Badmin: Created page with "{{Taxobox | name = Cephalocereus | image = Cephalocereus_senilis.jpg | kingdom = Plantae | family = Cactaceae | subfamily = Cactoideae | tribe = Phyllocacteae | subtribe = Echinocereinae | genus = '''Cephalocereus''' | notes = Taxonomy follows Joël Lodé (2015). }} == Etymology == The name Cephalocereus means "Head candle" (from Greek ''kephale'', head, and Latin ''cereus'', wax candle), referring to the woolly pseudocephalium near the top of the st..."

2026-03-29T14:29:30Z

Created page with "{{Taxobox | name = Cephalocereus | image = Cephalocereus_senilis.jpg | kingdom = Plantae | family = Cactaceae | subfamily = Cactoideae | tribe = Phyllocacteae | subtribe = Echinocereinae | genus = '''Cephalocereus''' | notes = Taxonomy follows Joël Lodé (2015). }} == Etymology == The name Cephalocereus means "Head candle" (from Greek ''kephale'', head, and Latin ''cereus'', wax candle), referring to the woolly pseudocephalium near the top of the st..."

New page

{{Taxobox
| name = Cephalocereus
| image = Cephalocereus_senilis.jpg
| kingdom = [[Plantae]]
| family = [[Cactaceae]]
| subfamily = [[Cactoideae]]
| tribe = [[Phyllocacteae]]
| subtribe = [[Echinocereinae]]
| genus = '''Cephalocereus'''
| notes = Taxonomy follows Joël Lodé (2015).
}}

== Etymology ==
The name Cephalocereus means "Head candle" (from Greek ''kephale'', head, and Latin ''cereus'', wax candle), referring to the woolly pseudocephalium near the top of the stems which resembles a head.

== Description ==
'''Cephalocereus''' is a genus of large, columnar, treelike cacti that are usually solitary or branch sparingly from the base. A defining feature of many species is the presence of long, hair-like bristles or "wool" that can sometimes entirely cover the epidermis, protecting the plant from intense sun.

The flowers are nocturnal and emerge from a specialized flowering zone called a '''pseudocephalium'''. They are tubular to bell-shaped, ranging in color from white-pinkish to pale yellow, and are primarily pollinated by bats. The fruits are ovoid, covered with small scales and wool, containing shiny black, pear-shaped (pyriform) seeds.

== Habitat ==
Endemic to Mexico, these cacti often grow in large colonies that dominate the landscape. They are found in ravines and on steep rocky slopes at altitudes between 1000 m and 1850 m. Depending on the species, they grow on diverse geological substrates including limestone, quartz, sandstone, and even volcanic andesite.

== Distribution ==
* Mexico (Chiapas, Guanajuato, Hidalgo, Oaxaca, Puebla, Veracruz)

== Species ==
Currently, Joël Lodé recognizes five species (including some previously placed in ''Haseltonia'' and ''Neodawsonia''):

* [[Cephalocereus apicicephalium]]
* [[Cephalocereus columna-trajani]]
* [[Cephalocereus nizandensis]]
* [[Cephalocereus senilis]] (The "Old Man Cactus")
* [[Cephalocereus totolapensis]] (Note: sometimes considered invalid due to lack of type designation)

== Notes ==
* The classification of ''Cephalocereus'' is still a subject of debate among taxonomists. Recent molecular studies (Arias et al., 2003; Hernández-Hernández et al., 2011) suggest that the genus may eventually be expanded to include ''Neobuxbaumia'' to ensure it is a monophyletic group.
* The genus currently includes taxa formerly described under ''Haseltonia'' and ''Neodawsonia''.
* While Joël Lodé places it in the tribe '''Phyllocacteae''' (subtribe '''Echinocereinae'''), historical classifications often placed it in ''Pachycereeae''.

[[Category:Cactaceae]]
[[Category:Cactoideae]]
[[Category:Phyllocacteae]]
[[Category:Echinocereinae]]

Cephalocereus - Revision history