''Marshallocereus'' is a

monotypic In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. A monotypic species is one that does not include subspecies or smaller, infraspecific taxa. In the case of genera, the term "unisp ...

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

of flowering plant in the family

Cactaceae 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, ...

. The only species is ''Marshallocereus aragonii'' that is found in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua.

Description

''Marshallocereus aragonii'' is a columnar cactus with dark green shoots that grow up to 5–6 meters tall (rarely exceeding 6 meters) and 12–15 centimeters in diameter. It branches minimally from the base and typically lacks a distinct trunk. The shoots often display a diagonal, light band pattern marking the end of annual growth. The plant features 5–8 rounded ribs, 2–3 cm high, with 1–3 gray central spines (2–3 cm long) and 5–9 shorter marginal spines (up to 2 cm long). The funnel-shaped flowers bloom at night, measuring 6–8 cm in length. They have greenish-brown outer bracts, white inner bracts, and a tubercled, thorn-covered pericarpel.

Distribution

This species is native to northwestern

Costa Rica Costa Rica, officially the Republic of Costa Rica, is a country in Central America. It borders Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the northeast, Panama to the southeast, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, as well as Maritime bo ...

, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico (Chiapas), and Nicaragua growing in dry forests at elevations from 50 to 800 meters. File:Stenocereus aragonii (9319858099).jpg, Plant growing in western Costa Rica

Taxonomy

First described in 1902 by Frédéric Albert Constantin Weber as ''Cereus aragonii'', it was named in honor of Manuel Aragon, a Costa Rican statistician. In 1951, Curt Backeberg reclassified it into the genus ''Marshallocereus'', established the year prior. Common names include Guanocal, Organo, Pitahaya, and Tuna.

References

External links

* * {{Taxonbar, from1=Q21447399, from2=Q109341500 Flora of Nicaragua Flora of Costa Rica Flora of Mexico Monotypic Cactaceae genera Echinocereeae