Stenocereus

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

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

Familia: Cactaceae
Subfamilia: Cactoideae
Tribus: Echinocereeae
Genus: Stenocereus
Species: S. alamosensis – S. beneckei – S. chacalapensis – S. chrysocarpus – S. eruca – S. fricii – S. griseus – S. gummosus – S. heptagonus – S. huastecorum – S. humilis – S. kerberi – S. laevigatus – S. martinezii – S. montanus – S. pruinosus – S. queretaroensis – S. quevedonis – S. standleyi – S. stellatus – S. thurberi – S. treleasei – S. yunckeri – S. zopilotensis
Source(s) of checklist:
Name

Stenocereus (A.Berger) Riccob. (1909), nom. cons.

Type species: S. stellatus (Pfeiff.) Riccob.

Synonyms

Basionym
Cereus subg. Stenocereus A.Berger, Rep. (Annual) Missouri Bot. Gard. 16: 66. 1905.

Heterotypic
Cereus [infragen.unranked] Pruinosi Salm-Dyck, Cact. Hort. Dyck. 1849: 48. 1850.
Cereus ser. Pruinosi (Salm-Dyck) K.Schum., Gesamtbeschr. Kakt. 1: 52. 1897, nom. inval.
Rathbunia sect. Horakia P.V.Heath, Calyx 2(3): 104. 1992, nom. inval.
Type species: non design.
Cereus ser. Chlorotini K. Schum.
Rathbunia sect. Gibsonia P.V.Heath, Calyx 2(3): 103. 1992, nom. nov.
Cereus ser. Stellati K. Schum.
Rathbunia sect. Stenocladia P.V.Heath, Calyx 2(3): 102. 1992.
Cereus ser. Prostrati K. Schum.
Griseocereus (P.V.Heath) P.V.Heath, Calyx 6(1): 1. 1998, nom. inval.
Stenocereus subg. Griseocereus P.V.Heath, Calyx, 5(3): 101. 1996, nom. inval.
Hertrichocereus Backeb., Cact. Succ. J. (Los Angeles) 22: 153. 1950.
Stenocereus subg. Hertrichocereus (Backeb.) P.V.Heath, Calyx, 5(3): 100: 1996.
Rathbunia sect. Hertrichia P.V.Heath, Calyx 2(3): 103. 1992, nom. nov.
Lemaireocereus Britton & Rose, Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 12: 424. 1909.
Machaerocereus Britton & Rose, Cact. 2: 114. 1920.
Stenocereus subg. Machaerocereus (Britton & Rose) P.V.Heath, Calyx, 5(3): 100: 1996.
Rathbunia sect. Eruca P.V.Heath, Calyx 2(3): 102. 1992, nom. nov.
Type species: M. eruca (Brandegee) Britton & Rose
Marshallocereus Backeb., Cact. Succ. J. (Los Angeles) 22: 154. 1950.
Type species: M. aragonii (F.A.C.Weber) Backeb.
Neogriseocereus Guiggi, Cactology 3(Suppl. 4): 1. 2013.
Griseocereus Guiggi, Cactology 3: 7. 2012.
Griseocactus Guiggi, Cactology 3(Suppl.): 1. 2012, nom. inval.
Type species: N. fimbriatus (Lamarck) Guiggi.
Neolemaireocereus Backeb., Cactaceae (Berlin) 1941(2): 76. 1942.
Type species: N. thurberi (Engelm.) Backeb.
Rathbunia Britton & Rose, Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 12: 414. 1909, nom. rej.
Type species: R. sonorensis (Runge) Britton & Rose
Rathbunia nothosect. Dumorakia P.V.Heath, Calyx 2(3): 105. 1992, nom. inval.
Rathbunia nothosect. Gibsobunia P.V.Heath, Calyx 2(3): 105. 1992.
Ritterocereus Backeb., Cactaceae (Berlin) 1941, pt. 2: 76. 1942.
Stenocereus subg. Ritterocereus P.V.Heath, Calyx, 5(3): 101. 1996.
Stenocereus nothosubg. Grisolatocereus P.V.Heath, Calyx 5(3): 101. 1996.
× Grisolatocereus P.V.Heath, Calyx 6(1): 1. 1998.
Stenocereus nothosubg. Rittellicereus P.V.Heath, Calyx 5(3): 101. 1996.
× Rittellicereus (P.V.Heath) P.V.Heath, Calyx 6(1): 1. 1998.
Stenocereus subg. Nigellicereus P.V.Heath, Calyx, 5(3): 100. 1996.
Nigellicereus (P.V.Heath) P.V.Heath, Calyx, 6(1): 1. 1998.

