In June 2016, west of Januaria, in northern Minas Gerais, Brazil, we conducted a survey on a population of Pilosocereus occultiflorus P. J. Braun & Esteves (A&M 1392), a taxon whose taxonomy is disputed by different authors. In Hunt et al. (2006, text: 238) P. occultiflorus (as P. xoccultiflorus) is considered on the basis of Taylor & Zappi (2004, 345), to be a hybrid between Pilosocereus densiareolatus F. Ritter and Pilosocereus pachycladus (ssp. pachycladus) F. Ritter, while in Anderson (2001, 583) and in Anderson & Eggli (2011, 543) it is recognized at the rank of species. From our point of view, the taxon is included in the morphological and geographical range of the variable, extended and dominant P. pachycladus. Compare A&M 1392 (P. occultiflorus) with the other A&M of P. pachycladus present in cactusinhabitat.org, while for the overlap of the description of P. pachycladus to that of P. occultiflorus see Anderson (2001, 583-584). (Quoted from Anceschi & Magli 2021, 82)

In the concept of Pilosocereus pachycladus F. Ritter as a dominant species that can assume both a shrubby (A&M 348) and an arboreal form (see in this regard our inclusion of Pilosocereus occultiflorus P. J. Braun & Esteves in this booklet 82), also Pilosocereus pernambucoensis F. Ritter or Pilosocereus pachycladus ssp. pernambucoensis (F. Ritter) Zappi, according to the latest trend of transferring taxa from the rank of species or variety to that of subspecies (Anceschi & Magli 2010, 12-14; 2018, 36: 73), represents a further declination of the species in the arboreal form. No evident distinction separates it from the various other forms of the type species. In this regard, see also the really irrelevant details in the context of a variable, extended and dominant species such as P. pachycladus, which according to Hunt et al. (2006, text: 238-239), should differentiate the two taxa; that is, "csp and rsp poorly differentiated" for the ssp. pernambucoensis vs. “csp and rsp well differentiated" for P. pachycladus, and again "sd <1.6 mm, testa cells-flat" vs. “sd <2 mm, testa cells-flat to domed”, respectively to distinguish the first taxon from the second. For the reasons explained, we also include P. pernambucoensis among the synonyms of P. pachycladus. (Quoted from Anceschi & Magli 2021, 83)