Description:
Echinocereus longisetus is a robust and very attractive plant
with bristle like
white spines, which stay simple or (usually) branches from the base and
forms a nice group of several stems up to 1 m wide.
Root: Fibrous.
Stems: Cylindric, more or less erect,15-50 cm long and 5-8 cm in
diameter almost completely covered with white bristle like spines.
Ribs: 11 to 14, low, somewhat tuberculate.
Areoles: Circular, yellowish.
Central spines: 5 to 9, slender, elongated, bristly to hairlike,
white to brownish, straight to curved, directed downward and very
unequal 1-10 cm long,
Radial spines: 18 to 20, 1.5 cm long, white, spreading, the lower
10 to 20 mm long, much longer than the upper.
Flowers: Funnel form, rather small up to 7 cm long and in
diameter (but usually less than 5 cm wide) pinkish-purple or purple, not
borne near the stem tips, often nearly basal.
Subspecies and variety:
- E. longisetus ssp. longisetus It
has stems barely reaching 8 cm in diameter with17 or fewer ribs and
straight central spines. Origin: Northern central Coahuila and western
central Nuevo Leon.
- E. longisetus ssp. longisetus It
has stems up to 8 cm in diameter, 17-24 ribs and hairlike curled
central spines. Origin: Southern Coahuila above 1800 m.
- Echinocereus longisetus var. rayonensis
has thinner stems about 2.5 to 3.5
in diameter and spines are longer and overall appearance is whiter.
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