Pachycereus

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Pachycereus
Pachycereus pringlei, in Baja California, Mexico
Pachycereus pringlei, in
Baja California, Mexico
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Cactaceae
Subfamily: Cactoideae
Tribe: Pachycereeae
Genus: Pachycereus
(A.Berger) Britton & Rose
Species

See text

Pachycereus is a genus of 9-12 species of large cacti, native to Mexico and just into southern Arizona, USA. They form large shrubs or small trees up to 5-15 m or more tall, with stout stems up to 1 m diameter.

Selected species
  • Pachycereus gatesii
  • Pachycereus gaumeri
  • Pachycereus grandis
  • Pachycereus hollianus
  • Pachycereus marginatus
  • Pachycereus militaris
  • Pachycereus pectin-aboriginum
  • Pachycereus pringlei - Cardón cactus
  • Pachycereus schottii - Totem cactus, Organ pipe cactus
  • Pachycereus weberi

Pachycereus pringlei is of note as the tallest cactus species in the world, with a maximum recorded height of 19.2 m (Salak 2000).

Synonymy

The following genera have been brought into synonymy with Pachycereus:

[edit] References and external links