''Espostoa frutescens'' is a plant in the family

Cactaceae A cactus (, or less commonly, cactus) is a member of the plant family Cactaceae, a family comprising about 127 genera with some 1750 known species of the order Caryophyllales. The word ''cactus'' derives, through Latin, from the Ancient Greek ...

Description

Intro wide polls intro vertebrate species 3

''Espostoa frutescens'' grows as a

cactus A cactus (, or less commonly, cactus) is a member of the plant family Cactaceae, a family comprising about 127 genera with some 1750 known species of the order Caryophyllales. The word ''cactus'' derives, through Latin, from the Ancient Gre ...

. The species relies on nectar

bats Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera.''cheir'', "hand" and πτερόν''pteron'', "wing". With their forelimbs adapted as wings, they are the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight. Bats are more agile in flight than most bi ...

(including

Geoffroy's tailless bat Geoffroy's tailless bat (''Anoura geoffroyi'') is a species of phyllostomid bat from the American tropics. Description Geoffroy's tailless bat is a medium-sized bat, measuring around in total length and weighing . It has dark to dull brown fur ...

) for pollination. To facilitate the bats' echolocation, the plant's flowers are surrounded with a sound-absorbent furry area resulting in stronger flower echoes.

Distribution and habitat

''Espostoa frutescens'' is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found els ...

Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechuan languages, Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar language, Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechuan ...

and confined to Loja, El Oro and

Azuay Azuay (), Province of Azuay is a province of Ecuador, created on 25 June 1824. It encompasses an area of . Its capital is Cuenca. It is located in the south center of Ecuador in the highlands. Its mountains reach above sea level in the national ...

provinces. Its habitat is open areas in dry forests from to altitude.

References

Trichocereeae Cacti of South America Endemic flora of Ecuador Flora of the Andes Near threatened flora of South America {{Cactus-stub