''Cleistocactus hyalacanthus'' is a species of columnar cacti in the genus '' Cleistocactus''. The name comes from the Greek ''kleistos'' meaning closed because the

flowers A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism ...

hardly open.

Description

''Cleistocactus hyalacanthus'' flowers sprout from the center of needle clusters. They first appear as small dark spots, which gradually enlarge over a week or ten days into long red flowers, each of which is only open, and only slightly, for one day. They are food for hummingbirds, which are attracted by the vivid red color. Those flowers that have been fertilized will develop a fruit which is 1 cm in diameter. The fruits eventually turn yellow when they are ripe. They are food for larger birds, which disperse the small black seeds in their droppings.

References

External links

* * Trichocereeae Cacti of South America Flora of Argentina Flora of Bolivia Flora of Peru Flora of Uruguay {{cactus-stub