Stenocereus

A Mexican columnar cactus described in 2018 using a combined analysis of genetic, ecological and morphological evidence. It develops a tree like candelabra crown, and diagnostic characters include rib structure and the arrangement of spines within the areoles [2-WWW] [Alvarado-Sizzo et al. 2018].

A shrubby or tree like cactus with upright, ribbed stems. In the current POWO treatment, its native range includes Mexico and Guatemala, the southern Caribbean and northern South America. Comparisons involving this species depend on the provenance of the material and the taxonomic concept adopted in each publication [2-WWW].

A tree like cactus managed for its edible pitaya fruit. In the Tehuacán Valley, its populations form a landscape that includes forests, agroforestry systems and homegardens. The species therefore provides a system for studying how selection of valued fruit characters and movement of plant material influence plant diversity [2-WWW] [Parra et al. 2012].

A Mexican columnar cactus with a tree like habit and edible fruit. Research on natural populations has documented relationships among seasonal stem growth, fruit characteristics and root colonization by mycorrhizal fungi [2-WWW] [Pimienta-Barrios et al. 2002].

A columnar cactus native to central and southwestern Mexico. Research on its seeds in the Tehuacán Valley shows relationships among microhabitat, time spent in soil and germinability [2-WWW] [Álvarez-Espino et al. 2014].

A tree like cactus described from Zopilote Canyon in the Mexican state of Guerrero. It combines prominently ribbed stems, constrictions near the areoles and nocturnal flowers. The original description documents its structure and the timing of flowering and fruit maturation in its natural habitat [2-WWW] [Arreola-Nava and Terrazas 2004].

Stenocereus beneckei is a Mexican cactus with low, decumbent stems. Studies of its seedlings show how a daily rhythm of acid metabolism develops with age and how water availability and seed mass are associated with early growth [2-WWW] [Ayala-Cordero et al. 2006].

Stenocereus thurberi forms branched groups of upright stems and is a characteristic cactus of the Sonoran Desert. Its biology includes nocturnal flowering and precocious germination of some seeds inside the fruits [2-WWW] [Casillas-Álvarez et al. 2018] [Gibson 2003].

Stenocereus eruca is a cactus from Baja California Sur whose fleshy stems grow along the ground. Its procumbent growth form combines high stem weight with particular properties of peripheral tissues, and its mechanics have been studied in detail alongside S. gummosus [2-WWW] [Niklas et al. 2003].

Stenocereus gummosus is a cactus of northwestern Mexico with partly upright stems that bend into an arching habit. Its structure illustrates how peripheral tissues, ribs and secondary growth contribute to the support of fleshy stems [2-WWW] [Niklas et al. 2003].