Haageocereus platinospinus

Haageocereus platinospinus is a species of Haageocereus found in Peru.

Description
Haageocereus platinospinus grows with several creeping shoots that reach diameters of 5 to 8 cm. There are 13 to 15 ribs on which there are fairly large, elongated areoles. The light to dark brown thorns turn gray with age or become silvery white. The one to four strong, apical central spines are up to 7 cm long. The ten to 13 radial spines are up to 1.5 cm long.

The white flowers reach a length of up to 7 cm.

Distribution
Haageocereus platinospinus is widespread in Peru in the Arequipa and Tacna regions at altitudes of 800 to 2650 meters.

Taxonomy
The first description as Cereus platinospinus was made in 1931 by Erich Werdermann and Curt Backeberg. The specific epithet platinospinus is derived from the Latin words platinum for 'silver' and spinus for 'thorned' and refers to the gray to silvery thorns. Curt Backeberg placed the species in the genus Haageocereus in 1936. Further nomenclature synonyms are Binghamia platinospina (Werderm & Backeb.) Werderm. (1937, incorrect name ICBN article 11.4), Borzicactus platinospinus (Werderm. & Backeb.) Borg (1937) and Echinopsis platinospina (Werderm. & Backeb.) Anceschi & Magli (2013).