Xerophyte

Habit

Plants slender, erect, shrubby, simple or more often forming wide clumps. When offshoots spring from the base of the plant, obviously the natural way is for them to grow in clusters, and very often they make their own roots and take on growth independently of the parent stem.

Central Spines

2 to 8 (mostly 4)

Description

Echinopsis schickendantziiSN|16016]]SN|16016]] (best known as

Flowers

Nocturnal, several at a time from the top of the plant, tubular tofunnelform, inodorous (but some reports say it is scented), 20 to 22 cm long; scales on the ovary and flower-tube with dense black hairs; inner perianth-segments acute, oblong, white. Flower-bud pointed, covered with black wool.

Blooming Season

Spring to early summer. Flowers lasts for several days.

Spines

Yellowish, flexible, all spines 5 to 10 mm long;

Ribs

14 to 18, low, 5 mm high, somewhat crenate and notched.

Stem

Cylindrical to oblong, very soft-fleshed, freely branching from the base, 15 to 75 cm high, 5-7 cm in diameter, dark green, shiny, light green.

Radial Spines

at first 9, in age more numerous.

Fruits

Edible, agreeable.

Areoles

very close set, sometimes touching.