Stenocactus crispatus
{{Short description|Species of plant in the family Cactaceae}}
{{Speciesbox
|image = Gardenology-IMG 5205 hunt10mar.jpg
|image_caption =
|status = DD
|status_system = IUCN3.1
|genus = Stenocactus
|species = crispatus
|authority = (DC.) A.Berger (1929){{cite web|url= https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:244563-2|title= Stenocactus crispatus (DC.) A.Berger|author=|date=n.d.|website=Plants of the World Online|publisher=The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew|access-date= August 22, 2020}}
|synonyms =
{{collapsible list|
- Brittonrosea crispata {{au| (DC.) Speg.}}
- Echinocactus crispatus {{au|DC.}}
- Echinofossulocactus crispatus {{au| (DC.) Lawr.}}
- Efossus crispatus {{au| (DC.) Orcutt}}
- Ferocactus crispatus {{au| (DC.) N.P.Taylor}}
}}
}}
Stenocactus crispatus, formerly known as Echinofossulocactus crispatus, is a species of cactus native to the deserts of Mexico. Along with other members of the genus Stenocactus, it is also known as the "brain cactus".
{{cite web
|url = http://www.llifle.com/Encyclopedia/CACTI/Family/Cactaceae/3443/Stenocactus_crispatus
|title = Stenocactus crispatus
|website=llifle Encyclopedias of living forms
|access-date = 20 November 2024}}
Description
Stenocactus crispatus grows up to {{cvt|20|cm}} tall and {{cvt|10|cm}} wide is a bluish-green to dark olive-green colour and globose obovoid or short-cylindric in habit.
It has 3-4 very long flattened central spines {{cvt|1-10|cm}} in length that are variable in colour from white through yellow to an almost black dark brown. These central spines are surrounded by 4-6 radial spines that are {{cvt|0.5-1|cm}} long.
It is similar to Stenocactus multicostatus and equally variable, although often with a darker stem and with less numerous ribs, usually 30-60 as opposed to 50-100 for S. multicostatus.{{cite web|url = https://www.llifle.com/Encyclopedia/CACTI/Family/Cactaceae/1730/Stenocactus_multicostatus|title = Stenocactus multicostatus|website=llifle Encyclopedias of living forms|access-date = 20 November 2024}}
Its flowers are pale pink with purple or violet mid-veins {{cvt|4|cm}} in diameter, well developed and covered with imbricating scales.
File:Stenocactus crispatus pm.JPG | Plant
File:Echinofossulocactus crispatus 1.jpg |