Cephalocereus apicicephalium

Cephalocereus apicicephalium is a species of cactus from Mexico.

Description

Cephalocereus apicicephalium grows with gray-green shoots up to in diameter, is slightly branched at the base or sometimes above it and reaches heights of 1 to 3 meters. There are 22 to 25 narrow ribs. The 1 to 4 downward directed and basally expanded central spines are reddish yellow to black and long. The 9 to 12 very slender, gray to white marginal spines are long. The terminal, woolly pseudocephalium is grown through by the new growth of the next growing season and remains as a woolly ring for several years. It consists of curled hair up to long.
The narrow, bell-shaped flowers are pink with a yellowish tint and are long and up to in diameter. Their pericarpel is covered with small triangular white scales.

Distribution

Cephalocereus apicicephalium is common on steep limestone cliffs in the Mexican states of Oaxaca and Chiapas.

Taxonomy

The first description was published in 1948 by Elmer Yale Dawson. The specific epithet apicicephalium is derived from the Latin word apex for 'tip' and the Greek word kephale for 'head' and refers to the cephalium formed at the tips of the shoots. Two nomenclature synonyms are Neodawsonia apicicephalium Backeb and Neodawsonia totolapensis Bravo & T.MacDoug..