About Borzicactus sepium (Kunth) Britton & Rose
Borzicactus sepium is a cactus that grows as a shrub. It typically produces few or no branches from its base, and has prostrate to ascending light to dark green shoots. The plant reaches 0.5 to 2 meters in height, with shoot diameters of 3 to 10 centimeters. It has 6 to 18 low, blunt, grooved ribs. Its white or light brown areoles are widely spaced. The thorns are bristly to needle-like, colored brown, yellowish, or blackish, and fade to gray as the plant ages. There are 1 to 3 strong central spines that grow up to 4 centimeters long, and 8 to 10 marginal spines that grow up to 1 centimeter long. The slightly zygomorphic bright red flowers grow up to 7.5 centimeters long with a diameter of 3 centimeters, and their floral bracts are spreading. The spherical fruits are brownish green to yellowish green and reach up to 5 centimeters in diameter. Borzicactus sepium is widely distributed in northern and central Ecuador, where it grows at altitudes between 1500 and 3500 meters.
