ベンケイチュウ（弁慶柱）
アメリカのカリフォルニア州南東部からアリゾナ州南部、メキシコ南西部の砂漠や乾燥した砂礫地に生えます。西部劇に登場する有名なサボテンで、高さは13m以上にもなります、寿命は200年ほどあるといわれます。5月から6月ごろ、黄色がかった白色の花を咲かせます。日暮れと共に開花、翌日の昼過ぎまで咲き、蜜も出し続けます。花粉の媒介は夜間にはコウモリの仲間、昼間はミツバチ、キツツキ、ハチドリ、ハトなどにより行われます。アメリカ先住民の人々は、果実を食用に、茎の芯はテントの用材に利用しました。
The saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea) is native to the Sonoran Desert in Arizona, the Mexican state of Sonora, and the Whipple Mountains and Imperial County areas of California. It can grow to be over 13m tall.
Saguaros can store considerable amounts of rainwater, visibly expanding in the process, while slowly using the stored water as needed. This characteristic enables saguaros to survive during periods of drought.
The white, waxy flowers appear in April through June, opening well after sunset and closing in midafternoon. They continue to produce nectar after sunrise.
Main pollinators are honey bees, bats, and white-winged doves. In most, but not all studies, diurnal pollinators contributed more than nocturnal ones. Honey bees were the greatest contributors. Other diurnal pollinators are birds such as hummingbird, and the house finch.
Saguaros have been a source of food and shelter for humans for thousands of years. Their sweet red fleshed fruits are turned into syrup by native peoples.
