About Xiquexique gounellei (F.A.C.Weber ex K.Schum.) Lavor & Calvente
Xiquexique gounellei is a species of cactus that most often grows as a shrub, and rarely grows as a tree. It branches abundantly from a single trunk and reaches a height between 0.5 and 4 meters. Its upright shoots become crooked, and sometimes even grow horizontally as they age. The shoots are olive green, sometimes with a glaucous coating, and measure between 3.7 and 9 centimeters in diameter. New young shoots emerge near the top of the main shoot. Shoots have 8 to 15 ribs with transverse ridges. The spines are opaque to translucent, and range in color from golden to reddish, brown, or gray. It has 1 to 10 central spines that are ascending to protruding, and 1 to 13 centimeters long, rarely reaching up to 16 centimeters. It has 10 to 20 spreading radial spines that lie along the shoot surface, and measure 6 to 30 millimeters long. Flowering shoot segments, which vary from weak to strong in development, are located near the shoot tip. Flower buds are completely enclosed by long, silky hairs. The flowers are funnel-shaped, white, 4 to 9 centimeters long, and have a diameter of 2.5 to 6 centimeters. Fruits are spherical to depressed spherical, 4.5 to 6 centimeters in diameter, split open at the base or near the apex, and contain magenta or white flesh. Xiquexique gounellei is widespread in eastern Brazil, where it grows in seasonally dry habitats. It is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Its fruits are edible, and caffeine is reported to be present in its stems.
