Mooncactus (Harrisia martinii)
Description
Harrisia martinii, commonly called the Martin applecactus, is a species of night-blooming, rope-like cacti native to South America. With large showy flowers that attract the hawk moth, it is considered by some a useful landscape plant in areas that do not freeze. Harrisia martinii is considered an exotic invasive in Australia, Africa, and the U.S. state of Hawaii. The plant is spiny with edible red globular fruit. Harrisia martinii has a branched bush form of green to grayish green, with stems that reach a size of up to 2 meters in height and 2-2.5 centimeters in diameter. The young shoots are tapered and pointed with four to five ribs. In the areolas have a unique and strong central spine, yellowish color that has a darker upper part and is 2 to 3 cm long. The 6 and 55 radial spines are much shorter. The flowers reach a length of up to 20 centimeters. The fruits are red, more or less spherical and tuberculated with scales and thorns.
Taxonomic tree
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Domain: Eukarya
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Kingdom: Plantae
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Phylum: Magnoliophyta
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Class: Magnoliopsida
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Order: Caryophyllales
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Family: Cactaceae
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Genus: Harrisia
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