About Cochemiea sheldonii (Britton & Rose) Doweld
Cochemiea sheldonii (Britton & Rose) Doweld is a cactus species that branches from its base and typically forms small cushions. Its slender, cylindrical shoots are dull green, often with a reddish tint, and grow 8 to 20 centimeters high, reaching up to 6 centimeters in diameter. The four-sided, cylindrical, keel-shaped warts at the base do not contain milky sap. The axillae are hairless, and sometimes bear a few bristles. This species has 1 to 4 strong central spines that grow up to 15 millimeters long; the lowest central spine is elongated and either straight or hooked. There are 9 to 24 radial spines, which are white with dark tips and measure 6 to 8 millimeters long.
The flowers are funnel-shaped and light purple-pink, measuring 2 inches in both length and diameter. The petal edges are paler, often nearly white, and flowers typically remain open for several days. The stamens have light purple filaments and orange-yellow anthers. The style ranges from light pink to yellow. The light olive stigma is 3 to 5 millimeters long, is divided into 6 to 8 lobes, and protrudes approximately 4 millimeters beyond the stamens. The fruits are club-shaped, pale scarlet-red, 25 to 30 millimeters long, and bear a slightly oblique residual flower structure; they contain black, spherical seeds. This species is native to desert and dry scrubland biomes in southern Arizona (United States) and northern Mexico, where it occurs in the Mexican states of Sonora, Sinaloa, and western Chihuahua.
