Pediocactus nigrispinus

Last updated

Pediocactus nigrispinus
Pediocactus nigrispinus 1.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Cactaceae
Subfamily: Cactoideae
Genus: Pediocactus
Species:
P. nigrispinus
Binomial name
Pediocactus nigrispinus
(Hochstätter) Hochstätter
Synonyms
  • Pediocactus simpsonii var. nigrispinusHochstätter 1990
  • Pediocactus nigrispinus subsp. beastonii(Hochstätter) Hochstätter 1995
  • Pediocactus nigrispinus var. beastoniiHochstätter 1992
  • Pediocactus nigrispinus subsp. puebloensisHochstätter 1995

Pediocactus nigrispinus is a species in the cactus family with the common names snowball cactus, Columbia Plateau cactus, and basalt cactus. It is found in dry areas in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

Description

Pediocactus nigrispinus exhibits a diverse color range, varying from green to grayish-blue in its single stem but often as a cluster of stems. Initially spherical, the plant transforms into an egg-shaped configuration as it matures, densely spiny plant that forms an (often flattened) ovoid, reaching heights between 5 and 30 cm and diameters spanning 5 to 15 cm. Notably, this cactus is characterized by a dense arrangement of 6 to 12 central spines, measuring 15 to 35 mm in length and showcasing colors that range from brown to reddish, nearly black. These spines are robust and may either stand upright or possess a slight curve. The showy pink to magenta colored flowers appear in the spring and form a cluster near the apex of each stem. [3] [4] Full technical description at Flora of North America. [5]

Range and habitat

The Columbia Plateau cactus grows in big sagebrush and lower montane dry habitats in eastern Washington and Oregon and extending into Idaho in dry regions, steppes and semi-deserts on hills or rocky outcrops at altitudes between 260 and 1200 meters. . [3] It grows in scattered locations but is often locally abundant. [2] Other plants in the habitat include Opuntia polyacantha and Opuntia fragilis .

Taxonomy

It was described in 1992 by Fritz Hochstätter, who named it after its black spines.

Related Research Articles

<i>Cylindropuntia imbricata</i> Species of cactus

Cylindropuntia imbricata, the cane cholla, is a cactus found in the Southwestern United States and northern Mexico, including some cooler regions in comparison to many other cacti. It occurs primarily in the arid regions of the Southwestern United States in the states of Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and Nevada. It is often conspicuous because of its shrubby or even tree-like size, its silhouette, and its long-lasting yellowish fruits.

<i>Pediocactus bradyi <span style="font-style:normal;">subsp.</span> winkleri</i> Species of cactus

Pediocactus bradyi subsp. winkleri, commonly known as Winkler's cactus or Winkler's pincushion cactus, is a small cactus endemic to the state of Utah in the United States. It is known only from Emery and Wayne Counties.

<i>Opuntia basilaris</i> Species of cactus

Opuntia basilaris, the beavertail cactus or beavertail pricklypear, is a cactus species found in the southwest United States. It occurs mostly in the Mojave, Anza-Borrego, and Colorado Deserts, as well as in the Colorado Plateau and northwest Mexico. It is also found throughout the Grand Canyon and Colorado River region as well as into southern Utah and Nevada, and in the western Arizona regions along the Lower Colorado River Valley.

<i>Opuntia humifusa</i> Species of cactus

Opuntia humifusa, commonly known as the devil's-tongue, eastern prickly pear or Indian fig, is a cactus of the genus Opuntia present in parts of the eastern United States and northeastern Mexico.

<i>Myriopteris gracillima</i> Species of fern

Myriopteris gracillima, formerly known as Cheilanthes gracillima, is a species of lip fern known by the common name lace lip fern. It is native to western North America, where it grows in rocky habitat from British Columbia to California to Montana.

<i>Cylindropuntia echinocarpa</i> Species of cactus

Cylindropuntia echinocarpa is a species of cactus known by the common names silver cholla, golden cholla, and Wiggins' cholla. It was formerly named Opuntia echinocarpa.

<i>Opuntia littoralis</i> Species of cactus

Opuntia littoralis is a species of prickly pear cactus known by the common name coastal pricklypear. It is sometimes called the sprawling prickly pear due to its short stems and habit of growing close to the ground. "Littoral" means "pertaining to the seashore".

<i>Opuntia aciculata</i> Species of cactus

Opuntia aciculata, also called Chenille pricklypear, old man's whiskers, and cowboy's red whiskers, is a perennial dicot and an attractive ornamental cactus native to Texas. It belongs to the genus Opuntia. It is also widespread in Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas.

