What is "pachycereus"

Pachycereus is a genus of 9–12 species of large cacti native to Mexico and just into southern Arizona, United States. They form large shrubs or small trees up to 15 m or more tall, with stout stems up to 1 m in diameter.

Pachycereus comes from the ancient Greek pakhus meaning "thick" and the Latin cereus meaning "torch".

• Pachycereus gatesii
• Pachycereus gaumeri
• Pachycereus grandis
• Pachycereus hollianus
• Pachycereus marginatus
• Pachycereus militaris
• Pachycereus pectin-aboriginum
• Pachycereus pringlei - cardón cactus
• Pachycereus schottii - totem cactus, senita cactus
• Pachycereus weberi

P. pringlei is the tallest cactus species in the world, with a maximum recorded height of 19.2 m.

These genera have been brought into synonymy with Pachycereus:

• Backebergia Bravo
• Lemaireocereus Britton & Rose
• Lophocereus ( A.Berger) Britton & Rose
• Marginatocereus ( Backeb.) Backeb.
• Mitrocereus (Backeb.) Backeb.
• Pterocereus T.MacDoug. & Miranda