Cleistocactus Lemaire (1861)

(greek. kleistos = closed, latin cactus = cactus)
closed flowered cactus, becaus of "closed" tubular flowers

slim shoot shrub, basal or side branches; ribs numerous
bristles thin, sometimes like hair, dense or loose, single longer,
upward or downward, humid = soft and flexible, dry = but easily breaking off
flowers cylindrical, red, orange, yellow, white, red with green, orange with red
hem opening weak, sometimes angular, tube bent at the ovary,
without bristles, some species very rich flowering
fruits globular, scaly, without bristles; seeds small

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Distribution

south America - Peru, Bolivia, Argentinia, Paraguay, Uruguay
from 500 m (1640 ft) in Paraguay and Uruguay to over 3000 m (9843 ft) altitude in Bolivia
savannas, mountains and sparse forests

Growth period

light and warm, ample humidity, a location outdoor during the growth period is possible
in spring and summer is mist at evening very good
adequate soil moisture and never for a long time quite dry
dense spined species have a mid summer break, from about July to August, never pour at this time
main growth period in fall to December, less in spring from April to May

Winter period

light and never completely dry at 10–15°C (50–59°F)

Substrat

nutritious and well-drained, with humus
   
Cleistocactus strausii (Heese) Backeberg (1934)
 
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Habitat

Bolivia
Tarija - from about 1700–2300 m (5577–7546 ft) altitude

Description

named after L. Straus
slight, columnar, several meter (foot) tall, shoots 4–8 cm (1.5–3.1 in) Ø, fresch green
ribs about 25; areoles white
30–40 bristles, like hair, 1,7 cm (0.6 in) long, white
about 4 center bristles, to 2 cm (0.7 in) long, light yellow
flowers straight, narrow tubular, wine red and reddish brown hairy
fruits sharpened and wooly; seeds small, black

Synonyms

Pilocereus strausii Heese (1907)
Cereus strausii
(Heese) F. Vaupel (1913)
Borzicactus strausii
(Heese) A. Berger (1929)
Demnosa strausii
(Heese) A. V. Frič (1929) (nom. inval.)
CITES Appendix II
 
Description of "Kakteen von A bis Z" by Walter Haage with courtesy by Kakteen-Haage made available.

 

 

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