About Echinocereus scopulorum Britton & Rose
Echinocereus scopulorum Britton & Rose is a solitary cactus species that grows cylindrical shoots. The shoots measure 10 to 40 cm (3.9 to 15.7 in) in length and up to 10 cm (3.9 in) in diameter, and are fully concealed by spines. This cactus has 13 to 15 ribs. It produces three to ten central spines that are shorter than the roughly 20 peripheral spines; the peripheral spines are whitish with darker tips, and range from 0.4 to 1.4 cm (0.16 to 0.55 in) in length.
The flowers of Echinocereus scopulorum are fragrant and funnel-shaped, with a color range from light pink to magenta and a white throat. Flowers emerge near the tips of the shoots, measuring 7 to 8.5 cm (2.8 to 3.3 in) long and up to 10 cm (3.9 in) in diameter. The fruits are spherical to egg-shaped, dark green with white pulp. When ripe, the fruits are dry and do not crack open.
This species is distributed in the Mexican states of Sonora (including along its coastal xeric scrublands and on Isla Tiburón), Sinaloa, and Nayarit. It grows in the Sonoran Desert on rocky soils, at elevations between 5 and 800 m (16 to 2,625 ft).
