| Pelecyphora robbinsiorum | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Cactaceae |
| Subfamily: | Cactoideae |
| Genus: | Pelecyphora |
| Species: | P. robbinsiorum |
| Binomial name | |
| Pelecyphora robbinsiorum (W.H.Earle) D.Aquino & Dan.Sánchez | |
| Synonyms | |
List
| |
Pelecyphora robbinsiorum known by the common names Cochise pincushion cactus and Cochise foxtail cactus is a species of flowering plant in the family Cactaceae.
This cactus lives mostly buried in the ground with only its top few centimeters exposed, reach heights of 2–6 centimeters and the same diameter. . There is a cluster of spines on each areole, surrounded by a tuft of white woolly hairs and tightly packed warts are 5–8 millimeters long. The spines are straight and white, often with dark tips, and measure 1–2 centimeters long. Central spines are usually not present. The 11–17 white marginal spines have a darker tip and are occasionally twisted, 0.3–1.8 centimeters long. The flower is 1–3 centimeters long and has greenish yellow tepals. The flowers are 1.8–2.0 centimeters long and reach a diameter of 1.2–1.5 centimeters. The orange-red, short cylindrical fruits are 6–8.5 millimeters long. [2] The fruit is bright red to orange, succulent, and under a centimeter in length. [3] The plant grows in nearly solid bedrock with little soil or sand, in full sunlight. It can be found in dense colonies of up to 1000 individuals. [4]
It is native to southern Arizona in the United States, where it is known only from Cochise County, and northern Sonora in Mexico. [5] There are scattered small occurrences on the north side of the border, and one known population to the south. [6] Because of its rarity and a number of threats to remaining plants, the species was federally listed with a threatened status in 1986. [6]
Threats to this plant include a prolonged drought in the region which is thought to have caused mortality. Drought conditions can also make the living cacti harder to find because they shrink and retract into the ground. Illegal activity at the Mexico – United States border is thought to impact the plant. Drug smuggling and illegal immigration activity damage the habitat in the area by increasing trampling, vehicle damage, and possibly incidence of fire. Trampling may also occur when well-meaning volunteers and researchers comb the area for specimens. The plant is probably a target for harvesting by cactus enthusiasts and dealers, but the populations in Arizona are relatively well-protected from this activity. Oil exploration and grazing affect the area. Invasive plant species, especially buffelgrass (Pennisetum ciliare), are becoming more abundant in this desert region and compete with native flora. Insects apparently damage the cacti, but to what extent is not known. This species is not particularly efficient in reproduction; each plant makes about 20 seeds per year [5] and recruitment is slow. [4]
Little is known about the life history of the cactus; research is still needed on its requirements for climate and substrate, its relationship with predators and pollinators, its abundance, population dynamics, and demographics. [4]
The first description as Cochiseia robbinsorum by W. Hubert Earle was published in 1976. [7] The specific epithet robbinsorum honors James A. Robbins and his sons Jimmi and John, who discovered the species. David Richard Hunt placed the species in the genus Escobaria in 1978. [8] David Aquino & Daniel Sánchez moved the species to Pelecyphora based on phylogenetic studies in 2022. [9] Further nomenclature synonyms are Coryphantha robbinsorum (W.H.Earle) A.D.Zimmerman (1978), Neobesseya robbinsorum (W.H.Earle) Doweld (2000) and Escobaria robbinsiorum (W.H.Earle) D.R.Hunt (1978).
Mammillaria is one of the largest genera in the cactus family (Cactaceae), with currently 200 known species and varieties recognized. Most of the mammillarias are native to Mexico, while some come from the Southwestern United States, the Caribbean, Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras and Venezuela. The common name "pincushion cactus" refers to this genus and the closely-related Escobaria.
Coryphantha, or beehive cactus, is a genus of small to middle-sized, globose or columnar cacti. The genus is native to arid parts of Central America, Mexico, through Arizona, New Mexico, and western Texas and north into southwestern, central, and southeastern Montana. With its two subgenera, 57 species and 20 subspecies, it is one of the largest genera of cactus.
Pelecyphora, pincushion cactus or foxtail cactus is a genus of cacti, comprising 20 species. They originate from Mexico and the United States.
Pelecyphora missouriensis, the Missouri foxtail cactus and formerly Coryphantha missouriensis, is a species of low-growing North American cacti.
Pelecyphora vivipara is a species of cactus known by several common names, including spinystar, viviparous foxtail cactus, pincushion cactus and ball cactus. It is native to North America, where certain varieties can be found from Mexico to Canada. Most of these varieties are limited to the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts. The species epithet "vivipara" is due to the species' viviparous reproductive habit.
Pelecyphora minima is a rare species of cactus known by the common names Nellie cory cactus, Nellie's pincushion cactus, birdfoot cactus, and others. It is a very popular species among cactus collectors. This is one reason why it is a highly endangered species in the wild today. This cactus is found only in Brewster County, Texas, in the United States, where there are three populations remaining near Marathon. The cactus is limited to one outcrop in the Marathon Uplift, where it grows in rocky novaculite soils. It was added to the endangered species list in 1979.
Pelecyphora sneedii is a rare species of cactus known by the common names Sneed's pincushion cactus and carpet foxtail cactus. It is endemic to the Chihuahuan Desert of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. It is a small, variable cactus with a lengthy taxonomic history, and is often subdivided into a number of subspecies or varieties. It is usually found on steep, rocky habitats, primarily of limestone geology, in desert scrub or coniferous forest. A species of conservation concern, P. sneedii faces threats from poaching, urban encroachment, and wildfires.
Pelecyphora macromeris, the nipple beehive cactus, is a species of cactus in the United States and Mexico. In the Chihuhuan Desert, it is common and has a wide range.
Pelecyphora tuberculosa, the corncob cactus, is a species of flowering plant in the family Cactaceae, native to the south-central United States, and northern Mexico.
Pelecyphora alversonii commonly known as cushion foxtail cactus or cushion fox-tail cactus, is a species of flowering plant in the family Cactaceae, native to the southwestern United States.
Pelecyphora chihuahuensis is a species of flowering plant in the family Cactaceae, native to Mexico.
Pelecyphora cubensis is a species of flowering plant in the family Cactaceae, native to Cuba.
Pelecyphora laredoi is a species of flowering plant in the family Cactaceae, native to Mexico.
Pelecyphora hesteri is a species of flowering plant in the family Cactaceae, native to Texas, United States.
Pelecyphora dasyacantha is a species of flowering plant in the family Cactaceae, native to the Mexico.
Pelecyphora emskoetteriana is a species of flowering plant in the family Cactaceae, native to the Mexico and southern United States.
Pelecyphora zilziana is a species of flowering plant in the family Cactaceae, native to Mexico.
Pelecyphora lloydii is a species of flowering plant in the family Cactaceae, native to Mexico.
Pelecyphora duncanii is a species of flowering plant in the family Cactaceae, native to the southern United States.
Pelecyphora abdita is a species of flowering plant in the family Cactaceae, native to the Mexico.
Data related to Pelecyphora robbinsiorum at Wikispecies
