Greek stephanos—crown, referring to the dense, bristly head (the cephalium) at the apex of the body.
Body mostly solitary, blue-green, columnar to about 3 m tall with many branches. Ribs 12-18. Radial spines to about 20, up to 1.5 cm long, central spines 1-few to 4 cm long. Areoles with hair. Flowers nocturnal, borne on a condensed head-like structure which persists as a ring while growth proceeds through its centre (the cephalium which is woolly with yellow projecting spines), scaly outside, white with a yellowish tube to about 7 cm long. Fruit more or less ovoid, not splitting, floral remnants persisting, naked, flesh white or red.
The only species is S. leucostele (Gürke) A. Berger.
Condensed annular head (cephalium) with projecting yellow spines.
1 species from E Brazil (Bahia).
Source: (1997). Cactaceae. In: . Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 2. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 1. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.
