Pilosocereus leucocephalus

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Ordo: Caryophyllales

Familia: Cactaceae
Subfamilia: Cactoideae
Tribus: Cereeae
Subtribus: Cereinae
Genus: Pilosocereus
Species: Pilosocereus leucocephalus
Name

Pilosocereus leucocephalus (Poselg.) Byles & G.D.Rowley, Cact. Succ. J. Gr. Brit. 19: 67 (1957).
Synonyms

Pilocereus leucocephalus Poselg. in Allg. Gartenzeitung 21(12): 126. 1853 syn. sec. Zappi 1994
Cephalocereus leucocephalus (Poselg.) Britton & Rose in Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 12: 417. 1909 syn. sec. Zappi 1994
Cereus cometes Scheidw. in Allg. Gartenzeitung 8: 339. 1840 syn. sec. Zappi 1994
Pilocereus cometes (Scheidw.) Mittler ex C.F.Först., Handb. Cacteenk.: 357. 1846 syn. sec. Kew WCVP (2019)
Cephalocereus cometes (Scheidw.) Britton & Rose in Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 12: 416. 1909 syn. sec. Zappi 1994
Pilosocereus cometes (Scheidw.) Byles & G.D.Rowley in Cact. Succ. J. Gr. Brit. 19(3): 66. 1957 syn. sec. Zappi 1994
Cereus jubatus Salm-Dyck ex C.F.Först., Handb. Cacteenk.: 357. 1846 syn. sec. Kew WCVP (2019)
Pilocereus jubatus Salm-Dyck in Förster, Handb. Cacteenk.: 356. 1846 syn. sec. Kew WCVP (2019)
Cereus flavicomus Salm-Dyck, Cact. Hort. Dyck., ed. 1849: 202. 1850 syn. sec. Kew WCVP (2019)
Pilocereus flavicomus Salm-Dyck ex Rümpler, Handb. Cacteenk., ed. 2: 658. 1885 syn. sec. Kew WCVP (2019)
Pilocereus foersteri Lem. in Ill. Hort. 13(Misc.): 472. 1866 syn. sec. Gürke 1910
Pilocereus marschalleckianus var. picta Zeiss. in Monatsschr. Kakteenk. 8: 35. 1898 syn. sec. Kew WCVP (2019)
Cereus houlletii Lem. in Gard. Chron., ser 3 32: 252. 1902 syn. sec. Kew WCVP (2019)
Cereus houlletii (Lem.) A.Berger in Rep. (Annual) Missouri Bot. Gard. 16: 70. 1905 syn. sec. Kew WCVP (2019)
Cephalocereus maxonii Rose in Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 12: 417. 1909 syn. sec. Zappi 1994
Cereus maxonii (Rose) Vaupel in Monatsschr. Kakteenk. 23: 23. 1913 syn. sec. Kew WCVP (2019)
Pilocereus maxonii (Rose) A.Berger, Kakteen: 157. 1929 syn. sec. Zappi 1994
Pilocereus maxonii (Rose) F.M.Knuth, Kaktus-ABC: 232. 1936 ["1935"] syn. sec. Korotkova 2021
Pilosocereus maxonii (Rose) Byles & G.D.Rowley in Cact. Succ. J. Gr. Brit. 19: 67. 1957 syn. sec. Zappi 1994
Cephalocereus palmeri Rose in Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 12: 418. 1909 syn. sec. Zappi 1994
Pilocereus palmeri (Rose) F.M.Knuth, Kaktus-ABC: 323. 1936 ["1935"] syn. sec. Zappi 1994
Pilosocereus palmeri (Rose) Byles & G.D.Rowley in Cact. Succ. J. Gr. Brit. 19(3): 67. 1957 syn. sec. Zappi 1994
Cephalophorus palmeri (Rose) Boom in Succulenta (Netherlands) 46: 107. 1967 syn. sec. Kew WCVP (2019)
Pilosocereus leucocephalus subsp. palmeri (Rose) Scheinvar, Fl. Cactológ. Est. Querétaro: 192, 191. 2004 syn. sec. Kew WCVP (2019)
Cephalocereus sartorianus Rose in Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 12: 419. 1909 syn. sec. ???
Cereus sartorianus (Rose) Kupper ex A.Berger, Kakteen: 157. 1929 syn. sec. ???
Pilocereus sartorianus (Rose) A.Berger, Kakteen: 157, 419. 1929 syn. sec. ???
Pilosocereus sartorianus (Rose) Byles & G.D.Rowley in Cact. Succ. J. Gr. Brit. 19(3): 69. 1957 syn. sec. Hunt 2016
Cephalocereus palmeri var. sartorianus (Rose) Krainz, Städtische Sukkulentensammlung Zürich, Kat. Kult. Stehenden Art., ed. 2: 41. 1967 syn. sec. ???
Pilosocereus palmeri var. sartorianus (Rose) Lodé, Fichier Encycl. Cact. Autres Succ. 19: 1776. 1997 syn. sec. Kew WCVP (2019)
Cereus victoriensis Vaupel in Monatsschr. Kakteenk. 23: 24. 1913 syn. sec. Kew WCVP (2019)
Pilosocereus palmeri var. victoriensis (Vaupel) Backeb., Kakteenlex.: 367. 1966, nom. inval., syn. sec. Zappi 1994
Cephalocereus leucocephalus var. actopanensis Rol.-Goss. ex Bois in Bull. Mus. Natl. Hist. Nat. 32: 403. 1926 syn. sec. Kew WCVP (2019)
Pilocereus tehuacanus Weing. in Z. Sukkulentenk. 3: 58. 1927 syn. sec. Zappi 1994
Cereus tehuacanus (Weing.) Werderm. in Backeberg, Neue Kakteen: 71. 1931 syn. sec. Zappi 1994
Cephalocereus tehuacanus (Weing.) Borg, Cacti, ed. 2: 150. 1951 syn. sec. Zappi 1994
Pilosocereus tehuacanus (Weing.) Byles & G.D.Rowley in Cact. Succ. J. Gr. Brit. 19: 69. 1957 syn. sec. Zappi 1994
Cephalocereus leucocephalus f. cristatus P.V.Heath in Calyx 2: 110. 1992 syn. sec. Kew WCVP (2019)
Cephalocereus palmeri f. cristatus P.V.Heath in Calyx 2: 110. 1992 syn. sec. Kew WCVP (2019)
Cereus foersteri Sencke, Cat. 1861, nom. nud., syn. sec. Gürke 19101

