Sclerocactus brevihamatus

Sclerocactus brevihamatus is a species of cactus known by the common name shorthook fishhook cactus.

Sclerocactus brevihamatus
Sclerocactus brevihamatus tobuschii

Apparently Secure  (NatureServe)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Plantae
(unranked):
Angiosperms
(unranked):
Eudicots
(unranked):
Core eudicots
Order:
Caryophyllales
Family:
Cactaceae
Subfamily:
Cactoideae
Tribe:
Cacteae
Genus:
Sclerocactus
Species:
S. brevihamatus
Binomial name
Sclerocactus brevihamatus

It is endemic to Texas, and is an endangered species.[1] Threats to the species and subspecies include collecting and development in its habitat.[2]

Description

Sclerocactus brevihamatus is a small, dark-green to grey globose cactus.[3] It has a short, central taproot with many fine, fibrous offshoots.[3] Its stem has 10–12 ribs, divided into tubercles with shallow, wooly grooves on the upper surface.[3] The areoles are circular with white-colored wool.[3] Its central spines are white or yellowish, and often hooked, occasionally red-tipped, and may become grey as they age.[3] The radial spines are straight and irregularly spread.[3] Its small, funnelform flowers vary in color from shades of green, yellow, and white.[3] The fruits are egg-shaped and pinkish-green, and contain kidney-shaped, dark brown to black seeds.[3]

Habitat

Sclerocactus brevihamatus grows in shallow, gravel and clay soils.[3] It prefers slightly alkaline soils, and often grows in soils heavy with limestone sediments.[3] Its natural habitat is open areas with sparse vegetation, such as hilltops, floodplains, and rocky plains.[3]

Subspecies
Tobusch fishhook cactus flowers

Subspecies and varieties of this cactus include:

  • Sclerocactus brevihamatus subsp. brevihamatus – shorthook fishhook cactus.[4]
  • Sclerocactus brevihamatus var. pallidus – synonym of Sclerocactus brevihamatus,[5] also known as Ancistrocactus brevihamatus var. pallidus.[6]
  • Sclerocactus brevihamatus ssp. tobuschii – Tobusch fishhook cactus.[6] It is also known as a separate species, Ancistrocactus tobuschii.
The rare Tobusch fishhook cactus is a federally listed endangered species also. It is known from about 200[7] to about 500[2] individual specimens on the eastern part of the Edwards Plateau. It occurs in the Juniperus ashei-Quercus fusiformis plant association on calcareous soils.[8]

References
  1. USFWS: Determination that Ancistrocactus tobuschii is an endangered species. — Federal Register. November 7, 1979.
  2. Center for Plant Conservation
  3. "Sclerocactus brevihamatus". www.llifle.com. Retrieved 2019-03-04.
  4. USDA: Sclerocactus brevihamatus subsp. brevihamatus
  5. Encyclopedia of Cacti: 'Sclerocactus brevihamatus var. pallidus
  6. "Sclerocactus brevihamatus subsp. brevihamatus". Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Agricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 23 January 2018.
  7. The Nature Conservancy
  8. Sutton, K., et al. (1997). Habitat of Ancistrocactus tobuschii (Tobusch fishhook cactus, Cactaceae) on the Edwards Plateau of Central Texas. Southwestern Naturalist 42:4 441.
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