Pilosocereus
| Pilosocereus | |
|---|---|
| Pilosocereus catingicola | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Cactaceae |
| Subfamily: | Cactoideae |
| Tribe: | Cereeae |
| Subtribe: | Cereinae |
| Genus: | Pilosocereus Byles & G.D.Rowley |
| Type species | |
| Pilosocereus leucocephalus (Poselg.) Byles & G.D.Rowley
| |
| Species | |
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See text | |
| Approximate distribution | |
| Synonyms | |
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Pilosocereus (from Latin, "hairy cereus") is a genus of cactus native to the Neotropics. Tree cactus is a common name for Pilosocereus species. The genus Pseudopilocereus is a synonym of this genus. For many years, the illegitimate name Pilocereus was used for this genus, although properly a synonym for Cephalocereus. The subdivision of the genus has varied very widely, resulting in very different numbers of species being accepted.
The commonly cultivated Pilosocereus pachycladus (syn. Pilosocereus azureus) is a blue cactus with hairy areoles that emit golden spines.