About Cochemiea halei (Brandegee) Walton
Cochemiea halei (Brandegee) Walton forms large clusters reaching up to 2 meters (6 feet 7 inches) across. Individual cylindrical shoots are 30 to 40 centimeters (12 to 16 inches) long and 5 to 7.5 centimeters (2.0 to 3.0 inches) in diameter. This cactus has short warts and woolly axillae. It produces 6 to 9 stiff, strong reddish-brown central spines that measure 2.0 to 2.5 centimeters (0.79 to 0.98 inches) long and turn gray as they age. The 15 to 22 radial spines measure 0.9 to 1.5 centimeters (0.35 to 0.59 inches) long, and are initially reddish-brown with gray tones. Its red flowers are elongated, have a wavy margin, measure 3.5 to 5 centimeters (1.4 to 2.0 inches) long, and feature a long flower tube. The fruits are club-shaped, red, and grow up to 1.2 centimeters (0.47 inches) long. Its seeds have a reticulated surface texture. This species is distributed in Baja California Sur, Mexico. It is most commonly found on the islands of Magdalena and Santa Margarita, at elevations between 10 and 100 meters, where it grows on beach sand dunes alongside Echinocereus barthelowianus, Opuntia pycnantha, Cochemiea dioica, and Stenocereus eruca. Rare populations also occur in a small number of adjacent mainland localities.
