Leucostele tunariensis
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Leucostele tunariensis | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Cactaceae |
| Subfamily: | Cactoideae |
| Genus: | Leucostele |
| Species: | L. tunariensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Leucostele tunariensis (Cárdenas) Schlumpb. | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Leucostele tunariensis is a species of columnar cactus native to South America.[2]
Leucostele tunariensis exhibits a columnar growth pattern, branching from the base and attaining heights between 2 and 3 meters. The green shoots are club-shaped to cylindrical, with a diameter of up to 12 centimeters and 16 to 21 sharp-edged ribs. Gray oval areoles, spaced about 1 centimeter apart, decorate these ribs, each bearing approximately 17 spines ranging from 0.5 to 6 centimeters. Notably, these spines lack differentiation into central and peripheral categories, with some pointing downwards.
The plant produces funnel-shaped, pink to red flowers near the shoot tips that bloom at night. These flowers measure 15 to 17 centimeters in length and have a diameter ranging from 12 to 15 centimeters. Another distinctive feature is the spherical, green fruits, with a diameter of 5 centimeters and a length of up to 4 centimeters.[3][4]
Distribution
Leucostele tunariensis is native to the Cochabamba department in Bolivia, specifically in the Cercado province on Cerro Tunari at elevations between 3000 and 3800 meters.
