Sclerocactus sileri

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Sclerocactus sileri
Sclerocactus sileri fh 52 1 AZ BB.jpg
CITES Appendix I (CITES) [1]
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Cactaceae
Subfamily: Cactoideae
Genus: Sclerocactus
Species:
S. sileri
Binomial name
Sclerocactus sileri
(L.D.Benson) K.D.Heil & J.M.Porter

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.

Contents

Description

Sclerocactus sileri grows to about 25 cm tall and 12 cm wide. The cactus also shows a flower of diameter about 20 mm (1 in), with whitish or yellowish petals that show venation in a purple color. Flowering occurs in the spring season.

Sclerocactus sileri has both central and radial spines. Central spines have length up to about 15 to 30 mm (1 to 1 in) and are brownish-black in color. There are four central spines (4-5 per areole), [2] where the lower central spine is white, abaxial central spines are tinged, is gray-purplish, angled, and strongly hooked and slightly contorted. Central spines are 1.2–3 cm long and 0.5–1 mm wide, curving towards the ground. The two lateral spines are flattened and thicker. The upper central spine is white to tan and is curved and strongly flattened.

Radial spines have length up to about 10 to 20 mm (0 to 1 in) and are white in color. There are about 6-8 radial spines per areole which are acicular. [3]

Seeds are black to light brown in color, and are 2.2-2.5 mm wide, with a rounded papillae. [2]

Flowers and fruits of Sclerocactus sileri are very similar to others of the same family, such as S. whipplei or S. pubispinus. The phenology of the flowers from Sclerocactus sileri bloom during the months of April and May, while the fruits during the months of May and June. [3] Flowers are 2.5–3 cm (1-1.2 in) long and 2.5–3 cm in diameter, with a glabrous exterior floral tube. The outer tepals have brownish and yellowish margins, the larger oblanceolate, 10–15 mm long, mucronate, marginally membranous and crisped or minutely toothed. The inner tepals are yellow, sometimes suffused with brown, the largest lanceolate, 15–25 mm long and mucronate. The filaments are white or greenish white, 7–10 mm long, anthers yellow, about 1 mm long; style yellowish-green, 14–20 mm long; stigma lobes 5-8 and about 1.2-2.5 mm long; ovary 3–7 mm long at anthesis; scales few, membranous, scarious-margined, minutely toothed or fringed. The fruit is green, turning red, ovoid, dry, and 0.8-2.2 cm long. Fruits extend longitudinally, along two to four ventral slits. Black seeds are 2.75–3 mm in diameter and 2.25- 2.5 mm long. [3]

Taxonomy

The names Sclerocactus sileri and Pediocactus sileri have a confused relationship in the literature. (Sclerocactus was included in Pediocactus by Arp in 1972, but this was not accepted by authorities well conversant in the Cactaceae.) [4] According to the treatment in the Flora of North America, [2] the taxon described here was first named by L.D. Benson (in 1969) as the variety sileri of Sclerocactus pubispinus. It was raised to a full species under the name Sclerocactus sileri by K.D. Heil and J.M. Porter in 1994. [5] Quite separately, Echinocactus sileri was first described in 1896 and transferred to Pediocactus sileri by L.D. Benson in 1961. [6] [7] The two taxa are treated as two separate species in the Flora of North America, which has entries for:

Mistakenly, Anderson (2001) describes only one species, under the name Sclerocactus sileri, treating Pediocactus sileri as a synonym. [8] His description largely matches the description of Pediocactus sileri in the Flora of North America, and he uses the same common names (gypsum cactus, Siler's pincushion cactus) although the distribution he gives ("a very restricted area in Coconino County, Arizona") corresponds to that of Sclerocactus sileri in the Flora of North America ("restricted to northeast Coconino County, Arizona"). [2]

Distribution

Sclerocactus sileri is narrowly distributed. It has been seen in only Arizona,U.S.A, in Coconino County, although it is very close to the Utah border. See Sclerocactus sileri (L. D. Benson) K. D. Heil & J. M. Porter, Haseltonia. 2: 39. 1994.

Habitat and ecology

Sclerocactus sileri is a vascular plant, found in habitats including scrubs, forests, grasslands, and especially desert shrubs. It grows in drier soils that are rich in minerals such as gypsum and salt, and typically in sandy soils derived from Moenkopi Formation. Sclerocactus sileri grow in grama grass. The following plants are usually associated with the Sclerocactus sileri: drop seed ( Sporobolus ), yucca ( Yucca ), hedgehog cactus ( Echinocereus ), sagebrush ( Artemisia ), snakeweed ( Gutierrezia ), pinyon ( Pinus edulis ), and juniper ( Juniperus ). [3] Sclerocactus sileri grows in the form of perennial succulent.

Sclerocactus sileri is native to the western United States, and habitat elevations typically range from 850 to 1,650 meters. [9]

Usage

Sclerocactus sileri has no known uses for humans.

Related Research Articles

<i>Pediocactus</i> Genus of cacti

Pediocactus is a genus of cacti. The genus comprises between 6 and 11 species, depending upon the authority. Species of this genus are referred to as hedgehog cacti, though that name is also applied to plants from the genera Echinocereus and Echinopsis. Species may also be referred to as pincushion cacti, a common name which is also applied to other genera.

<i>Sclerocactus</i> Genus of cacti

Sclerocactus is a genus of cacti. It comprises about 15 species, the exact number depending on the authority. These species are very xerophytic. They are sometimes called 'fishhook cactus' or 'little barrels.'