Distribution
Native distribution areas:

Continental: Southern America
Regional: Central America
Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua
Continental: Northern America
Regional: Mexico
Mexico Gulf, Mexico Northeast, Mexico Northwest, Mexico Southeast, Mexico Southwest

References: Brummitt, R.K. 2001. TDWG – World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions, 2nd Edition
References
Primary references

Byles, R.S. & Rowley, G.D. 1957. Cactus and Succulent Journal of Great Britain. London 19: 67.

Additional references

Villaseñor, J.L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad 87: 559–902. DOI: 10.1016/j.rmb.2016.06.017 Online PDF Reference page.
Véliz, M. (2008). Las Cactáceas de Guatemala: 1-129. Unidad de Investigación Herbario BIGU, Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala.
Korotkova, N., Aquino, D., Arias, S., Eggli, U., Franck, A. , Gómez-Hinostrosa, C., Guerrero, P.C., Hernández, H.M., Kohlbecker, A., Köhler, M., Luther, K., Majure, L.C., Müller, A., Metzing, D., Nyffeler, R., Sánchez, D., Schlumpberger, B. & Berendsohn, W.G. 2021. Cactaceae at Caryophyllales. org–a dynamic online species-level taxonomic backbone for the family. Willdenowia 51(2): 251–270. DOI: 10.3372/wi.51.51208 Open access Reference page.

Links

Korotkova, N. et al. 2021. Pilosocereus leucocephalus in Cactaceae at Caryophyllales.org. A global synthesis of species diversity in the angiosperm order Caryophyllales. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2021 Dec 02. Reference page.
Govaerts, R. et al. 2021. Pilosocereus leucocephalus in Kew Science Plants of the World online. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2021 Apr 07. Reference page.
International Plant Names Index. 2021. Pilosocereus leucocephalus. Published online. Accessed: Apr 07 2021.
Tropicos.org 2021. Pilosocereus leucocephalus. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2021 Apr 07.
Hassler, M. 2021. Pilosocereus leucocephalus. World Plants: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World In: Roskovh, Y., Abucay, L., Orrell, T., Nicolson, D., Bailly, N., Kirk, P., Bourgoin, T., DeWalt, R.E., Decock, W., De Wever, A., Nieukerken, E. van, Zarucchi, J. & Penev, L., eds. 2021. Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2021 Apr 07. Reference page.
USDA, ARS, Germplasm Resources Information Network. Pilosocereus leucocephalus in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service. Accessed: 09-Oct-10.

Vernacular names
español: Órgano, cabeza de viejo, pitayón, tuno

Pilosocereus leucocephalus, called old man cactus (along with a number of similar species), old man of Mexico, tuno, and woolly torch, is a species of cactus in the genus Pilosocereus, native to Mexico and Central America.[2] It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[3] Pilosocereus leucocephalus functions as a keystone species in dry landscapes found in Mesoamerica.[4] This cactus produces fruit, and frugivores such as birds, bats, and even some reptiles, rely on this fruit as a source of hydration and sugar in arid ecosystems.[5]
References

Pilosocereus (Cactac.) Gen. Revis. Ampl.: 119 (1994)
"Pilosocereus leucocephalus (Poselg.) Byles & G.D.Rowley". Plants of the World Online. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2017. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
"Pilosocereus leucocephalus". The Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
Vázquez‐Castillo, S., Miranda‐Jácome, A., & Ruelas Inzunza, E. (2019). Patterns of frugivory in the columnar cactus Pilosocereus leucocephalus. Ecology and Evolution, 9(3), 1268–1277. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.4833
Vázquez‐Castillo, S., Miranda‐Jácome, A., & Ruelas Inzunza, E. (2019). Patterns of frugivory in the columnar cactus Pilosocereus leucocephalus. Ecology and Evolution, 9(3), 1268–1277. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.4833