Stenocereus beneckei

Stenocereus beneckei is a species of cactus in the genus Stenocereus, endemic to Mexico.

Description

Stenocereus beneckei is a shrub-like cactus with upright or slightly curved shoots, growing 1–2 meters tall. The light to gray-green shoots often appear whitish, with a diameter of 5–7 cm. They feature 6–9 widely spaced ribs divided into large, blunt cusps. The plant has a single stiff, blackish central spine up to 4 cm long, and 2–5 grayish marginal spines up to 1.7 cm long.
Flowers bloom near the shoot tips, opening at night and remaining open into the next day. They are brownish on the outside, white on the inside, and measure 6.5–8 cm long. The ellipsoid fruits are tuberous, initially green, turning red as they mature, and measure up to 5 cm long and 3 cm in diameter, with colorless flesh.

Distribution

This species is native to deciduous forests in the Mexican states of Guerrero, Morelos, Puebla, and México, growing on rocky cliffs at altitudes of 1200 to 1400 meters.

Taxonomy

First described as Cereus beneckei in 1844 by Carl August Ehrenberg, the species was later reclassified as Stenocereus beneckei by Franz Buxbaum in 1961. The specific epithet honors Stephan Benecke, a Berlin-born trader and German consul in Mexico who founded the Camara Nacional de Comercio in 1875.