Echinocereus triglochidiatus

Echinocereus triglochidiatus is a species of hedgehog cactus known by several common names, including kingcup cactus, claretcup, and Mojave mound cactus. This cactus is native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, where it is a resident of varied habitats from low desert to rocky slopes, scrub, and mountain woodland. It is most abundant in shady areas.

Echinocereus triglochidiatus

Secure  (NatureServe)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Plantae
(unranked):
Angiosperms
(unranked):
Eudicots
(unranked):
Core eudicots
Order:
Caryophyllales
Family:
Cactaceae
Subfamily:
Cactoideae
Tribe:
Pachycereeae
Genus:
Echinocereus
Species:
E. triglochidiatus
Binomial name
Echinocereus triglochidiatus
Synonyms

Echinocereus mojavensis

Close-up of Echinocereus triglochidiatus flower; Joshua Tree National Park, California

A number of varieties of this highly variable cactus species are known, but not all are universally recognized. In general, it is a mounding cactus, forming bulbous piles of a few to hundreds of spherical to cylindrical stems. It is densely spiny and somewhat woolly. The showy flower is a funnel-shaped bloom up to 8-9 cm wide and bright scarlet red to orange-red tepals. A thick nectar chamber and many thready pink stamens are at the center of the corolla. The flowers are pollinated by hummingbirds.

One variety, E. t. arizonicus, is federally listed as an endangered species in the United States.[1] It is limited to the intersection of Arizona and New Mexico in the United States with Mexico.[2] This variety is sometimes included within Echinocereus coccineus.[3]

The conservation status of several subspecies differs from that displayed. Examples include:

  • E. t. var. arizonicus Arizona hedgehog cactus (endangered)
  • E. t. var. melanacanthus black-spine claret-cup hedgehog (salvage restricted)
  • E. t. var. neomexicanus Mexican claret-cup hedgehog (salvage restricted)

E. triglochidiatus is the official state cactus of Colorado.[4]

Etymology

Presumably, the specific epithet comes from tri- and glochidium, with a meaning of "having three arrow points".

References
  1. USFWS Species Profile, var arizonicus.
  2. FWS Redbook Profile
  3. USDA Plants: var. arizonicus
  4. "State Cactus". Archives. 2015-02-18. Retrieved 2019-08-09.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.