''Pachycereus grandis'' is a species of ''

Pachycereus ''Pachycereus'' is a genus of large cacti native to Central America and Mexico. They form large shrubs or small trees up to 15 m tall, with stout stems up to 1 m in diameter. ''Pachycereus'' comes from the ancient Greek παχύς (''p ...

'' found in Mexico.

Description

''Pachycereus grandis'' is a tree-shaped cactus that can grow 5 to 25 meters tall and is densely branched. The main stem is between 1 and 1.8 meters long and 20 to 25 centimeters wide. The shoots are light green, upright, and columnar, featuring constrictions along their lengths. Each shoot has 8 to 11 ribs that are widely spaced with

areole In botany, areoles are small light- to dark-colored bumps on cactus, cacti out of which grow clusters of Thorns, spines, and prickles, spines. Areoles are important diagnostic features of cactus, cacti, and identify them as a family distinct fr ...

s. Areoles are oval in shape, measuring 1 to 1.5 centimeters long and 0.5 to 0.8 centimeters wide, and are spaced 1 to 3 centimeters apart with no longitudinal groove. These branches are semi-erect and measure 16 to 22 centimeters in width. The cactus has three central spines, which are grayish-white and can grow up to 6 centimeters long, with the longest being the lowest. There are also nine to ten short, somewhat flattened radial spines varying from 7 to 10 in number, are slightly flattened, and range from 0.5 to 2.5 centimeters in length, displaying a gray color with black tips. . At the top, it has a large terminal pseudocephalium, which is covered with numerous long spines or bristles. The flowers are white and measure 9 to 10 centimeters long, bell-shaped to funnel-shaped. Their pericarpel measures 1 to 2.5 centimeters long and 1 to 1.5 centimeters wide, featuring an elliptical shape, flower tube are covered with small tapering scales, inconspicuous bracteoles, and abundant dark brown hairs. The receptacle tube is 5 to 6 centimeters long and has triangular to lanceolate bracts with an acute to acuminate apex, fleshy texture, and yellowish bristles. The green tepals form a floral envelope where the calyx and corolla are indistinguishable, featuring consistent shapes and colors in two cycles. Internal tepals are linear or lanceolate, measuring 3 to 4 centimeters long and can be white, green, or yellow. The fruit is globose, measuring 5 to 6 centimeters long and 5 to 6.5 centimeters wide, semi-fleshy, covered in dense yellow to dark brown hairs, and has flexible, abundant spines that are yellowish brown and range from 0.5 to 4.0 centimeters long. The seeds are pyriform, measuring 5 to 6 millimeters in length.

Distribution

''Pachycereus grandis'' is commonly found in the Mexican states of

México 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 ...

Michoacán Michoacán, formally Michoacán de Ocampo, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Michoacán de Ocampo, is one of the 31 states which, together with Mexico City, compose the Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. The stat ...

Morelos Morelos, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Morelos, is a landlocked state located in south-central Mexico. It is one of the 32 states which comprise the Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into Mun ...

Oaxaca Oaxaca, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Oaxaca, is one of the 32 states that compose the political divisions of Mexico, Federative Entities of the Mexico, United Mexican States. It is divided into municipalities of Oaxaca, 570 munici ...

, and

Puebla Puebla, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Puebla, is one of the 31 states that, along with Mexico City, comprise the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 217 municipalities and its capital is Puebla City. Part of east-centr ...

, typically at altitudes between 900 and 1,500 meters.

Taxonomy

The first description was made in 1909 by

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, ...

. The name 'grandis' is derived from Latin and means 'large,' reflecting the impressive size of this species.

References

External links

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q1361411 grandis Plants described in 1909 Endemic flora of Mexico