Publication: Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 65(4): 1007 (1978 publ. 1979).
Description
This is one of strangest of all cacti with strongly armed prostrate stems except for their slightly raised tips. They grow about up to 3 m long, 4-8 cm in diameter and take root as they creep, ramifying further and eventually covering a huge area. Sometimes plants separate from the parent stem and spread out around it, leaving it to die. Stems have 12 ribs; large areoles, 2 cm apart; 1 central and flat spine much wider than the others, 3 cm long, and around 20 light grey or whitish radials of unequal length. Outer ones are short and subulate; inner ones are larger and flat.
Origin and Habitat
Endemic of Magdalena Island and Llano de la Magdalena, Baja Caifornia
Habitat: On sandy plains and coastal sand dunes
Cultivation and Propagation
This plant, which is seldom cultivated, needs very sandy soil and should be placed in a semiprostrate position so that it may creep.
Propagation: Propagation is usually by cuttings or seed
Bibliography
Major references and further lectures
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Edward F. Anderson “The Cactus Family” Timber Press, 2001
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James Cullen, Sabina G. Knees, H. Suzanne Cubey “The European Garden Flora Flowering Plants: A Manual for the Identification of Plants Cultivated in Europe, Both Out-of-Doors and Under Glass” Cambridge University Press, 11/Aug/2011
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David Hunt, Nigel Taylor “The New Cactus Lexicon” DH Books, 2006 ISBN 0953813444, 9780953813445
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Walther Haage “Kakteen von A bis Z” Neumann Verlag, 1981
Cultivars and forms (1)
Forms (1)
Gallery
