Echinocactus platyacanthus

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Echinocactus platyacanthus
Kaldari Echinocactus platyacanthus 01.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Cactaceae
Subfamily: Cactoideae
Genus: Echinocactus
Species:
E. platyacanthus
Binomial name
Echinocactus platyacanthus

Echinocactus platyacanthus is a member of the cactus family Cactaceae. It is also known as the giant barrel cactus, golden barrel cactus, giant viznaga, or biznaga de dulce, [2] and its Nahuatl (Aztec) name is huitzli nahual.[ citation needed ]. It is native to central Mexico in the Chihuahuan Desert. [1] This species is the largest of the barrel cacti. In Mexico, its hairs are often used for weaving; and acitrón, a traditional Mexican candy, is produced by boiling the cactus pith.

Contents

Description

This slow-growing species can reach sizes up to 2.5 m (8.2 ft) tall and 1.5 m (4.9 ft) wide and can live over a hundred years. Previous records show that some specimens grow to almost 1.2 m (3 ft 11 in) in thickness.[ citation needed ] What is probably the largest barrel cactus living today is the one called "Goliat" at the "Area natural de Daxpe", in the Municipio [county] de Cadereyta, Querétaro State, Mexico. It is 2.95 m (9 ft 8 in) in height, at least 0.9 m (2 ft 11 in) thick and weighs about 3 metric tons (6,600 lb).[ citation needed ] Another one at Ixmiquilpan, Mexico has a measured diameter of 120 cm (47 in) and is 2.4 m (7 ft 10 in) high. [3] Britton and Rose reported a specimen (photographed, but not published) which was 1.33 m (4 ft 4 in) thick, by 3 m (9.8 ft) in height and weighed 2,000 kg (4,400 lb). [4] Britton and Rose also state that the Prussian botanist Von Karwinski saw specimens up to 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in) diameter. [5] The straight, rigid spines are black. The apex of the cactus is flat and covered with a yellow felt-like substance. They are heavily ribbed, with 25 to 30 vertical ribs (occasionally as many as 60 [6] ), and have large areoles. Their diurnal, tubular flowers bloom at the end of spring to summer and are a vivid greenish-yellow color; [7] they grow to about 2 cm (0.79 in) in height and 3 cm (1.2 in) in width. [8] Occasionally they are as much as 8 cm (3.1 in) in width. [9] The fruit is about 3 cm (1.2 in) long and is covered by a hairy wool. [10]

References

  1. 1 2 Hernández, H.M.; Cházaro, M.; Gómez-Hinostrosa, C. (2017). "Echinocactus platyacanthus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2017: e.T152537A121477917. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T152537A121477917.en . Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  2. ↑ "Giant Barrel Cactus, Biznaga Gigante Echinocactus platyacanthus". Dave's Garden. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
  3. ↑ Coulter, John M. (April 1, 1896). "Preliminary Revision of the No. American Species of Echinocactus, Cereus and Opuntia". Contrib. To the United States Nat'l Herbarium. 3 (7): 83 plus photo plate XVIII B.
  4. ↑ Britton, Nathaniel; Rose, Joseph (1963). Cactaceae - Volume III (reprint). New York: Dover Press. p. 170.
  5. ↑ Britton and Rose, Cactaceae, loc.cit.
  6. ↑ Hogan, Sean (2004). Flora - The Gardener's Bible. Willoughby, New South Wales: Global Book Pub. Pty. Ltd. p. 526 with photo. ISBN   1-74048-097-X.
  7. ↑ Hogan, Flora loc.cit.
  8. ↑ "Echinocactus platyacanthus". CACTUS ART NURSERY. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
  9. ↑ Hogan, Flora loc. cit.
  10. ↑ "Echinocactus ingens". Cactus Art. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
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