Distribution
Native distribution areas:

Continental: Southern America
Mexico to Venezuela, Caribbean

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

Riccob. 1909. Bollettino delle Reale Orto Botanico di Palermo 8: 253. Palermo.

Additional references

Hunt, D., Taylor, N. & Charles, G. (ed.) 2006. The New Cactus Lexicon. Milborne Port. ISBN 0-9538134-4-4.
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. Stenocereus in Cactaceae at Caryophyllales.org. A global synthesis of species diversity in the angiosperm order Caryophyllales. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2021 Dec 19. Reference page.
Govaerts, R. et al. 2021. Stenocereus in Kew Science Plants of the World online. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2021 Dec 19. Reference page.
International Plant Names Index. 2021. Stenocereus. Published online. Accessed: Dec 19 2021.
Tropicos.org 2021. Stenocereus. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2021 Dec 19.
Hassler, M. 2021. Stenocereus. 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 Dec 19. Reference page.

Vernacular names
svenska: Orgelpipekaktussläktet

Stenocereus (Gk. stenos, narrow, L. cereus, candle) is a genus of columnar or tree-like cacti from the Baja California Peninsula and other parts of Mexico, Arizona in the United States, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Venezuela and the ABC islands of the Dutch Caribbean. The genus has been enlarged by the addition of species from several other genera. A close relative is the peculiar chinoa or chende cactus, Polaskia chende.

The flowers are mostly borne near the apex of the stems and mostly nocturnal. They are considered easy to grow and generally grow slowly.

Stenocereus thurberi (the organ pipe cactus) is a well-known member of this genus and is widely distributed in Arizona and northern Mexico.

The fruit is similar to a dragon fruit. Those of Stenocereus gummosus, acidic and very refreshing, are highly favored by the Seris of northwestern Mexico[1] who call the cactus ziix is ccapxl[2] - "thing whose fruit is sour". It is commonly known in Spanish as pitaya agria, or by the English translation Sour Pitaya. S. griseus (Dagger Cactus) fruits, locally known as iguaraya, are relished by the Wayuu from the La Guajira Peninsula of Colombia.[3]

Stenocereus are often used as ornamental plants in hot and arid regions, and as noted above, some species can double as a fruit crop.

The interior of Stenocereus trunks often grows to form tough, cane-like stakes suitable for certain kinds of construction. The Wayuu use those of Dagger Cactus for building wattle and daub walls, a technique they call yotojoro, after their name for the cactus wood "canes".[3]

