PlantFiles: Cleistocactus
Cleistocactus nivosus

Another characteristic that is useful in telling the difference between C. nivosus and C. strausii is that C. nivosus flowers have purple or purple-violet petal tips as opposed to C. strausii's which are not purple but all red or pink.

This plant was first identified in J Borg's book "Cacti" 1951.
The plant rediscovered at Vic Honeychurch's garden Renmark Sth Aust. (Australia) in 2009.
Description of this plant follows.
Plant with multiple stems from ground level,height 50 to 70 cm (20" to 27"), diameter to 75mm (3") covered with fine hair so stem looks white. Aereoles 5mm apart (.25") first white but greying with age, 1 or 2 central spines to 32mm long most less (1.5"), with from 2 to 4 shorter spines 5mm (.25") yellow in colour, Upto 32 ribs.
Flower externally pink/red covered with fine silky hair all over except the very tip, to 8cm (3.25") long, tightly closed with only the stigma exposed, at right angle to the stem, straight not curved.
Fruit Red/Maroon covered in fine silky hair 2cm (.75"), flattened pear shape.
Edward F Anderson did not include C. nivosus in his book "The Cactus Family" for reasons unknown. In my opinion Anderson may have written the description for C. strausii in such a way to encompass C. nivosus in the description how ever it does not take account of the straight flower. He does not list C. nivosus in his book not even as a synonym.
While the 32 ribs are at variance with Borg's description I believe this can be explained by the fact that Borg IDed C. nivosus from plants supplied in one shipment of cacti to Europe so he had possibly not seen all variations existing in the wild.
There are some mentions of C. nivosus on the WWW with several photos.