines with the margins lighter green and suffused with brown. Outer perianth segments often with brownish midlines and margins olive-yellow. Filaments pale yellow or greenish. Anthers cream coloured or yellow. Stile greenish, 1,2-2 cm long. Stigma lobes 8-10 dark green.

Blooming Season

Spring for 15-30 days ( in habitat from March through May), The flowers open again for 3-4 days after closing at night. Individual plants or stems may produce more than 30 flowers at a time.

Chromosome Number

2n = 22

Ribs

12-18, often nearly hidden by the densely set spines, , low, with distinct tubercles.

Stem

Cylindrical, erect, pale or yellowish-green, 8-25 cm tall, 3-7 cm in diameter.

Radial Spines

Several (26-)30-38(-45), straight, slender, tightly appressed, evenly radiating around the areoles, often crowded, interlocking with spines from other areoles, upper very slender, 3 mm long; length increases around areole; laterals to 6 mm long, lower ones slightly shorter, clear translucent yellow, light brown or chalk-white, all of an areole being same colour, and forming annual horizontal dark and light bands, (yellow, tan or light browm and white) around the stem on older plants. In juvenile plants the radial spines are short, pectinate, and appressed, except in turgid seedlings, where the radials may be spreading. All the spines has a bulbous base but usually covered, until they are very old, by the wool of the areoles.Juvenile specimens Immature plants or new branches have no spines, but have thick covering of white, very fine, flexible hairs 6-30 (or more) mm long, 40 hairs per areole, when plant 2,5-5 cm tall, normal spines begin appearing at tip of stem; juvenile hairs often persisting at bases of older specimens.

Fruits

As in Echinocereus viridiflorus var. chloranthusSN|11071]]SN|7770]]. Small, dry, nearly globular, 2-14 mm long, 7-10 mm in diameter, green (or dull purplish red), indehiscent, covered with small bristly spines, that easily fall away, leaving a glistening fruit wall. When the fruit mature they split open.

Areoles

Round to oval and 3-5 mm long, and up to 6 mm apart on the ribs. covered with much white or yellowish wool when young, bare when old except for very small tuft at upper end of areole where flower is produced.