Pilosocereus occultiflorus
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| Pilosocereus occultiflorus | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Cactaceae |
| Subfamily: | Cactoideae |
| Tribe: | Cereeae |
| Subtribe: | Cereinae |
| Genus: | Pilosocereus |
| Species: | P. occultiflorus |
| Binomial name | |
| Pilosocereus occultiflorus P.J.Braun & Esteves | |
Pilosocereus occultiflorus is a species of cactus native to Brazil.[1]
Pilosocereus occultiflorus is a tree-like cactus with a woody trunk up to 23 cm in diameter. Often branching meters above the ground, P. occultiflorus is candelabra-shaped and reaches heights of up to 7 meters. The slightly curved stems are dull gray-green, growing up to 3 meters long and 6 to 9.5 centimeters in diameter. On each stem, there are 8 to 9 triangular ribs in cross-section. The areoles on these ribs are spaced 5 to 9 millimeters apart. The spines are yellow, becoming gray with age. The areoles have 6 to 13 central spines (25 to 90 mm) and 20 radial spines (9 to 11 mm). A pronounced cephalium is present on mature stems. The floriferous areoles are covered with brown wool. The flowers are 3 to 4 cm long and reach diameters of 2 to 2.5 cm at anthesis. The fruits are 1.9 to 2.4 cm, splitting open when ripe.[2]
Taxonomy
Pilosocereus occultiflorus was first described by Pierre Josef Braun and Eddie Esteves Pereira in 1999. It is possibly a natural hybrid between Pilosocereus densiareolatus and Pilosocereus pachycladus subsp. pachycladus.[3]
