''Armatocereus cartwrightianus'' is a

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

of ''

Armatocereus ''Armatocereus'' (from Latin ''armatus'', "armed" and ''cereus'', "pliant/soft") is a genus of mostly tree-like cacti from South America (Ecuador and Peru). These species have a conspicuous constriction at the end of the annual growth. The flowe ...

'' from Ecuador and Peru.

Description

''Armatocereus cartwrightianus'' grows as a shrub or tree and reaches heights of up to 12 meters. Usually a well-developed trunk of up to 2 meters in height and a diameter of is formed. The dark green shoots are divided into long segments with a diameter of , which are tapered at both ends. There are six to nine ribs, separated by deep incisions, that are high. The needle-like, brown thorns later turn white and have a darker tip. The one to four central spines have a length of . The 15 to 25 spread radial spines are long. The white flowers stand out horizontally. They are long and have a diameter of . The egg-shaped fruits are initially green and later turn red. They are long.

Distribution

''Armatocereus cartwrightianus'' is distributed on dry coastal plains in southern

Ecuador Ecuador, officially the Republic of Ecuador, is a country in northwestern South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and the Pacific Ocean on the west. It also includes the Galápagos Province which contain ...

and northern

Peru Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America. It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the south and west by the Pac ...

Taxonomy

The first description as ''Lemaireocereus cartwrightianus'' by

Nathaniel Lord Britton Nathaniel Lord Britton (1859 – 1934) was an American botanist and taxonomist who co-founded the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx, New York (state), New York. Early life Britton was born on the 15 of January 1859 at New Dorp, Staten Island ...

and

Joseph Nelson Rose Joseph Nelson Rose (January 11, 1862 – May 4, 1928) was an American botanist. He was born in Union County, Indiana. His father died serving during the Civil War when Joseph Rose was a young boy. He later graduated from high school in Liberty, ...

was published in 1920. Arthur William Hill placed the species in the genus ''Armatocereus'' in 1938. Other nomenclature synonyms include ''Cereus cartwrightianus'' (Britton & Rose) Werderm. (1931) and ''Armatocereus cartwrightianus'' Backeb. (1936)

References

External links

* * {{Taxonbar, from=Q1622535 cartwrightianus Flora of Ecuador Flora of Peru