Harrisia portoricensis

Harrisia portoricensis is a species of cactus in the genus Harrisia.[2][3] Its common names include higo chumbo and Puerto Rico applecactus.

Harrisia portoricensis

Critically Imperiled  (NatureServe)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Cactaceae
Subfamily: Cactoideae
Genus: Harrisia
Species:
H. portoricensis
Binomial name
Harrisia portoricensis
Synonyms
  • Cereus portoricensis (Britton) Urb. 1910
  • Harrisia hurstii W.T.Marshall 1941

Description

Harrisia portoricensis grows upright with only a few branches and reaches heights of 2 to 3 meters. The slender shoots have a diameter of 3 to 4 centimeters. There are eleven rounded ribs, separated from each other by shallow furrows. The 13 to 17 grayish white thorns have a darker tip and are 2 to 3 centimeters long.

The flowers are up to 15 centimeters long. The yellow, spherical to egg-shaped fruits reach a diameter of 4 to 6 centimeters.[4]

  • Scene of higo chumbo cactus with water in background
    Scene of higo chumbo cactus with water in background
  • Higo chumbo on Mona Island
    Higo chumbo on Mona Island

Distribution

It is endemic to Puerto Rico, where it is known from three smaller islands off the coast of the main island.[5] The population is estimated at 59,000 on Mona Island, 148 individuals on Monito Island, and only 9 on Desecheo Island.[5]

Taxonomy

The first description by Nathaniel Lord Britton was published in 1909. The specific epithet portoricensis refers to the occurrence of the species in Puerto Rico. A nomenclature synonym is Cereus portoricensis (Britton) Urb. (1910).

References
  1. NatureServe. 1994. Harrisia portoricensis, Higo Chumbo. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.158613/Harrisia_portoricensis. Accessed 30 November 2021.
  2. "Harrisia portoricensis". Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
  3. Harrisia
  4. Anderson, Edward F.; Eggli, Urs (2005). Das grosse Kakteen-Lexikon (in German). Stuttgart (Hohenheim): Ulmer. p. 340. ISBN 3-8001-4573-1.
  5. USFWS. Higo Chumbo Five-year Review. January 2010.
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