Pilosocereus millspaughii is a shrubby to arborescent, branched succulent which can reach heights of up to 7m (23ft). The main stem is 20cm (8in) wide, and the branches are 15cm (6in) wide.[4] The stems are grayish green with 8–13 ribs. The areoles have spines up to 7cm (2.8in) long that are yellow to brown when young. Flowering areoles have silky hairs up to 7cm (2.8in) long. These hairs are sparse or absent on non-flowering areoles. The flowers are 5–7cm (2.0–2.8in) long, with reddish green outer segments (tepals) and white inner segments.[5] The fragrant flowers smell like garlic.[6] The fruit is red.[5]
Taxonomy
Pilosocereus millspaughii was first described by Britton in 1909 as Cephalocereus millspaughii. The epithet millspaughii is presumed to commemorate Charles Frederick Millspaugh, a botanical curator of the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago. The species was originally described from the southeast of The Bahamas, and was distinguished by its very long silky hairs. Identification of plants found elsewhere, including Hispaniola, Haiti and Cuba, as the same species was considered "tentative" in a 2019 study, with further studies being required.[5]
Some authors have treated P.millspaughii and P. robinii as one species. When considered distinct, the presence of silky hairs in the former and their absence in the latter is considered to be the main characteristic that separates them.[5] Others have accepted that P.millspaughii is a recognizable taxon, but considered it not sufficiently different from P.robinii to justify treating it as a distinct species, and hence accepted as a subspecies, P.robinii subsp. millspaughii.[7]
Distribution
As of June2025[update], Pilosocereus millspaughii is considered to be native to The Bahamas, Cuba, Haiti, and the Turks and Caicos Islands and to be extinct in Florida,[1] although its identification outside The Bahamas has been considered "tentative".[5]
1 2 3 4 5 Franck, Alan R.; Barrios, Duniel; Campbell, Keron C. St. E.; Lange, James; Peguero, Brígido; Santiago-Valentín, Eugenio; Rigerszki, Zoltán; Haakonsson, Jane; Gann, George D.; Cinea, William; Howe, Natalie M. M.; St. John, James; Moreno, Juan Sebastián & Clark, Cynthia A. (2019). "Revision of Pilosocereus (Cactaceae) in the Caribbean and northern Andean region". Phytotaxa. 411 (3): 129–182. Bibcode:2019Phytx.411..129F. doi:10.11646/phytotaxa.411.3.1.
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