Xerophyte

Central Spines

1-4.

Seeds

Almost kidney-shaped, 1.3-1.5 mm, black.

Description

Echinopsis tarijensisSN|8728]]SN|8728]] (Trichocereus tarijensisSN|8731]]SN|8731]]) is a tall columnar cactus, solitary at first, later branching from the sides, to 5 metres high. The spines in young stems are long, uneven and robust, while the old stems are unarmed. The flowers borne near the stem tips are funnelform, light or dark red, pink or (rarely) creamy white, to 12 cm long. Two subspecies are recognized by Hunt et al. (2006), the nominate form, subsp. bertramiana (Backeb.) M.Lowry. A third subpecies is recognized by some authors, namely subsp. herzogiana (Cárdenas) G.Navarro.

Note

'tarijensis' For the occurrence near the city of Tarija, Prov. Cercado, Dept. Tarija, Bolivia.

Flowers

The flowers arise near the stem apex on the plant north sides only, ensuring that the reproductive structures and growing tip will always receive warming sunlight. The flowers are funnel-shaped, red to pink to creamy white, up to 12 cm long, and 9 cm in diameter. Pericarpel and tube c. 8 cm, with acute scales about 1 cm long, with dense white or brown axillary hairs. Outer perianth-segments lanceolate, brownish green, inner spatulate, usually red, sometimes pink or creamy white.

Spines

50 or more (missing in older stems), 1-8 cm long, rigid, pungent, swollen basally, unequal, slightly curving, pale brown to whitish.

Ribs

About 25.

Stem

Columnar, stout, dark green, 1.5-5 m tall and 25-35(-40) cm in diameter, simple or sometimes branched.

Radial Spines

10 to 50 or more.

Fruits

Ovoid, 3.5-5 long, 2-3 cm in diameter, green. covered with scales and hairs; pulp white.

Areoles

Large, prominent, broadly elliptic to oval, close-set, densely grey felted.