Xerophyte

Central Spines

0-4, white to brownish, 1-20 mm long.

Description

Echinocereus scheeriSN|7070]]SN|8657]] is a dangling cactus with showy trumped-shaped flowers. It is a widespread polymorphic species showing quite a variation especially in flower size and colour, habit and spination.

Note

Echinocereus scheeriSN|8657]]SN|8657]] is closely allied to Echinocereus polyacanthusSN|8657]]SN|7070]], from which it is most readily distinguished by its more elongate stems, the ribs with closely set areoles only 2-6 mm apart. The large flowers differ in having a much broader nectar chamber.

Habitat

It is a cespitose succulent plant with many stems sprouting basally, usually pendulous, or decumbent. Old plants may have 12-20 or more stems and are quite large and heavy.

Flowers

Red, purple, scarlet, pink or salmon-orange, trumpet-shaped 6-12 cm long, 4-8 cm in diameter, borne on the sides of the stems from sharply pointed buds, and spines on the flowers and fruits to 8 mm long. Tube elongated. Perianth segments oblanceolate, acute.

Blooming Season

It blooms in spring, flowers remain fully open most of the day and night. They usually expand in the afternoon, or towards evening. The flowers can last for a week or more and remain open at night, closing somewhat during the hottest part of the day.

Spines

7 to 12(-17), acicular, white with brown or blackish rips.

Ribs

6-10, well defined, obtuse, tuberculate, somewhat spiralled.

Stem

Slender, spiny, procumbent, prostrate or ascending, cylindrical, decidedly narrowed towards the tip, 10 to 70 cm. long, 1,5-4 cm in diameter, glossy dark green to yellowish green. Echinocereus scheeriSN|8657]]SN|8657]] is one of the softer-stemmed Echinocerei.

Radial Spines

usually 6-13, white to pale brown, 1-7 long.

Fruits

Ovoid up to 2 cm long, bright green with white pulp, splitting along one side, with easily detaching spines.

Areoles

Closely spaced, yellowish, about 2-7 mm apart.