Ferocactus cylindraceus
| Ferocactus cylindraceus | |
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| File:Ferocactus cylindraceus 1.jpg | |
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F. cylindraceus
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| Binomial name | |
| Ferocactus cylindraceus (Engelm.) Orcutt
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| Synonyms | |
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Echinocactus viridescens var. cylindraceus Engelm. |
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Ferocactus cylindraceus is a species of barrel cactus which is known by several common names, including California barrel cactus, Desert barrel cactus, and miner's compass. It was first described by George Engelmann in 1853.[1]
Contents
Distribution
This cactus is native to the eastern Mojave Desert and western Sonoran Desert Ecoregions in: Southern California, Nevada, Arizona, and Utah in the Southwestern United States; and Baja California, and Sonora state in Northwestern Mexico. [2] [3]
It is found in gravelly, rocky, or sandy soils, in Creosote Bush Scrub and Joshua Tree Woodland habitats, from 60–1,500 metres (200–4,920 ft) in elevation. [4]
Description
Ferocactus cylindraceus is usually cylindrical or spherical, with some older specimens forming columns 2 metres (6.6 ft) in height. It is covered in long, plentiful spines, which are straight and red when new and become curved and gray as they age. [5]
The cactus bears flowers that are maroon outside, and bright yellow inside, with red or yellow centers on the side that faces the sun. The fleshy, hollow fruits are yellow.
Varieties
- Ferocactus cylindraceus var. cylindraceus — California barrel cactus. [6]
- Ferocactus cylindraceus var. lecontei — Leconte's barrel cactus. [7] [8]
Conservation
Having a sculptural form and picturesque qualities, this already uncommon cactus is threatened by plant collectors. [4] It is also losing habitat to clearing for new wind farms and solar power plants in the Mojave Desert and Colorado Desert.
- Protected areas with notable populations include
- Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
- Joshua Tree National Park
- Mojave National Preserve
- Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument
References
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ CalFlora Database: Ferocactus cylindraceus . accessed 4.1.2013
- ↑ CalFlora Database: Distribution Map (in California)
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Jepson . accessed 4.1.2013
- ↑ Flora of North America . accessed 4.1.2013
- ↑ USDA: Ferocactus cylindraceus var. cylindraceus
- ↑ Jepson: Ferocactus cylindraceus var. lecontei
- ↑ USDA: Ferocactus cylindraceus var. lecontei
Gallery
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Ferocactus cylindraceus 2.jpg
Flower, in Palm Canyon, California.
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Joshua Tree NP - Barrel Cactus -2.jpg
Red barrel cacti, Joshua Tree National Park.
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Ferocactus cylindraceus weird.jpg
Unusual shape, in Palm Canyon, California.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to [[commons:Lua error in Module:WikidataIB at line 506: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).|Lua error in Module:WikidataIB at line 506: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).]]. |
- Pages with broken file links
- Commons category link from Wikidata
- Ferocactus
- Cacti of the United States
- North American desert flora
- Flora of the California desert regions
- Flora of Arizona
- Flora of Nevada
- Flora of Utah
- Flora of the Sonoran Deserts
- Natural history of the Colorado Desert
- Natural history of the Mojave Desert
- Natural history of the Lower Colorado River Valley
- Plants described in 1853
