Echinocactus
Encyclopedia
Echinocactus is a genus
of cacti
in the subfamily Cactoideae. The generic name derives from the Ancient Greek
εχινος (echinos), meaning "spiny," and cactus. It and Ferocactus
are the two genera of barrel cactus
. Members of the genus usually have heavy spination and relatively large flowers. The fruits are copiously woolly, and this is a primary distinction between Echinocactus and Ferocactus. The seeds are large compared to most cacti. Propagation is by seed. They thrive in hot, sunny and very arid environments.
Perhaps the best known species is the Golden Barrel Cactus (Echinocactus grusonii
) from Mexico, an easy-to-grow and widely cultivated plant. Though common in the houseplant and landscape industry, the Golden Barrel has become very rare in habitat.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of cacti
Cactus
A cactus is a member of the plant family Cactaceae. Their distinctive appearance is a result of adaptations to conserve water in dry and/or hot environments. In most species, the stem has evolved to become photosynthetic and succulent, while the leaves have evolved into spines...
in the subfamily Cactoideae. The generic name derives from the Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
εχινος (echinos), meaning "spiny," and cactus. It and Ferocactus
Ferocactus
Ferocactus is a genus of large barrel-shaped cacti, mostly with large spines and small flowers. There are about 30 species included in the genus. They are found in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. The young specimens are columnar but as they grow older ribs form and they take...
are the two genera of barrel cactus
Barrel cactus
Barrel cacti are classified into the two genera Echinocactus and Ferocactus, both of which are found in the Southwest Desert of North America. Their pineapple-shaped fruits can be easily removed but are not recommended for eating. The barrel cactus may reach over a metre in height. Its ribs are...
. Members of the genus usually have heavy spination and relatively large flowers. The fruits are copiously woolly, and this is a primary distinction between Echinocactus and Ferocactus. The seeds are large compared to most cacti. Propagation is by seed. They thrive in hot, sunny and very arid environments.
Perhaps the best known species is the Golden Barrel Cactus (Echinocactus grusonii
Echinocactus grusonii
Echinocactus grusonii is a well known species of cactus native to central Mexico from San Luis Potosi to Hidalgo. Described by Heinrich Hildmann in 1891, it is popularly known as the Golden Barrel Cactus, Golden Ball or, amusingly, Mother-in-Law's Cushion...
) from Mexico, an easy-to-grow and widely cultivated plant. Though common in the houseplant and landscape industry, the Golden Barrel has become very rare in habitat.
Selected species
- Echinocactus grusoniiEchinocactus grusoniiEchinocactus grusonii is a well known species of cactus native to central Mexico from San Luis Potosi to Hidalgo. Described by Heinrich Hildmann in 1891, it is popularly known as the Golden Barrel Cactus, Golden Ball or, amusingly, Mother-in-Law's Cushion...
Hildm. – Golden Barrel Cactus - Echinocactus horizonthaloniusEchinocactus horizonthaloniusEchinocactus horizonthalonius is a species of cactus known by several common names, including devilshead, turk's head cactus, blue barrel cactus, eagle's claw, horse maimer, and visnaga meloncillo...
Lem. – Devil's Head, Silverbell Cactus, Turk's Head Cactus- Echinocactus horizonthalonius var. horizonthalonius
- Echinocactus horizonthalonius var. nicholii L.D.Benson
- Echinocactus parryi
- Echinocactus platyacanthusEchinocactus platyacanthusEchinocactus platyacanthus is a species of cactus . It is native to central Mexico. This species may grow to be the most massive of all barrel cacti.-Gallery:...
LinkJohann Heinrich Friedrich LinkJohann Heinrich Friedrich Link was a German naturalist and botanist.Link was born at Hildesheim as a son of the minister August Heinrich Link , who taught him the love for nature through collection of 'natural objects'...
& OttoChristoph Friedrich OttoChristoph Friedrich Otto was a German gardener and botanist. He was born in Schneeberg, Saxony. From 1805 to 1843 he was inspector of the Botanical Garden in Berlin. Together with Albert Gottfried Dietrich he edited the Allgemeinen Gartenzeitung from 1833 until his death in 1856 in Berlin.The...
– Giant Barrel Cactus - Echinocactus polycephalusEchinocactus polycephalusEchinocactus polycephalus is a cactus that occurs in the Mojave Desert region of Arizona, California, and Nevada. It also occurs in the Sonoran Desert region of southern California and northern Sonora, Mexico....
Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow – Cottontop Cactus- Echinocactus polycephalus var. polycephalus
- Echinocactus polycephalus var. xeranthemoides J.M.Coult.
- Echinocactus texensis Hopffer – Horse Crippler, Devil's Pincushion
Formerly placed here
- Astrophytum asteriasAstrophytum asteriasAstrophytum asterias is a species of cactus in the genus Astrophytum, and is native to small parts of Texas in the United States and Mexico. Common names include Sand Dollar Cactus, Sea Urchin Cactus, Star Cactus and Star Peyote....
(Zucc.) Lem. (as E. asterias Zucc.) - Aztekium ritteriAztekium ritteriAztekium ritteri is a species of cactus, in the genus Aztekium. It is one of the two species that make up the genus. The species originated in Mexico...
(Boed.) Boed. (as E. ritteri Boed.) - Ferocactus wislizeniFerocactus wislizeniFerocactus wislizeni, the fishhook barrel cactus, also called Arizona barrel cactus, candy barrel cactus, and Southwestern barrel cactus, is a cylindrical barrel-shaped cactus.-Characteristics:...
(Engelm.) Britton & Rose (as E. wislizeni Engelm.) - Lophophora williamsiiPeyoteLophophora williamsii , better known by its common name Peyote , is a small, spineless cactus with psychoactive alkaloids, particularly mescaline.It is native to southwestern Texas and Mexico...
(Lem. ex Salm-Dyck) J.M.Coult. (as E. williamsii Lem. ex Salm-Dyck) - Turbinicarpus subterraneusTurbinicarpus subterraneusTurbinicarpus subterraneus is a species of plant in the Cactaceae family. It is endemic to Mexico. Its natural habitat is hot deserts.-Source:...
(Backeb.) A.D.Zimm. (as E. subterraneus Backeb.)