Cladus: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Divisio: Magnoliophyta
Classis: Magnoliopsida
Ordo: Caryophyllales
Familia: Cactaceae
Subfamilia: Cactoideae
Tribus: Pachycereeae
Genus: Pachycereus
Species: P. marginatus - P. militaris - P. pecten-aboriginum - P. pringlei - P. schottii - P. weberi

Name

Pachycereus (A.Berger) Britton & Rose

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.

Pachycereus comes from the ancient Greek "pakhus" meaning "thick" and the Latin "cereus" meaning "torch".

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, senita cactus
* Pachycereus weberi

Pachycereus pringlei is 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:

* Backebergia Bravo
* Lemaireocereus Britton & Rose
* Lophocereus (A.Berger) Britton & Rose
* Marginatocereus (Backeb.) Backeb.
* Mitrocereus (Backeb.) Backeb.
* Pterocereus T.MacDoug. & Miranda

References and external links

* Salak, M. (2000). In search of the tallest cactus. Cactus and Succulent Journal 72 (3).
* (English) Flora of North America: Pachycereus
* (English) Cacti Guide: Pachycereus