| Yungasocereus | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Cactaceae |
| Subfamily: | Cactoideae |
| Tribe: | Cereeae |
| Subtribe: | Trichocereinae |
| Genus: | Yungasocereus F.Ritter[3] |
| Species: | Y. inquisivensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Yungasocereus inquisivensis | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
| |
Yungasocereus is amonotypicgenus ofcacti. Its solespecies isYungasocereus inquisivensis, native toBolivia.[3]
It is a columnar cactus, appearing either as a tree or shrub, ranging up to 4–5 meters in height. The 6–7 cm (2.4–2.8 in) diameter stems are dark green, with 6-10 ribs. The 1.5–3 cm (0.59–1.18 in) spines are in groups of 4-12, with no differentiation into central and radial types, and range from a brownish to grayish color. The flowers are white, appearing in groups of 5-8 near the stem tips. They open day and night and are 5 to 6 cm (2.0 to 2.4 in) long.
The fruits have a length between 2 and 2.8 cm (0.79 and 1.10 in). They contain small, broadly oval, shiny black, slightly keeled seeds on the back, 0.9 mm (0.035 in) long and 0.7 mm (0.028 in) wide.[4]
Martín Cárdenas described the species in 1957 from Inquisivi, placing it inSamaipaticereus.[5]Friedrich Ritter later found the same species in Yungas. In 1980, he gave the cactus its own genus,Yungasocereus.[6] After a period inHaageocereus, this was again separated intoYungasocereus.
This cactus is known only fromYungas andInquisivi provinces ofLa Paz Department, where it is found at elevations of around 1000 to 2300 meters.[citation needed]
Media related toYungasocereus at Wikimedia Commons
Data related toYungasocereus inquisivensis at Wikispecies