Kingdom Plantae Subfamily Cactoideae Genus Leuchtenbergia
Hook. Higher classification Leuchtenbergia Order Caryophyllales | Family Cactaceae Tribe Cacteae Scientific name Leuchtenbergia principis Rank Species | |
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Similar Astrophytum, Ariocarpus, Turbinicarpus, Ferocactus, Eulychnia | ||
Leuchtenbergia principis cactus flowers fruit
Leuchtenbergia principis (agave cactus or prism cactus), the sole species of the genus Leuchtenbergia, is a species of cactus. It is native to north-central Mexico (San Luis Potosi, Chihuahua). The genus is named after Maximilian Eugen Joseph (1817–1852), Duke of Leuchtenberg and amateur botanist.
Contents
It is very slow-growing but can eventually grow up to 70 cm high, with a cylindrical stem which becomes bare and corky at the base with age. It has long, slender, grayish-green tubercles 6–12 cm long, with purplish-red blotches at their tips. The tubercles are topped with papery spines, making the plant resemble an agave; old, basal tubercles dry up and fall off. After four years or so, yellow, funnel-shaped flowers 5–6 cm diameter may be borne at the tubercle tips. The fruit is smooth and green, 3 cm long and 2 cm broad. It has a large, tuberous taproot.
Taxonomy
It is related to the genus Ferocactus, and hybrids have been created between these two genera.