<i>Pediocactus sileri</i> Species of cactus

Pediocactus sileri is a rare species of cactus known by the common names Siler's pincushion cactus and gypsum cactus. It is native to southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona in the United States. It is limited to a specific type of soil, individuals are often spaced far apart, and the species is threatened by a number of human activities such as off-road vehicle use, poaching, and uranium mining. This is a federally listed threatened species of the United States.

<i>Pediocactus bradyi</i> Endangered species of cactus

Pediocactus bradyi is a very rare species of cactus known by the common names Brady's pincushion cactus, Brady's hedgehog cactus, and Marble Canyon cactus. It is endemic to Arizona in the US, where it is restricted to Marble Canyon in Coconino County, though its exact distribution is not generally advertised due to poaching concerns. It is limited to a specific type of soil, it has a small distribution, and the species is threatened by a number of human activities. This has been a federally listed endangered species of the United States since 1979.

<i>Pediocactus bradyi <span style="font-style:normal;">subsp.</span> despainii</i> Species of cactus

Pediocactus bradyi subsp. despainii is a rare species of cactus known by the common names Despain's cactus and San Rafael cactus.

<i>Eriogonum douglasii</i> Species of wild buckwheat

Eriogonum douglasii is a species of wild buckwheat known by the common name Douglas' buckwheat. It is native to the western United States, including the Pacific Northwest and part of the Great Basin.

<i>Opuntia polyacantha</i> Species of cactus

Opuntia polyacantha is a common species of cactus known by the common names plains pricklypear, starvation pricklypear, hairspine cactus, and panhandle pricklypear. It is native to North America, where it is widespread in Western Canada, the Great Plains, the central and Western United States, and Chihuahua in northern Mexico. In 2018, a disjunct population was discovered in the Thousand Islands region of Ontario, Canada.

<i>Sclerocactus sileri</i> Species of cactus

Sclerocactus sileri, the Siler fishhook cactus, is a rare and very small cactus found mostly in mineral-rich desert areas of intermediate elevations, notably in the American states of Utah, Nevada, and northern Arizona.

<i>Erigeron filifolius</i> Species of flowering plant

Erigeron filifolius is a North American species of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae known by the common names thread-leaf fleabane.

<i>Erigeron poliospermus</i> Species of flowering plant

Erigeron poliospermus is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common names gray-seeded fleabane, purple cushion fleabane, and hairy-seed fleabane. Native to western North America, it is mainly found to the east of the Cascade Range in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.

<i>Penstemon gairdneri</i> Species of plant

Penstemon gairdneri is a species of perennial plant in the Plantaginaceae family with the common name Gairdner's beardtongue. It is native to Washington, Oregon, and Idaho in the western United States.

<i>Eremogone franklinii</i> Species of plant

Eremogone franklinii is a species of perennial herb in the Caryophyllaceae family with the common name Franklin's sandwort. It is native to eastern Washington and Oregon to southern Idaho and northern Nevada.

<i>Pediocactus simpsonii</i> Species of flowering plant in the family

Pediocactus simpsonii, known by the common names mountain cactus, snowball cactus, and mountain ball cactus, is a relatively common cactus that has adapted to survive in cold and dry environments in high elevation areas of the western United States. It can be found at higher elevations than any other cactus in North America. While not a landscape dominating plant, it is a relatively common species and the most common member of the genus Pediocactus. Because of its beauty and adaptation to cold environments it is sometimes grown by gardeners in areas that have few other choices due to the limited number of cactuses with cold adaptations. Like many cactuses its populations are sometimes threatened by this desirability due to the theft or removal of plants from the wild by collectors.

<i>Pediocactus paradinei</i> Species of cactus

Pediocactus paradinei, also known as bristly plains cactus, Houserock Valley cactus, Kaibab pincushion cactus, Paradine cactus, and Park pincushion cactus is a rare species of cactus found in Arizona.

References

  1. 1 2 Butterworth, C.; Porter, J.M. (2017) [amended version of 2013 assessment]. "Pediocactus nigrispinus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2017: e.T152155A121581140. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T152155A121581140.en . Retrieved 29 January 2023.
  2. 1 2 "Pediocactus nigrispinus". iNaturalist. Retrieved 2023-01-12.
  3. 1 2 3 Hitchcock, C.L. and Cronquist, A. 2018. Flora of the Pacific Northwest, 2nd Edition, p. 378. University of Washington Press, Seattle.
  4. Burke Herbarium Image Collection| http://biology.burke.washington.edu/herbarium/imagecollection/taxon.php?Taxon=Pediocactus%20nigrispinus
  5. "Flora of North America".