''Stenocereus queretaroensis'' is a species of

cactus 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, ...

from

Mexico 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 ...

, including the state of

Querétaro Querétaro, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Querétaro, is one of the Political divisions of Mexico, 32 federal entities of Mexico. It is divided into Municipalities of Querétaro, 18 municipalities. Its capital city is Querétaro Cit ...

. It is cultivated for its fruit., pp. 647

Description

Plants are tree-like growing with multiple candelabra-shaped branches, up to , with a central trunk followed by many upturned branches, producing a candelabra-like shape. The reddish to green stems are around across and have six to nine very distinct blunt and slightly rounded ribs. The

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 covered with brown to black, velvety hairs and produce five to nine whitish radial spines, up to long, and one to four somewhat grayer central spines, of which the lower are longer, up to . The scented white funnel-shaped flowers are borne from the sides of the ends of the stems and are long and have a diameter of 4.5 to 6.7 centimeters. They opening at night and remaining open until the following morning. The flower tube is slightly bulging near the nectar chamber, and both the flower tube and pericarpel are hairless. The fruits, which can be spherical and range in color from green to red or purple, have a diameter of 5 to 6 centimeters and are covered in thorns and hairs. The flesh of the fruit can be white or red to purple. File:Glandulicereus queretaroensis (5707374770).jpg, Branching plant File:Glandulicereus queretaroensis (5761276760).jpg, Stem File:Fruto de Stenocereus queretaroensis.jpg, A peeled fruit File:Bwy1257508914v.JPG, Flowers

Distribution

''Stenocereus queretaroensis'' is commonly found in the Mexican states of

Colima Colima, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Colima, is among the 31 states that make up the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It shares its name with its capital and main city, Colima. Colima is a small state of western Mexico on the cen ...

, Edomex,

Guanajuato Guanajuato, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Guanajuato, is one of the 32 states that make up the Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into Municipalities of Guanajuato, 46 municipalities and its cap ...

Jalisco Jalisco, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Jalisco, is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in western Mexico and is bordered by s ...

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 ...

Nayarit Nayarit, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Nayarit, is one of the 31 states that, along with Mexico City, comprise the Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in Municipalities of Nayarit, 20 municipalit ...

, and

Zacatecas Zacatecas, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Zacatecas, is one of the Political divisions of Mexico, 31 states of Mexico. It is divided into Municipalities of Zacatecas, 58 municipalities and its capital city is Zacatecas City, Zacatec ...

, growing in deciduous forests and dry shrublands at altitudes of 0 to 1800 meters. Plants are found growing along with '' Ceiba aesculifolia'', '' Neltuma laevigata'', '' Parkinsonia praecox'', '' Celtis pallida'', '' Lophocereus marginatus'', '' Myrtillocactus geometrizans'', '' Pachycereus pecten-aboriginum'', and '' Isolatocereus dumortieri''. File:Glandulicereus queretaroensis (5760734053).jpg, Habitat in Baranca de los Oblatos, Guadajara File:Pitayo en Amacueca 4.jpg, Plant growing in Pitayo en Amacueca, Jalisco File:Stenocereus queretaroensis (cardón pitayo) y Myrtillocactus geometrizans (garambullo).jpg, Plant growing with '' Myrtillocactus geometrizans'' in Ezequiel Montes, Querétaro, México.

Taxonomy

This species was first described as ''Cereus queretaroensis'' by Albert Mathsson in 1891, with the name referencing its native region in

, Mexico. In 1961, Franz Buxbaum reclassified it under the genus ''Stenocereus''.

References

External links

* * {{Taxonbar, from=Q312263 Cacti of Mexico Flora of Mexico queretaroensis