Lophocereus schottii

Botanical Description

Lophocereus schottii is a very spiny, leafless, tree-like cactus, usually growing around 2 - 4 metres tall (occasionally to 7 metres) and usually branching only at the base. These basal branches often form roots, the plant thus spreading to form clonal colonies, sometimes with as many as 50 - 100 stems[ 411 Title Trees and Shrubs of Mexico Publication Contributions from the United States National Herbarium Vol 23 Author Standley P.C. Publisher Smithsonian Institution; Washington Year 1926 ISBN Description Although dated, it contains a wealth of information on the trees and shrubs of Mexico, including many of their uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet. , 1556 Title Flora of SW Arizona Publication Author Website https://cals.arizona.edu/herbarium/content/flora-sw-arizona Publisher University of Arizona Herbarium Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent flora, published on-line in PDF format ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and a medicine. The stems are highly esteemed in Mexico for medicinal purposes, especially stems with five ribs, and considerable quantities are harvested for personal and commercial purposes. The fresh as well as dried star-shaped cross-sections of the stems are widely sold in herbal shops in many parts of Mexico[ 1556 Title Flora of SW Arizona Publication Author Website https://cals.arizona.edu/herbarium/content/flora-sw-arizona Publisher University of Arizona Herbarium Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent flora, published on-line in PDF format ]. The plant is grown as an ornamental in semi-arid regions. Lophocereus schottii is widespread and abundant, with no evidence of marked systematic declines in spite of some localized threats. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2017)[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].