''Stenocereus humilis'' is a species of cactus in the genus ''

Stenocereus ''Stenocereus'' () is a genus of columnar or tree-like cactus, cacti from the Baja California Peninsula and other parts of Mexico, Arizona in the United States, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Venezuela and the West Indies. The genus has been en ...

'', endemic to Mexico.

Description

''Stenocereus humilis'' is a shrub characterized by irregularly branched shoots, often forming dense thickets. The shoots are weak and dark green, measuring between 1 and 4 meters in length and reaching a diameter of up to 4 centimeters. They have three to six interrupted ribs, with woolly areoles located in their notches. The plant features five to eight needle-like spines that start off brown and later turn whitish, measuring 1 to 2 centimeters in length. The flowers of ''Stenocereus humilis'' are funnel-shaped, greenish-white, and can grow up to 6 centimeters in length. The spherical fruits are heavily spined and can reach up to 4 centimeters in length.

Distribution

This species is commonly found in the

Cauca department Cauca Department (, ) is a department of Southwestern Colombia. Located in the southwestern part of the country, facing the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Valle del Cauca Department to the north, Tolima Department to the northeast, Huila De ...

Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...

, particularly in the valley of the Río Dagua at altitudes between 700 and 1,000 meters.

Taxonomy

Originally described as ''Lemaireocereus humilis'' in 1920 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, ...

, the name "humilis" is derived from Latin, meaning "low." In 2002, David Richard Hunt reclassified the species into the genus ''Stenocereus''.

References

External links

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q81733902 humilis Endemic flora of Mexico