Xerophyte

Leaves

Thick but fleshy, variable in size, elliptic to oblong lanceolate 5-15 cm long, somewhat pointed narrowing toward the base into a short petiole. Venation pinnate and prominent below.

Seeds

Black.

Description

Ever green to deciduous (depending on growing conditions) small tree or shrub, 2 to 5 m tall with a rounded crown. it is an example of a non-succulent primitive cactus.subsp. violacea is distinguished by having purplish-pink or purple bracts and flowers. It was discovered sometime before 1972, initially described as P. bahiensis, but is only distinguished from var. grandifolia by colour.

Flowers

Very shovy rose-like, 3-5 cm in diameter lasting for 2 days, sepals green, petals usually pink or purplish (but also white or tan) in short few flowered terminal panicles, centered by yellow stamens with red filaments, the stigma and style is white. Ovary bearing large leaves.

Blooming Season

Flowering is during warm months and fruit is born by the flowers.

Spines

1 to 8 up to 4 cm long, very sharp, acicular arranged in clusters or spreading but usually absent on new growth. On the older stems and trunk the spine are more robust and numerose (Up to 90) and up to 6,5 cm long. It is however quite variable, some plant have spines, but others have none at all.

Stem

Its main stem is upright to arching and resembles a woody plant more than a cacti, sometime it form a very spiny woody greys-brown trunk up to 1 meter tall and 10-20 cm in diameter that bears numerose branches. Twigs quite vine-like, fleshy, glabrous and green.

Fruits

4-10 cm long, red, green or (usually) yellow coloured pear-shaped and more or less triangular. This fruit is a curious proliferating structure, bearing 3-4 cm long leaves, which ultimately fall away, looking more part of the stems than actual fruits. Several may seeded fruit are attached at a single peduncle. It smells good and is considered by some edible only at full ripening (otherwise it is very astringent)

Areoles

White round with tiny hairs around the foliar nodes .