Candelabra Cactus (Myrtillocactus cochal)

Candelabra Cactus
Myrtillocactus cochal

Jordi,
While comparing descriptions, I noticed that a major key difference is that M. geometrizans central spine is "Dagger-Like and broad basally". So it appears that this photo and your other one on this page are M. geometrizans. Would you like these two photos moved to the right page?

My photos actually picture M. cochal from Baja California (in the Baja Garden of the former Wild Animal Park near Escondido, CA) with more ribs, more radials and shorter daggers than the M. geometrizans native only to Mexico mainland.
So leave the photos on this, the right page, please!
Thanks.
BTW in the photos you and Palmbob posted earlier here the M. cochal show also stout dagger-like spines!

well, it may turn out my photos are incorrect.

Jordi, If you can show me a description that says M. cochal has 'Dagger-like, broad basally" central spines, then it needs to be looked at again. But the descriptions I have says M. geometrizans has the Dagger spine.

This message was edited Jun 17, 2015 11:35 AM

Sorry you two, I can't show a description for M. cochal mentioning 'dagger-like, broad basally' spines, but they are indeed 'broad basally' though not really 'dagger-like' like the central spine of M. geometrizans can be!
And please take into account that M. geo. is described by having only 5-6 ribs while for M. coch. are mentioned 6-8 ribs!
There are no M. geometrizans growing in Baja and all the Myrtillos in the Baja Garden of former WAP were imported in the late 70s only from Baja.
Finally, please compare picture 41.5 in the Atlas of The New Cactus Lexicon of D. Hunt.

Descriptions are often not enough to identify a plant and sometimes even misleading.

Seeing as how M. cochal was once considered a "variety" of G. geom. the "Dagger-Like" description could very well be on both of them. The same with the "broad basally" too . Sometimes when all you've got are descriptions, then that has to suffice. Not everyone has "The New Cactus Lexicon" at $400 each,. I'll agree then, This is and your other photo are M. cochal.

And to show the difference: Here is the real dagger-like spine of M. geometrizans. Taken today in the Baja Garden of the Wild Animal Park. Years ago a volunteer planted it there wrongly, not knowing that this species is native to mainland Mexico only.

Jürgen

well that seems rather clear

And here comes the most recent official confirmation of THE authority: