Xerophyte

Seeds

small, 1 mm long, reddish brown.

Description

Browningia caineanaSN|6314]]SN|6314]] (Castellanosia caineanaSN|6315]]SN|6315]]) is a treelike cactus, branching basally, to 5-6 m high. The stems are cylindrical with 9 rounded ribs. Flowers develops towards top of branches. Flowers are deep red, diurnal somewhat funnel-shaped. This species differs from Cephalocereus by the full lack of Cephaliums or Pseudocephaliums and even of hair on the flowering areoles. The most striking peculiarity of this species is the heteromorphic spination, with lower part of stems bearing strong spines and apical flowering segments producing only tufts of fine bristles.

Note

“caineana” for the occurrence in the valley of the Rio Caine.

Flowers

Purplish red, 3-5 cm long, produced above the the 4(-5) stems constrictions from the middle of the bristle-carrying areoles. Flower buds naked. Ovary and tube with wide overlapping abruptly tapered scales, with dense creamy white felt in their axils. The outer perianth segments are obtuse, the inner broadly lanceolate (Acute) and purple. Anther long and flattened, pale yellow. Style more or less prominent, thick, pink. Stigma-lobes 15 pink white.

Spines of Flowering Stems

About 25, bristly, flexible of different lengths, white, grey, brown or blackish, 8-40 mm long.

Spines

Noticeably dimorphic, the spines on juvenile (lower, vegetative or sterile portion) of stems are very different looking from those of the upper, flowering portion of stems.

Spines of Vegetative Stems

Brown or black, stout, subulate, but also somewhat aciculate or bristle-like, unequal. Radial spines 15-16, 8-40 mm long. Central spines 3-4, enlarged at the base 4-7 cm long.

Ribs

9, divided by deep constrictions into sections.

Stem

Long cylindrical, clearly jointed, somewhat flexible, something bent, grey-green, tapering slightly. Stem segments (joints) 30-40 cm long, 8-11 cm in diameter.

Fruits

Globose, greenish yellow, to 30 m long, 25 mm thick, slightly tapering towards the dried flower remnant. Scales wide, overlapping like roof tiles, with dense, short and cream felt. Pulp dark yellow toxic.

Areoles

Circular grey, round, to 3 cm apart.