Echinocereus longisetus is a species of Echinocereus found in Mexico.
Echinocereus longisetus branches from the base, forming large clusters up to 1 meter in diameter. The upright cylindrical stems are long and in diameter, with 11 to 24 low, tuberculated ribs. The plant has four to nine central spines that are straight or curly, whitish to brownish, and long. It also has 15 to 20 white marginal spines, each long.
The funnel-shaped flowers are slightly pinkish-purple and appear near the base of the stems, not at the tips. They are long and in diameter.[1] [2]
There are two recognized subspecies:
| Image | Scientific name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
| Echinocereus longisetus subsp. delaetii (Gürke) N.P.Taylor | Mexico (S. Coahuila) | |
| Echinocereus longisetus subsp. longisetus | Mexico (CN. Coahuila) | |
Echinocereus longisetus is found in the Mexican states of Coahuila and Nuevo León.
Originally described as Cereus longisetus by George Engelmann in 1856, the specific epithet "longisetus" comes from the Latin words "longus" (long) and "-setus" (bristly), referring to its long, bristle-like spines.[3] Charles Lemaire reclassified it into the genus Echinocereus in 1868.[4]