Stenocactus multicostatus | |
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Stenocactus multicostatus | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Order: | Caryophyllales |
Family: | Cactaceae |
Subfamily: | Cactoideae |
Genus: | Stenocactus |
Species: | S. multicostatus |
Binomial name | |
Stenocactus multicostatus | |
Synonyms [1] | |
List
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Stenocactus multicostatus, the brain cactus, is a member of the cactus family native to the deserts of Mexico, and is popular in the gardening community. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. [2]
It grows single plant body is spherical to somewhat cylindrical up to 2.5 in (6 cm) tall, 2.4 to 4 in (6–10 cm) wide. It has no fewer than 120 very thin, sharp-edged, pressed, wavy ribs, between which there are narrow furrows. It has nearly 100 thin ribs around the outside, each with six to nine spines. Three white, papery, curved central spines arise from the areole, which are up to 3 centimeters long and have a square cross-section. The four marginal spines are glassy white, upright or slightly curved. The crown is covered by a thin, whitish wool. The upper spines are wider, at 1.6 to 3.2 in (4–8 cm) long, while the lower ones are shorter, at 0.2 to 0.6 in (5–15 mm) long. The flower is white to purple, 0.8 to 2 in (2–5 cm) in diameter with many stamens. The scales of the ovary are broadly ovoid, pointed to pointed, very thin, more or less papery and fall off early. [3]
Though it has only been reported in the shrublands of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Zacatecas, [4] and Tamaulipas, [5] it has yet to be assessed using the IUCN Categories and Criteria because its taxonomy is still unclear. [6]
The first mention as Echinocactus multicostatus comes from 1890. [7] Nathaniel Lord Britton and Joseph Nelson Rose assigned Echinocactus multicostatus as Echinofossulocactus multicostatus to the genus Echinofossulocactus, which they newly established in 1922. At the same time they published the first description of two species collected by Francis Ernest Lloyd (1868–1947). Echinofossulocactus lloydii from Zacatecas and Echinofossulocactus zacatecasensis from northern Zacatecas are now considered synonyms. In 1929, Alwin Berger placed the species described by Britton and Rose in Illustrated Handbooks of Succulent Plants: Cacti in the genus Stenocactus. Another synonym Echinofossulocactus erectocentrus was published invalidly by Curt Backeberg in 1961.
Astrophytum myriostigma, the bishop's cap cactus, bishop's hat or bishop's miter cactus, is a species of cactus native to the highlands of northeastern and central Mexico.
In 1984, the International Organization for Succulent Plant Study set up a working party, now called the International Cactaceae Systematics Group, to produce a consensus classification of the cactus family, down to the level of genus. Their classification has been used as the basis for systems published since the mid-1990s. Treatments in the 21st century have generally divided the family into around 125–130 genera and 1,400–1,500 species, which are then arranged in a number of tribes and subfamilies. However, subsequent molecular phylogenetic studies have shown that a very high proportion of the higher taxa are not monophyletic, i.e. they do not contain all of the descendants of a common ancestor. As of August 2023, the internal classification of the family Cactaceae remained uncertain and subject to change. A classification incorporating many of the insights from the molecular studies was produced by Nyffeler and Eggli in 2010.
Kroenleinia grusonii, popularly known as the golden barrel cactus, golden ball or mother-in-law's cushion, is a species of barrel cactus which is endemic to east-central Mexico.
Aporocactus martianus is a species of cactus found in Oaxaca, Mexico.
Strophocactus brasiliensis, synonym Pseudoacanthocereus brasiliensis, is a species of plant in the family Cactaceae. It is endemic to Brazil. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and hot deserts. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Rapicactus mandragora, synonym Turbinicarpus mandragora, is a species of plant in the family Cactaceae.
Ferocactus echidne is a barrel cactus in the genus Ferocactus. It is found in nature in Mexico. This cactus is known commonly as Sonora barrel, Coville's barrel cactus, Emory's barrel cactus, and traveler's friend. This plant is often sold as a houseplant.
Parodia leninghausii is a species of South American cactus commonly found as a houseplant. Common names include lemon ball cactus, golden ball cactus and yellow tower cactus.
Lophocereus marginatus is a species of plant in the family Cactaceae. It is sometimes called Mexican fencepost cactus.
Ferocactus pilosus, also known as Mexican lime cactus or Mexican fire barrel, is a species of cactus in North America.
Gymnocalycium anisitsii is a globular cactus belonging to the family Cactaceae. The specific epithet honors the Hungarian pharmacist Dániel Anisits J. (1856-1911).
Lobivia cinnabarina is a species of cactus first described in 1885.
Gymnocalycium baldianum, the spider-cactus or dwarf chin cactus, is a species of flowering plant in the cactus family Cactaceae, native to the Catamarca Province in Argentina.
Parodia ottonis, also known as Indian head cactus, is a cactus found in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. There are two recognized subspecies. The epithet ottonis honors the German botanist Christoph Friedrich Otto.
Ferocactus chrysacanthus, commonly known as the Cedros barrel cactus, is an endangered species of cactus endemic to the islands of Cedros and West San Benito off the Pacific coast of Baja California, Mexico.
Ferocactus diguetii, commonly known as the giant barrel cactus, is the largest species of barrel cactus in the genus Ferocactus. It is an insular species endemic to several of Baja California Sur's southern islands in the Gulf of California. As the superlative giant of the barrel cacti, it reaches heights of up to 4 metres (13 ft) and diameters of 1 metre (3.3 ft) in the wild, a result of island gigantism. The species has red flowers that bloom from March to May. Although restricted in range, this species grows in protected habitat and lacks major threats.
Ferocactus macrodiscus is a species of cactus in the genus Ferocactus from Guanahuato and Oaxaca States, Mexico.
Acanthocalycium spiniflorum is a species of flowering plant in the cactus family Cactaceae from Argentina.
Lobivia pentlandii, is a species of Lobivia found in Bolivia and Peru.
Acharagma roseanum is a succulent cactus native to a small area of mountains of southeastern Coahuila and Nuevo León, Mexico. It grows on rocky limestone hills and xerophytic shrubland. Its name is often misspelled as "Roseana".