Xerophyte

Habit

Plants caespitose forming dense or lax clumps either loose decumbent, or erect, usually branching before flowering. Larger plants may have 50-100 or more stems.

Central Spines

Several, 5 to 8 cm long, often bluish, somewhat angled, rather stout and divergent from the stem.

Seeds

Black, ovoid, tuberculate, and 1-1,4 mm long.

Description

Echinocereus sarissophorusSN|7930]]SN|7934]] is a morphological form of the variable Echinocereus enneacanthusSN|7934]]SN|7930]] distinguishes for its stout, stubby habit and by its very long, usually stiff, often bluish spines. It is a particularly beautiful plant in flower. The differences with other “enneacanthus” are in reality very minimal (if none) and most botanist agree on the fact that “sarissophorus” should be included in the “enneacanthus”, and the two plants are not readily distinguishable, if not for the label.

Flowers

Diurnal, funnelform, purplish, 7 to 8 cm long, and 7-9(-10) cm in diameter. Tepals in 2-3 series, inner ones broad oblanceolate up to 55 cm long and 1-2 cm wide, and acuminate-serrate at the apex; areoles on ovary and flower-tube bearing short, white wool and 3 to 5 long pale bristle-like spines.

Blooming Season

Blooming in spring (April and May in habitat). Occasionally, plants produce single or a few flowers later in the year, possibly in autumn.

Chromosome Number

2n = 22.

Ribs

9 warty.

Stem

Short, thick, pale green or somewhat yellow-green, about 10 cm thick and 15 cm long.

Radial Spines

7 to 10, slender.

Fruits

Globular to ovoid, 2 to 3 cm. in diameter, covered with clusters of deciduous spines. The fruits are edible. After the spines are removed from the green-brown flesh of the fruit, it can be eaten and tastes similar to, hence the name strawberry cactus.

Areoles

that are 20-45 mm apart.