Cephalocereus

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Cephalocereus
Cephalocereus senilis.jpg
Cephalocereus senilis
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Cactaceae
Subfamily: Cactoideae
Tribe: Echinocereeae
Genus: Cephalocereus
Pfeiff. [1]
Type species
Cephalocereus senilis
Species

See text.

Synonyms [1]
  • CephalophorusLem.
  • HaseltoniaBackeb.
  • NeobuxbaumiaBackeb.
  • NeodawsoniaBackeb.
  • PilocereusLem., nom. superfl.
  • PseudomitrocereusBravo & Buxb.
  • Rooksbya(Backeb.) Backeb.

Cephalocereus is a genus of slow-growing, columnar-shaped, blue-green cacti. The genus is native to Mexico.

Contents

Description

These cacti show a columnar and upright growth habit, and may be branched or unbranched reaching heights of 10 to 12 meters. The light green shoots, which turn gray with age, have a diameter of up to 40 centimeters and are almost completely covered by dense thorns near the top. On the 12 to 30 (or more) vertical ribs are closely spaced dimorphic areoles. The up to 5 central spines are yellowish to gray and up to 4 centimeters long. The numerous, bristly or hair-like radial spines usually enclose the shoot tightly. The flowers are medium-sized, tubular to bell-shaped, borne in a woolly structure called cephalium which can appear apically or laterally and open at night. The flower cup and the flower tube are covered with small scales.

The fruits are ovoid with small scales, and woolly. The smooth, pear-shaped seeds are black. [2]

Taxonomy

The genus Cephalocereus was established in 1838 by Ludwig Karl Georg Pfeiffer. [1]

Species

As of 2025, Plants of the World Online accepted the following species: [1]

ImageScientific nameDistribution
Cephalocereus apicicephalium E.Y.DawsonMexico (Oaxaca)
Cephalocereus columna-trajani (5754202804).jpg Cephalocereus columna-trajani (Karw. ex Pfeiff.) K.Schum.Mexico (Oaxaca and Puebla)
Neobuxbaumia euphorbioides - Adelaide Botanic Gardens.jpg Cephalocereus euphorbioides (Haw.) Britton & RoseMexico (Tamaulipas, Veracruz)
Pachycereus fulviceps (5753604809).jpg Cephalocereus fulviceps (F.A.C.Weber ex K.Schum.) H.E.MooreMexico (Puebla, Oaxaca)
Neobuxbaumia macrocephala (5754203358).jpg Cephalocereus macrocephalus F.A.C.Weber ex K.Schum.Mexico (Puebla, Oaxaca)
Neobuxbaumia mezcalaensis 01.jpg Cephalocereus mezcalaensis BravoMexico (Colima, Guerrero, Jalisco, México State, Michoacán, Morelos, Oaxaca, Puebla, Tlaxcala)
Cephalocereus nudus E.Y.DawsonMexico
Cephalocereus novus (P.V.Heath) M.H.J.van der MeerMexico(Oaxaca
Cephalocereus parvispinus S.Arias, H.J.Tapia & U.GuzmánMexico (Oaxaca)
Neobuxbaumia polylopha (3644603939).jpg Cephalocereus polylophus (DC.) Britton & RoseMexico (Guanajuato to Veracruz)
Neobuxbaumia scoparia pm.jpg Cephalocereus scoparius (Poselg.) Britton & RoseMexico (Veracruz, Oaxaca)
Cephalocereus senilis (5777116308).jpg Cephalocereus senilis (Haw.) Pfeiff.Mexico (Hidalgo and Veracruz )
Neobuxbaumia tetezo (5758807588).jpg Cephalocereus tetetzo (F.A.C.Weber ex J.M.Coult.) DiguetMexico (Oaxaca and Puebla)

Distribution and habitat

This genus of cacti is native to central and southern Mexico. Its habitat is desert scrub in the Central Mexican matorral and Southern Pacific dry forests.[ citation needed ]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Cephalocereus Pfeiff." Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  2. Anderson, Edward F.; Eggli, Urs (2005). Das grosse Kakteen-Lexikon (in German). Stuttgart (Hohenheim): Ulmer. pp. 99–101. ISBN   3-8001-4573-1.