About Cleistocactus baumannii (Lem.) Lem.
Cleistocactus baumannii grows as a shrub, with multiple branches that emerge from its base. Its shoots are fairly rigid, and are either upright or arched. Shoots can reach up to 2 meters in length, and measure 2.5 to 3.5 centimeters in diameter. The cactus has 16 to 17 ribs, with closely spaced areoles. It produces one central spine that is yellowish or dark brown, reaching up to 4 centimeters long. It also has 8 to 10 yellowish brown radial spines, each growing up to 1.8 centimeters long. The flowers of Cleistocactus baumannii are crooked, and range in color from yellow to orange-red to red. They are 5 to 7 centimeters long, with a diameter of up to 1 centimeter. Flower shape follows an S-curve: it points strongly upward above the pericarpel, then curves outward. Both the red stamens and the style protrude out from the open flower. The fruits are spherical, range in color from green to red to pink, and contain white flesh. They measure 1 to 1.5 centimeters in diameter. Cleistocactus baumannii is distributed across a range that runs from northeastern Argentina, through Paraguay and Bolivia, to southern Brazil. It grows in sandy and clay soils at altitudes between 10 and 1050 meters, and is consumed by the Chacoan peccary.
