Echinocereus viereckii

Echinocereus viereckii is a species of cactus native to Mexico.

Description
Echinocereus viereckii grows upright or prostrate, branching at the base. Its dull, shiny light green shoots often reach up to 20 cm in length and 4 to 4.5 cm in diameter. The apex is loosely covered with white-yellowish areole felt, topped by an upright hyaline-yellow spine. It has 8 to 9 ribs, sharply separated at the apex and running straight down, about 6 to 8 mm high. These ribs are deeply indented between the areoles, forming mammillary-like humps. The 7 to 9 radial spines spread horizontally, are evenly distributed, and usually 5 to 7 mm long. The 4 central spines are thickened at the base and can grow up to 2 cm long.

The funnel-shaped flowers are up to 11 cm in diameter and are purplish-pink, with a glassy flower tube and light golden brown thorns.

Subspecies
Accepted subspecies:

Distribution
Echinocereus viereckii is found in the Mexican states of Nuevo León and Tamaulipas.

Taxonomy
Erich Werdermann first described the species in 1934, and the specific epithet viereckii honors German plant collector Hans-Wilhelm Viereck.