Mitrocereus

Mitrocereus is a monotypic genus of cacti. Its sole species is Mitrocereus militaris, native to Mexico.^[2]

Mitrocereus
Conservation status
Vulnerable  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Order:	Caryophyllales
Family:	Cactaceae
Subfamily:	Cactoideae
Tribe:	Echinocereeae
Genus:	Mitrocereus (Backeb.) Backeb.
Species:	M. militaris
Binomial name
Mitrocereus militaris (Audot) Bravo
Synonyms
List For Mitrocereus Backebergia Bravo For Mitrocereus militaris Backebergia militaris (Audot) Bravo ex Sánchez-Mej. 1973 Cephalocereus militaris (Audot) H.E.Moore 1975 Cereus militaris Audot 1846 Pachycereus militaris (Audot) D.R.Hunt 1987 Backebergia chrysomallus (Lem.) Bravo 1954 Cephalocereus chrysomallus (Lem.) K.Schum. 1894 Cereus chrysomallus (Lem.) Lem. 1853 Cereus militaris var. californicus K.Schum. 1897 Mitrocereus chrysomallus (Lem.) Backeb. 1942 Pachycereus chrysomallus (Lem.) Britton & Rose 1909 Pilocereus chrysomallus Lem. 1847 Pilocereus militaris Salm-Dyck 1850

Description

Mitrocereus militaris is a tree-shaped cactus with initially single greyish-green columnar shoots that later branch out, reaching heights of 12 to 15 meters and crown diameters of up to 5 meters. The stems have 11 to 14 ribs with areoles close together, covered with short wool and white woolly hairs. Areoles typically have 3 to 4 protruding, yellowish to brownish central spines over 10 cm (3.9 in) long, and 10 to 12 radial spines that are flexible, bristle-like, and 1.5 to 4 cm (0.59 to 1.57 in) long. At the tips of the shoots, a cap-shaped pseudocephalium made of yellowish-brown wool develops, which can be up to 30 cm (12 in) long with a diameter of up to 20 cm (7.9 in).

The flowers, which open at night, appear laterally from the pseudocephalium. They are reddish to cream-colored, 5 cm (2.0 in) long, and reach a diameter of 3.5 to 4 cm (1.4 to 1.6 in). The pericarpel and flower tube are covered with small scales, tufts of wool, and bristles. The elongated fruits are fleshy and become dry when ripe, covered with scales, bristles, and long tufts of woolly hair.^[3]

Distribution

Mitrocereus militaris is distributed in the Mexican states of Guerrero, Jalisco, Michoacán, and Colima at elevations of 100 to 600 meters.^[4]

Taxonomy

The plant, first described as Cereus militaris in 1845 by N. Audot, derives its specific epithet militaris from Latin, meaning military or army, referring to the terminal pseudocephalium resembling a soldier's cap.^[5] David Richard Hunt placed the species in the genus Pachycereus in 1987.^[6] It is commonly known as Golden Fleece, Military Cap, and Teddy-Bear Cactus.^[7]