TEXAS RAINBOW CACTUS (Echinocereus pectinatus)
Rainbow cacti have ribbed stems (not tubercles) with very closely spaced areoles. The spines from these areoles often almost completely cover the stem, providing protection from intense sun. As the plants grow from the top of the stem the spines that they produce in different years or different times of the year can have different colours. This results in a banded pattern of spine colours - hence the name "rainbow" cactus. There are several types of rainbow cactus in different desert regions, but the Texas rainbow is common in the Chihuahuan Desert of Mexico and in restricted regions of southern New Mexico and Texas. Go to
Chihuahuan Cacti page? |
