Echinocereus perplexus

Echinocereus perplexus
Conservation status
Vulnerable  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Order:	Caryophyllales
Family:	Cactaceae
Subfamily:	Cactoideae
Genus:	Echinocereus
Species:	E. perplexus
Binomial name
Echinocereus perplexus W.Blum & A.P.Campos 2023

Echinocereus perplexus is a species of cactus native to Texas. ^[1]

Description

Echinocereus perplexus is a cactus species that usually branches and forms groups of 3 to 9 stems, with a combined diameter ranging from 15 to 40 cm. The stems are cylindrical, upright, and measure 9 to 20 cm in height, with a diameter of 4.5 to 8 cm. The plant features 13 to 17 slightly tuberculate ribs, with areoles spaced 0.4 to 1.6 cm apart. Each areole has 2 to 4 central spines that are 3 to 4 mm long, reddish in color. These central spines are typically arranged in a vertical row, though sometimes four central spines form a cross shape. Additionally, each areole has 14 to 20 radial spines, measuring 4 to 9 mm in length, also reddish, arranged in a comb-like pattern. The flowers are yellow and funnel-shaped. The tips of the tepals are white to yellow initially, gradually developing orange, pink, or magenta tones. The flowers are 8 to 10 cm long and 9 to 12 cm in diameter.^{[ citation needed ]}

The fruits are oval-shaped, measuring 2.5 to 3 centimeters in length and approximately 2.5 centimeters in diameter. They are dark green on the outside, with juicy white pulp that contains pink inclusions. The seeds are black and 1.4 to 1.6 millimeters in length. This species is tetraploid, with a chromosome number of 4n = 44. ^[2]

Distribution

Plants are found growing in igneous rock in western Texas, United States and eastern Chihuahua, Mexico at elevations between 900 and 2550 meters. Plants are found growing along with Larrea tridentata var. tridentata . ^[2]

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  Plants growing in habitat in Texas
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Taxonomy

The plant was collected in 2023 by Wolfgang Blum and Aidan P. Campos. It was named after the confusing nature of the species evolutionary relationships within Echinocereus series Pectinati. ^[3]

References

1. "Echinocereus perplexus W.Blum & A.P.Campos". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 2025-12-20.
2. Blum, Wolfgang; Oldach, Traute; Goris, René; Campos, Aidan P. (2023). Die Echinocereus sciurus-Gruppe (in German). ISBN   978-3-00-076368-7.
3. "Echinocereus perplexus". International Plant Names Index. 2023-12-18. Retrieved 2025-12-20.

External links

• Media related to Echinocereus perplexus at Wikimedia Commons
• Data related to Echinocereus perplexus at Wikispecies