Echinocereus chisosensis

Plants inconspicuous, unbranched or forming small lax clumps. Stems erect or ascending, short cylindric, 12.5–20(–30) × 3–5 cm; ribs (10–)13–16, crests strongly undulate; areoles 5–8.5 mm apart. Spines 11–20 per areole, straight, white, pinkish gray, pale pink, dark brown, or purplish black, tipped brown, central spines darkest (sometimes with annual rings of ± contrasting spine color); radial spines 10–17 per areole, 5–20 mm; central spines (1–)2(–6) per areole, appressed to slightly projecting or spreading, terete, 3.5–17 mm. Flowers 6–9.5 × 5–7 cm; flower tube 10–30 mm; flower tube hairs 3–5(–10) mm; inner tepals white proximally, with basal marks crimson or maroon, bright rose-pink distally, 1.8–5 × 5–16 mm, tips relatively thin and delicate; anthers yellow; nectar chamber 1–2 mm. Fruits green, 15– 35 mm, pulp white. 2n = 22.

Phenology: Flowering Mar–May; fruiting 2 months after flowering.
Habitat: Chihuahuan Desert, usually sheltered by low, perennial vegetation, desert scrub, gravelly alluvium, bajadas
Elevation: 600-900 m

Distribution

• Generated Map
• Legacy Map

Tex.

Discussion

Of conservation concern.

Echinocereus fobeanus Oehme, of Mexico, sometimes has been considered a variety of E. chisosensis. Both species seem to be relicts and rare.

Echinocereus chisosensis is in the Center for Plant Conservation’s Collection of Endangered Plants.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.