Xerophyte

Habit

Shrub-like reaching 3 m in height (but usually less than 2 metres) branching from the base when fairly tall (at least 70-90 cm cm tall).

Central Spines

1-3 the longest to 4-10 cm long.

Seeds

Circular, medium-sized, 1,1 x 1,0 mm, glossy, black-brown, periphery keeled; border expanded around hilum.

Description

Espostoa melanosteleSN|6772]]SN|5675]] is an attractive tall, greyish-green columnar cactus with much apical spination and pubescence, the hoary hairiness providing them a sturdy and more or less clean-cut appearance. It is similar to Espostoa lanataSN|5675]]SN|6772]], but has rows of yellow needle-like spines; densely covered with white hair, the density increasing with age. Two subspecies are recognized, the nominate form and subsp. nana (F.Ritter) G.J.Charles. There is possibly a third undescribed subspecies. There is also a beautiful cristate form of the species, with dense white wool.

Cephalium

Lateral, whitish. yellow or brown, 50-70 cm long,covering to 8 ribs.

Flowers

Bell shaped, 5-6 cm long and 5 cm across, scales of the pericarpel tiny, those of the tube larger hairy in the axils. Perianth white.

Spines

Numerous at first yellow, later blackish.

Ribs

About 18-25.

Stem

to 10 cm in diameter.

Radial Spines

40-50 needle-like, spreading, shorter 5-10 mm long.

Fruits

Tiny-hardly bigger than a grape (less than 5 cm across) greenish-white, yellowish-white to reddish. The fruits are piquant, but tasty and edible.

Areoles

Very numerous fairly close-set, the non-flowering with dense white or brownish hairs to 10 mm long clothing the whole stem.