Xerophyte

Habit

This is one of the most interesting cacti, that often forms large clumps. Multiple heads are produced as the plant ages and can form a very large, densely packed, mound more than a half a meter in diameter, with more than a hundred heads (but large mounds with 500-800 heads have been reported).

Description

Echinocereus triglochidiatus var. mojavensis f. inermisSN|8371]]SN|32836]] is the nice spineless form of Echinocereus triglochidiatus var. mojavensisSN|32836]]SN|8371]]. These plants varies from pure nude specimens to plants with more or less short spines (partially nudum), all the other characteristics namely size and shape of stems, flowers, fruits, roots etc. clearly show that they are conspecific.

Flowers

The heavy and waxy flowers, emerging from near the tip of individual stems, are red or orange with green stigma in the centre. Flowers are rather narrow, funnel-shaped, and about 5-7(-9) cm long. A particularity of this plant is that the flower buds emerge through the plant's skin above an areole, leaving a scar after fading, rather than arising from areoles or axils between areoles as in other cacti.

Blooming Season

Late spring (April—June). The flowers last a few days.

Spines

Absent or very short, not distinguishable from radials to centrals, white, or in age grey, round in cross section, curved (almost wavy), twisting and not interlocking with those of neighboring stems.

Ribs

8 to 14, 5 to 6 mm high, but becoming indistinct on old parts of stem, somewhat undulate, slightly tuberculate and expanded at areoles.

Stem

Usually erect, globose to cylindrical up to about 5-45 cm tall, each usually less than about 5 cm in diameter, pale green to bluish green.

Fruits

Oblong to cylindrical, about 2-3.5 cm long, 1,5 cm in diameter. Green or yellow-green, reddish when ripe, spines deciduous. Juicy and edible, pulp white. Fruiting 2-2.5 months after flowering.

Areoles

White felted, young areoles circular, 10-40 mm apart.