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Denmoza rhodacantha is a barrel type of cactus and stay globulous
during a long period before becoming shortly column-shaped. It is a very
variable species.
Etymology: The name of the genus is an anagram of the western
province of Mendoza.
Taxonomy: The genus
Denmoza comprises only one species. The plants described as Pilocereus erythrocephalus and later transferred to Denmoza
has sometimes, for instance by Backeberg, been considered as another
species of the genus. D. rhodacantha changes considerably
in the habit with age. The description of D. rhodacantha
refers to young plants having strong spines in areoles. Old plants
of the same species with multiple number of spines and sometimes
with thin, 6 cm long bristly spines correspond to the description of
D. erythrosepala.
Description: Demnozas
grow slowly and stay
globulous during a long period before becoming shortly
column-shaped, 0.5 to 1.5 cm high. The plant's diameter ranges from 15
to 30 cm, the stem colour varies from pale green to dark green, with 15
to 30 ribs. They need to reach a reasonable size in cultivation before
producing their flowers. First flowers appear, however, on plants of
very unequal age and size, some time on relatively young plants but also
on 30-40 years old specimens! Flowers are
zygomorphous, of a maximum length of 7.5 cm, reddish in colour and
have white hair on the tube. The flower open sufficiently widely so that
the stigma and stamen are visible from outside.
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