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Useful Tropical Plants

Lophocereus marginatus

(DC.) S.Arias & Terrazas

Cactaceae

+ Synonyms

Cereus cupulatus Pfeiff.

Cereus gemmatus Zucc. ex Pfeiff.

Cereus incrustans Steud.

Cereus incrustatus J.Forbes

Cereus marginatus DC.

Cereus mirbelii Pfeiff.

Echinopsis gemmata (Otto ex Pfeiff.) K.Schum.

Lemaireocereus marginatus (DC.) A.Berger

Marginatocereus marginatus (DC.) Backeb.

Pachycereus marginatus (DC.) Britton & Rose

Stenocereus marginatus (DC.) A.Berger & Buxb.

Common Name: Chilayo

No Image.

General Information

Lophocereus marginatus is a spny, leafless, evergreen, tree-like cactus forming an erect stem 3 - 5 metres tall. This stem is usually, but not always, unbranched[
1987
Title
The Cactus Family
Publication
 
Author
Anderson E.F.
Publisher
Timber Press; Portland, Oregon
Year
2001
ISBN
0-88192-498-9
Description
An excellent work, giving botanical descriptions of virtually all the cacti, together with their range (but not their habitats) and sometimes also a photo. it also contains a long chapter detailing the many uses of cacti and another on cultivation..
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of materials. This species is often semi-domesticated in Mexico, where it is used to create living fences[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
]..
Although Lophocereus marginatus has a wide distribution, is very abundant and is tolerant of disturbance, most of the range and population is not the original wild native species. The species has been introduced to many parts of Mexico and it has subsequently become naturalized and these populations are likely increasing and spreading. It is impossible to distinguish introduced and naturalized plants from truly wild plants, hence there is no detailed information on the extent and quality of the wild range. Although the wild species, in a general sense, would be considered 'Least Concern', the plant is classified as 'Data Deficient' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2017)[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

1987
Title
The Cactus Family
Publication
 
Author
Anderson E.F.
Publisher
Timber Press; Portland, Oregon
Year
2001
ISBN
0-88192-498-9
Description
An excellent work, giving botanical descriptions of virtually all the cacti, together with their range (but not their habitats) and sometimes also a photo. it also contains a long chapter detailing the many uses of cacti and another on cultivation..

Range

Southern N. America - central Mexico (Hidalgo, Mexico, Guanajuato, Queretaro, Morelos, Puebla, Oaxaca, Colima, Michoacan, and Guerrero,)

Habitat

Tropical deciduous forest and xerophyllous scrub[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].

Properties

Conservation StatusData Deficient
Medicinal Rating *
Other Uses Rating *  *  *
HabitEvergreen Tree
Height4.00 m
Cultivation StatusOrnamental, Semi-cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

Fruit[
1438
Title
Food Plants in the Americas: A Survey of the Domesticated, Cultivated, and Wild Plants Used for Human Food in North,
Publication
 
Author
Kermath B.M.; Bennett B.C.' Pulsipher L.M.
Publisher
 
Year
2014
ISBN
 
Description
A pre-publication draft of an amazing, on-going work first started in 1985. It contains information on more than 3,900 taxa from the Americas - from Arctic regions to the Tropics
]. The spiny, globular fruit is dry with little flesh and around 40mm in diameter[
411
Title
Trees and Shrubs of Mexico
Publication
Contributions from the United States National Herbarium Vol 23
Author
Standley P.C.
Publisher
Smithsonian Institution; Washington
Year
1926
ISBN
 
Description
Although dated, it contains a wealth of information on the trees and shrubs of Mexico, including many of their uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
,
1987
Title
The Cactus Family
Publication
 
Author
Anderson E.F.
Publisher
Timber Press; Portland, Oregon
Year
2001
ISBN
0-88192-498-9
Description
An excellent work, giving botanical descriptions of virtually all the cacti, together with their range (but not their habitats) and sometimes also a photo. it also contains a long chapter detailing the many uses of cacti and another on cultivation..
].

Medicinal

The plant is used medicinally[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant is much used in Mexico as a stock-proof living hedge[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
]. Planted side by side, the straight trunks form impenetrable barriers, which are a characteristic feature of Mexican towns[
411
Title
Trees and Shrubs of Mexico
Publication
Contributions from the United States National Herbarium Vol 23
Author
Standley P.C.
Publisher
Smithsonian Institution; Washington
Year
1926
ISBN
 
Description
Although dated, it contains a wealth of information on the trees and shrubs of Mexico, including many of their uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

Other Uses

The stems are used for fuel[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-10-25. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Lophocereus+marginatus>

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