Stenocereus thurberi

Organ Pipe Cactus ( Stenocereus thurberi )

The Organ Pipe Cactus ( Stenocereus thurberi ) is a flowering plant in the genus Stenocereus from the cactus family ( Cactaceae ). The specific epithet honors thurberi George Thurber (1821-1890), the first collector of the species common names are " Mehuelé ", " Órgano Marismeña ", " Organ Pipe Cactus" and " Pitayo Dulce ". After the way the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is named.

Description

The Organ Pipe Cactus grows large shrub to tree - shaped with numerous columnar branches. He is usually without significant strain and reaches heights of growth 1-8 meters. The arched at the base of the ascending otherwise upright, green shoots have diameters of 5-20 inches. His 12 to 19 ribs to 2 inches high. Of the 1-3 greyish to blackish central spines, the lowermost 2-5 inches long. The 7-9 marginal teeth are grayish and up to 1 inches long.

The white or pale pink, funnel-shaped flowers appear in the upper part of the shoots. They are 4-8 inches long and open at night, but will remain open until the following day. The round, red fruits have a diameter of 3 to 7.5 centimeters, are edible and contain a red pulp.

Distribution, systematics and hazard

The Organ Pipe Cactus is common in the U.S. state of Arizona and the Mexican states of Sonora, Baja California, Baja California Sur and Sinaloa in altitudes 0-1470 m.

The first description was in 1854 as Cereus thurberi by George Engelmann. There are two subspecies:

  • Stenocereus thurberi subsp. thurberi
  • Stenocereus thurberi subsp. littoralis

The subspecies littoralis is much smaller with growth heights of less than 3 meters. Your rung only reach diameter 5-7 cm. It is distributed solely at the southern tip of Baja California Sur.

Since the initial description the species was found in a number of genres, so that numerous synonyms have arisen. Karl Theodor Rümpler introduced him in 1885 in the now- recognized genus Pilocereus ( Pilocereus thurberi ). Nathaniel Lord Britton and Joseph Nelson Rose in 1920 they ranked their genus Lemaireocereus ( Lemaireocereus thurberi ) to. Curt Backeberg presented in 1951 to the genus Marshallocereus and ordered the species as a Marshallocereus thurberi there. Paul V. Heath undertook in 1992 with the Umkombination Rathbunia thurberi the previously last attempt to classify the type.

The currently accepted classification of the species in the genus Stenocereus was made in 1961 by Franz Buxbaum.

In the Red List of Threatened Species IUCN, the type is known as " Least Concern ( LC) ," ie, than not led at risk.

Use

The Seri, one living in the Mexican state of Sonora group of locals reaping the benefits of organ pipe cactus. The logs are used medicinally. Its woody stems are used as building material and its bark as a boot seal.

Evidence

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