Echinocereus pacificus


Echinocereus pacificus is a species of cactus native to Mexico.

Description

Echinocereus pacificus grows solitary, in clumps of in diameter containing around 100 stems. Stems are cylindrical to elongated shoots long, with 10 to 12 ribs and a 4 to 5, strong, upright central spine that is white or light gray with a darker tip, measuring in length. Additionally, there are 10 to 12 spreading, straight, whitish or grayish radial spines that are long. The flowers of are cup-shaped and deep red orange and in diameter. They appear in the upper half of the shoots. The spherical, fleshy fruits are spiny, long. Chromosome count is 4n=44

Subspecies

There are two recognized subspecies:
ImageScientific nameDistribution
Echinocereus pacificus subsp. mombergerianus Mexico
Echinocereus pacificus subsp. pacificusMexico

Distribution

Plants are found growing on granite slopes and xeric scrub in Baja California, Mexico at elevations around 110 to 2600 meters. Plants are found growing along with Adenostoma fasciculatum, Stipa speciosa, Arctostaphylos peninsularis, Dudleya pulverulenta, Lotus rigidus, Nolina microcarpa, Pinus monophylla, Rhamnus crocea, Opuntia phaeacantha, Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa, Pinus quadrifolia, Ferocactus viridescens and Malosma laurina.

Taxonomy

The plant was first described by George Engelmann in 1886 as Cereus phoeniceus var. pacificus. It was elevated to a species in 1922 by Nathaniel Lord Britton and Joseph Nelson Rose.