Browningia chlorocarpa


Browningia chlorocarpa is a species of Browningia found in Peru.

Description

Browningia chlorocarpa grows tree-shaped, reaches heights of 1.5 meters or more and forms a dense crown that sits on a short trunk. The richly branched shoots are dull green. There are nine to ten ribs, which are divided into low cusps. Brownish to blackish thorns arise from the brownish areoles on them, which turn gray with age. The one to four central spines of unequal length are arranged crosswise, strongly palate and 3 to 6 centimeters long. The eight to ten radiating marginal spines are up to 1 centimeter long.
The flowers are reddish orange.

Distribution

Browningia chlorocarpa is widespread in the border area of the Peruvian regions of Piura and Cajamarca near Huancabamba.

Taxonomy

The first description as Cactus chlorocarpus was made in 1823 by Karl Sigismund Kunth. The specific epithet chlorocarpa is derived from the Greek words chloros for 'green' and karpos for 'fruit'. William Taylor Marshall placed the species in the genus Browningia in 1945. Further nomenclature synonyms are Cereus chlorocarpus DC., Seticereus chlorocarpus Backeb., Gymnanthocereus chlorocarpus Backeb. and Lemaireocereus chlorocarpus Borg.