× ''Pacherocactus '' is a

nothogenus In botanical nomenclature, a hybrid may be given a hybrid name, which is a special kind of botanical name, but there is no requirement that a hybrid name should be created for plants that are believed to be of hybrid origin. The ''International Co ...

shrub A shrub or bush is a small to medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees by their multiple ...

cactus A cactus (: cacti, cactuses, or less commonly, cactus) is a member of the plant family Cactaceae (), a family of the order Caryophyllales comprising about 127 genera with some 1,750 known species. The word ''cactus'' derives, through Latin, ...

, with only one known species, × ''Pacherocactus orcuttii''. It is a natural

hybrid Hybrid may refer to: Science * Hybrid (biology), an offspring resulting from cross-breeding ** Hybrid grape, grape varieties produced by cross-breeding two ''Vitis'' species ** Hybridity, the property of a hybrid plant which is a union of two diff ...

between ''

Pachycereus pringlei ''Pachycereus pringlei'' (also known as Mexican giant cardon or elephant cactus) is a species of large cactus native to northwestern Mexico, in the states of Baja California, Baja California Sur, and Sonora. It is commonly known as ''cardón'', a ...

'' and ''

Bergerocactus emoryi ''Bergerocactus emoryi'' is a species of cactus, known commonly as the golden-spined cereus, golden snake cactus, velvet cactus or golden club cactus. It is a relatively small cactus, but it can form dense thickets or colonies, with the dense ye ...

'', discovered near

Rosario Rosario () is the largest city in the central provinces of Argentina, Argentine province of Santa Fe Province, Santa Fe. The city, located northwest of Buenos Aires on the west bank of the Paraná River, is the third-most populous city in the ...

Baja California Baja California, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Baja California, is a state in Mexico. It is the northwesternmost of the 32 federal entities of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1952, the area was known as the North Territory of B ...

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

. The plant's generic name is formed from those of its parents (''Pachycereus'' and ''Bergerocactus''); sometimes it can be found listed as ''Pachycereus'' × ''Bergerocactus''. This plant is known from less than half a dozen plants in the wild.

Characteristics

× ''Pacherocactus orcuttii'' can grow to a height of about 3.5 m and a diameter of about 10 cm. For temperatures this cactus doesn't like to go below 10 °C. Its flowers are green-brown in color and of about 4 cm in size.

References

Monotypic Cactaceae genera Cactoideae Plant nothogenera Flora of Baja California {{cactus-stub