Armatocereus

Armatocereus (Backberg 1938) : Subfamily Cactoideae, tribe Browningiae. Plants shrubby or tree-like. Stems columnar, constricted annually so more or less jointed, erect or ascendingm stout, Ribs 3-16, strongly developed. Areoles large. Spines usually stout, rarely weak or absent. Flowers open at night, large, tubular or narrowly funneliform, whire or rarely red; perianth parts not strongly flared; areoles of pericarpels and floral tubes felted and usually spiny; stamens inserted in the throat and upper part of the floral tubes. Fruit large, globose to ovoid, red or green, with white and fleshy pulp, spines falling away at maturity; perianth parts persistant. Seeds large, ovoid to kidney-shaped, black. Distribution: mainly the Andes of Colombia, Equador and Peru. About 13 species. Quite easy to grow but need free root run to develop properly.

Click on picture to load larger image
Armatocereus ghiesbreghtii
Armatocereus ghiesbreghtii: (K.Sch.) FR 139
Google Images: "; print Show; ?> "; print Hide; ?>
 Armatocereus matucanensis
Armatocereus matucanensis (Backbg).
Matucana, Peru Seed grown plant		 Armatocereus oligogonus
Armatocereus oligogonus (Rauh&Backbg.)
N.Peru, Huanacabamba Valley

Pictures Copyright Bob Ressler, no reproduction without permission of the author.