Haageocereus acranthus is a species of Haageocereus found in Peru.[1]
Haageocereus acranthus grows in a columnar shape with arching or upright, sparsely branched shoots and reaches heights of 1 to 2 meters with diameters of up to . There are twelve to 14 ribs, which are divided into tubercles near the shoot tip. The closely spaced areoles are yellow to dark brown. The usually single central spine, occasionally several are present, is directed downwards and up to long. The 20 to 30 yellow radial spines are up to long.
The greenish white flowers are long. The green fruits are spherical.[2]
Accepted subspecies:[1]
| Image | Subspecies | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
| Haageocereus acranthus subsp. acranthus | Peru. | |
| Haageocereus acranthus subsp. backebergii | Peru. | |
| Haageocereus acranthus subsp. zonatus | Peru. | |
Haageocereus acranthus is widespread in the Peruvian regions of Ica and Lima at altitudes of 200 to 2700 meters.
The first description as Cereus acranthus was made in 1913 by Friedrich Karl Johann Vaupel.[3] The specific epithet acranthus means 'pointy-flowered'. Curt Backeberg placed the species in the genus Haageocereus in 1936. Further nomenclature synonyms are Pilocereus acranthus K.Schum. ex Weberb. (1911) and Binghamia acrantha (Vaupel) Britton & Rose(1920, incorrect name ICBN article 11.4).