Selected species

Image	Scientific name	Common Name	Distribution
	Stenocereus alamosensis (J.M. Coult.) A.C. Gibson & K.E. Horak	Octopus cactus, cina	Mexico
	Stenocereus aragonii (F.A.C.Weber) Buxb.		Costa Rica
	Stenocereus beneckei (Ehrenb.) A. Berger & Buxb.		Central Mexico
	Stenocereus chacalapensis (Bravo & T. MacDoug.) Buxb.		Oaxaca - Mexico
	Stenocereus chrysocarpus Sánchez-Mej.		Guerrero and Michoacán, Mexico
	Stenocereus eichlamii (Britton & Rose) Buxb. ex Bravo	Guanocal, Organo, Pitahaya, Tuna	Guatemala : Chiapas - Mexico (Central America, North America)
	Stenocereus eruca (Brandegee) A.C. Gibson & K.E. Horak	Creeping devil caterpillar cactus	Baja California Sur - Mexico
	Stenocereus fimbriatus (Lam.) Lourteig		Cuba, Hispaniola (Haiti, Dominican Republic) : Jamaica, Puerto Rico - Greater Antilles (West Indies - Caribbean)
	Stenocereus fricii Sánchez-Mej.	Pitayo De Aguas	Colima, Jalisco, Michoacan de Ocampo - Mexico
	Stenocereus griseus (Haw.) Buxb.	Dagger cactus, yosú (Wayuunaiki)	Mexico to Venezuela
	Stenocereus gummosus (Engelm.) A. Gibson & K.E. Horak	Sour pitaya, pitaya agria, ziix is ccapxl (Cmiique iitom)	Baja California (Norte), Baja California Sur - Mexico
	Stenocereus kerberi K. Schum.) A.C. Gibson & K.E. Horak		Colima, Sinaloa - Mexico
	Stenocereus martinezii (J.G. Ortega) Buxb.	Pitahayo, Pitayo	Sinaloa - Mexico
	Stenocereus montanus (Britton & Rose) Buxb.		Chihuahua, Colima, Jalisco, Nayarit, Sinaloa, Sonora - Mexico
	Stenocereus pruinosus (Otto ex Pfeiff.) Buxb.		Chiapas, Guerrero, Oaxaca, Puebla, Tamaulipas, Veracruz-Llave - Mexico
	Stenocereus queretaroensis F.A.C.Weber ex Mathes.) Buxb.		Colima, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Michoacan de Ocampo, Queretaro de Zaragoza - Mexico
	Stenocereus quevedonis (J.G. Ortega) Buxb.	Pitire	Sinaloa - Mexico
	Stenocereus standleyi (J.G. Ortega) Buxb.	Pitaya Marismena	Guerrero, Sinaloa - Mexico
	Stenocereus stellatus (Pfeiff.) Riccob.	Baja organ pipe cactus	Oaxaca, Morelos, Puebla - Mexico
	Stenocereus thurberi (Engelm.) Buxb.	Organpipe cactus	Baja California (Norte), Baja California Sur, Sinaloa, Sonora - Mexico, Arizona - United States
	Stenocereus treleasei (Vaupel) Backeb.	Tunillo	Oaxaca - Mexico
	Stenocereus yunckeri (Standl.) P.V. Heath		Guatemala, Honduras

Close-up of organpipe cactus (S. thurberi) spines

Fruit of Stenocereus queretaroensis prepared for eating

Stenocereus gummosus at the Huntington Desert Garden.

Footnotes

Felger & Moser (1985)
Kozak, David L. (2013). Inside Dazzling Mountains: Southwest Native Verbal Arts Native literatures of the Americas UPCC book collections on Project MUSE. U of Nebraska Press. pp. 48–49. ISBN 9780803240865.

Villalobos et al. (2007)

References

Anderson, Edward F. (2001): The Cactus Family[ISBN missing]
Felger, Richard & Moser, Mary B. (1985): People of the desert and sea: ethnobotany of the Seri Indians. University of Arizona Press, Tucson[ISBN missing]
Innes, C. & Wall, B. (1995): Cacti, Succulents and Bromaliads. Cassell & The Royal Horticultural Society.[ISBN missing]
Villalobos, Soraya; Vargas, Orlando & Melo, Sandra (2007): Uso, manejo y conservacion de "yosú", Stenocereus griseus (Cactaceae) en la Alta Guajira colombiana [Usage, Management and Conservation of yosú, Stenocereus griseus (Cactaceae), in the Upper Guajira, Colombia]. [Spanish with English abstract] Acta Biologica Colombiana 12(1): 99–112. PDF fulltext