Xerophyte

Central Spines

One, yellowish or dark brown, 4 cm or less long.

Description

Cleistocactus baumanniiSN|4742]]SN|4742]] is a columnar cactus with several thin ribbed stems branching at base, covered with whitish spines, sometimes yellow or brown. Flowers are tubular and orange-scarlet, slightly open showing only the style and stamens. Six subspecies are recognized, the nominate, subsp. horstii (P.J.Braun) N.P.Taylor, subsp. anguinus (Gurke) P.J.Braun&Esteves, subsp. croceiflorus (F. Ritter) P. J. Braun & Esteves, subsp. chacoanus (F. Ritter) P. J. Braun & Esteves and subsp. sanctacruzensis (Backeb.) Mottram.

Flowers

Born along the stem over several months in summer, yellow-orange to scarlet, 5 to 7 cm long, narrow, 1 cm in diameter, sharply upcurved, and then narrowly S-shaped beyond the pericarpel, with oblique corolla; scales on ovary and flower-tube ovate, acute; perianth-segments short and broad, acute. Stamens red numerous, appressed against the upper part of the flower-tube. Stamens and style exserted.

Ribs

12 to 16, low.

Stem

Somewhat branching at base, fairly stiff, erect or arching, 2 meters high or more, 2.5 to 3.5 cm. in diameter, dark green.

Radial Spines

Needle-like, 8 to 20, white, yellow, or brown to 1.8 cm long.

Fruits

Spherical, 1 to 1.5 cm in diameter, pink to red with white pulp, edible.

Areoles

Approximate, brown or black-felted.