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Echinocereus stramineus
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Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Magnoliophyta
(unranked):	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Caryophyllales
Family:	Cactaceae
Genus:	Echinocereus Engelm
Species:	Echinocereus stramineus
Binomial name
Echinocereus stramineus Echinocereus stramineus (Engelm.) F. Seitz

The Echinocereus stramineus is a famous example of Cactaceae in which stramineus means “ made of straw”. There are various common names such as strawberry cactus, porcupine hedgehog cactus, straw-color hedgehog, pitaya, and pitahaya. The straw-colored spines make this particular plant distinguishes from other Echinocereus . The aged spines may turn to white color and very fragile.

Distribution

Echinocereus stramineus is natively found in USA (New Mexico and southwest Texas), and Mexico (Coahuila, Chihuahua, and Nuevo Leon).It prefers similar living environment as other Cactus such as desert, river and higher mountains. There are certain specific areas in Mexico and United States where plants were occured. For example, United States; southern Trans-Pecos and the Big Bend region, Terrell Co. and lower Pecos River, Val Verde Co.(2,500-5000 ft). The regin of east side of Upton Co. to the Pecos River. South-central NM, Doña Ana, Otero, and Eddy counties. Mexico; Coahuila, East Chihuahua, West edges of Nuevo León, north Zacatecas, North east Durango, and N San Luis potosí.

Habitat and Ecology

Describe here the range of environmental conditions that the plant may grow under, for example you might write: “Quercus rubra” is a tolerant tree that grows on sandy loamy soil that is well drained. It is adapted to a precipitation zone that ranges from 750 to 1500mm/yr or more, and a temperature that ranges from -10 to 35 Celcius. Is it an annual, a perennial, a biennial (lives a few years)? Long lived? Does it significantly interact with other species?

Vegetative Characteristic

Echinocereus stramineus has various stems in which a sexual mature plant can have number of stems from 10-50 to 100-350. The largest stem is reported in which 1 m in diameter with up to 500 stems. The most unique feature of this plant is the number of ribs per stem. Normally, it has 11-17 ribs perstem and the average ribs per stem is 12 so it is easier to distinguish this from other Echinocereus . In Echinocereus stramineus, the areoles are circular shape and normally 7-15 mm apart. Each areole contains average 2-4 central spines and 7-10 radial spines in which radial spines are acicular and 2-3 cm in length.

Flowers and fruit

Echinocereus stramineus flowering in late March to May and flowers are average 8.5 to 12.5 cm in diameter and length, the color of inner tepals is deep red compare to the outer portion of the tepals . The filaments are 0.8-1 cm long and are reddish, anthers are in yellow color. (filament and anther are the male structures). The green stigma lobes (usually 10-13 lobes and average 8 mm long) are supported by reddish style (usually 2.7 cm long and 2.5 mm thick). There are also rare individuals are reported by Big Bend National Park where pure white flowers are found instead of red color as usual. Fruits are globular shape with 5-6 cm in diameter and the color will turn into reddish brown when ripe, and the areoles on fruit can be easily removed.