<i>Cylindropuntia</i> Genus of cacti

Cylindropuntia is a genus of cacti, containing species commonly known as chollas, native to northern Mexico and the Southwestern United States. They are known for their barbed spines that tenaciously attach to skin, fur, and clothing. Stands of cholla are called cholla gardens. Individuals within these colonies often exhibit the same DNA, as they were formerly tubercles of an original plant.

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

Pediocactus 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>Ferocactus wislizeni</i> Species of cactus

Ferocactus wislizeni, the fishhook barrel cactus, also called Arizona barrel cactus, candy barrel cactus, and Southwestern barrel cactus, is a species of flowering plant in the cactus family Cactaceae, native to northern Mexico and the southern United States. It is a ball-shaped cactus eventually growing to a cylindrical shape, with spiny ribs and red or yellow flowers in summer.

<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.

Saguaro Species of cactus in the Sonoran Desert

The saguaro is a tree-like cactus species in the monotypic genus Carnegiea that can grow to be over 12 meters tall. It is native to the Sonoran Desert in Arizona, the Mexican state of Sonora, and the Whipple Mountains and Imperial County areas of California. The saguaro blossom is the state wildflower of Arizona. Its scientific name is given in honor of Andrew Carnegie. In 1994, Saguaro National Park, near Tucson, Arizona, was designated to help protect this species and its habitat.

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

Opuntia robusta, the wheel cactus, nopal tapon, or camuesa, is a species of cactus in the family Cactaceae. It is native and endemic to central and northern Mexico to within 100 miles (160 km) of the Arizona and New Mexico borders where it grow from 5,000 to 10,000 feet on rocky slopes, open shrub lands, woodlands and mixed with other cactus and succulents.

<i>Grusonia parishii</i> Species of cactus

Grusonia parishii is a species of cactus known by the common names matted cholla and Parish club cholla. It is native to the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts of California and Arizona.

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

Sclerocactus polyancistrus is a species of cactus known by several common names, including redspined fishhook cactus, Mojave fishhook cactus, pineapple cactus, and hermit cactus.

<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, 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> Species of endangered 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 USA, 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 despainii</i> Species of cactus

Pediocactus despainii is a rare species of cactus known by the common names Despain's cactus and San Rafael cactus. It is endemic to the state of Utah in the United States, where it is limited to the San Rafael Swell in Emery County, Utah.

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

Pediocactus knowltonii is a rare species of cactus known by the common names Knowlton's miniature cactus, Knowlton's pincushion cactus, and Knowlton's minute cactus.

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

Sclerocactus glaucus is a rare species of cactus known by the common name Colorado hookless cactus. It is endemic to Colorado in the United States, where it is known only from the area between Grand Junction and Montrose. It is a federally listed threatened species.

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

Sclerocactus wrightiae is a rare species of cactus known by the common names Wright's little barrel cactus and Wright's fishhook cactus.

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

Sclerocactus papyracanthus is a species of cactus known by the common names paperspine fishhook cactus, grama grass cactus, paper-spined cactus, and toumeya. It is native to North America, where it occurs from Arizona to New Mexico to Texas and into Chihuahua, Northeastern Mexico.

<i>Pachycereus pecten-aboriginum</i> Species of cactus

Pachycereus pecten-aboriginum is a columnar cactus plant native to Mexico. They can grow up to 15 m (49 ft) high. The trunk of this species is 1.2 to 5.0 m tall and the fruits are large and burr-like. The specific name, pecten-aboriginum, is from the Latin, and means "native combs". It was inspired by the use of the fruits as hair combs.

<i>Sclerocactus mesae-verdae</i> Species of cactus

Sclerocactus mesae-verdae, the Mesa Verde cactus or Mesa Verde fishhook cactus, is a species of cactus native to northwestern New Mexico and southwestern Colorado. It is known only from Montezuma County (Colorado) and San Juan County. Much of the New Mexico part of the range lies inside land controlled by the Navajo Nation. The Colorado populations lie close to Mesa Verde National Park.

References

  1. "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Heil, Kenneth D. & Porter, J. Mark, "Sclerocactus sileri", Sclerocactus sileri in Flora of North America , retrieved 2012-05-04, in Flora of North America Editorial Committee & 1982 onwards
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-12-30. Retrieved 2012-04-30.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. Heil, Kenneth D. & Porter, J. Mark, "Sclerocactus", Sclerocactus in Flora of North America , retrieved 2012-05-04, in Flora of North America Editorial Committee, ed. (1982), Flora of North America (online), eFloras.org
  5. Cactaceae Sclerocactus sileri (L.D.Benson) K.D.Heil & J.M.Porter, The International Plant Names Index , retrieved 2012-05-04
  6. 1 2 Heil, Kenneth D. & Porter, J. Mark, "Pediocactus sileri", Pediocactus sileri in Flora of North America , retrieved 2012-05-04, in Flora of North America Editorial Committee & 1982 onwards
  7. Cactaceae Pediocactus sileri (Engelm. ex J.M.Coult.) L.D.Benson, The International Plant Names Index , retrieved 2012-05-04
  8. Anderson, Edward F. (2001), The Cactus Family, Pentland, Oregon: Timber Press, ISBN   978-0-88192-498-5 , p. 629
  9. "USDA Plants Database".