Echinocereus fendleri

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Ordo: Caryophyllales

Familia: Cactaceae
Subfamilia: Cactoideae
Tribus: Echinocereeae
Genus: Echinocereus
Sectio: E. sect. Erecti
Species: Echinocereus fendleri
Subspecies: E. f. subsp. fendleri – E. f. subsp. rectispinus
Name

Echinocereus fendleri (Engelm.) Sencke ex J.N.Haage, Pres-Verz. Cact. Succ. 22. 1860.

Synonyms

Cereus fendleri Engelm., Mem. Amer. Acad. Arts ser. 2, 4(1): 51. 1849.

Homotypic
Cereus cinerascens var. fendleri Bois, Pl. Aliment. 2: 371. 1928.

Distribution
Native distribution areas:

Continental: Southern America
Regional: Western South America

References: Brummitt, R.K. 2001. TDWG – World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions, 2nd Edition
References
Primary references

Haage, J.N. (1860) Preisverzeichniss Cact. Succ. 22.

Additional references

Blum, W. & Felix, D. in Blum, W. & al. (2014) Echinocereus fendleri (G.Engelmann) F.Sencke ex J.N.Haage... und seine UNderarten... Echinocereus Online-J. 2(2): 58–145 [1].
Korotkova, N., Aquino, D., Arias, S., Eggli, U., Franck, A. , Gómez-Hinostrosa, C., Guerrero, P.C., Hernández, H.M., Kohlbecker, A., Köhler, M., Luther, K., Majure, L.C., Müller, A., Metzing, D., Nyffeler, R., Sánchez, D., Schlumpberger, B. & Berendsohn, W.G. 2021. Cactaceae at Caryophyllales. org–a dynamic online species-level taxonomic backbone for the family. Willdenowia 51(2): 251–270. DOI: 10.3372/wi.51.51208 Open access Reference page.

Links

Korotkova, N. et al. 2021. Echinocereus fendleri in Cactaceae at Caryophyllales.org. A global synthesis of species diversity in the angiosperm order Caryophyllales. Published online. Accessed: 2021 Dec 09. Reference page.
Govaerts, R. et al. 2021. Echinocereus fendleri in Kew Science Plants of the World online. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published online. Accessed: 2021 Dec 09. Reference page.
International Plant Names Index. 2021. Echinocereus fendleri. Published online. Accessed: Dec 09 2021.
Tropicos.org 2021. Echinocereus fendleri. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published online. Accessed: 09 Dec 2021.
Hassler, M. 2021. Echinocereus fendleri. World Plants: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World In: Roskovh, Y., Abucay, L., Orrell, T., Nicolson, D., Bailly, N., Kirk, P., Bourgoin, T., DeWalt, R.E., Decock, W., De Wever, A., Nieukerken, E. van, Zarucchi, J. & Penev, L., eds. 2021. Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life. Published online. Accessed: 2021 Dec 09. Reference page.
USDA, ARS, Germplasm Resources Information Network. Echinocereus fendleri in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service. Accessed: 07-Oct-06.

Vernacular names

Echinocereus fendleri is a species of cactus known by the common names pinkflower hedgehog cactus and Fendler's hedgehog cactus. It is named in honor of Augustus Fendler.[1]

It grows in deserts and woodlands in the Southwestern United States and Northeastern Mexico.[2] It is most common in New Mexico.[3]

The taxonomy of the species is uncertain, with authors recognizing up to eight varieties.[3]

Description

Echinocereus fendleri has an erect oval or cylindrical stem, sometimes forming a clump of several spreading stem branches. The stem may reach 7.5 to 30 centimeters in maximum height. There are up to 16 spines per areole, generally in shades of brown and white, or white with a brown stripe.

The showy flower is most any shade of pink, from nearly white to deep maroon. It can be 11 centimeters long and wide, each tepal measuring up to 7 centimeters long. The fruit is red and a few centimeters long.[4]

The flesh of the plant is edible, and Native American groups consumed the stems and fruits.[3]
Varieties

One variety of this species, Echinocereus fendleri var. kuenzleri, Kuenzler's hedgehog cactus' (formerly Echinocereus kuenzleri), is rare and federally listed as an endangered species of the United States. When it was listed in 1979, there were only 200 known individuals of this variety remaining, all in the Sacramento Mountains of New Mexico. It was threatened with extinction by poachers, who removed many plants from the wild.

More populations have since been discovered. The US Fish and Wildlife Service has suggested it be downlisted to threatened status.[5] Kuenzler's hedgehog cactus differs from other varieties of the species by having large flowers, reaching 11 centimeters long and magenta in color, and white spines.[5]
References

SEINet
Echinocereus fendleri. The Nature Conservancy.
Echinocereus fendleri. US Forest Service Fire Ecology.
Echinocereus fendleri. Flora of North America.
USFWS. var. kuenzleri Five-year Review. May 2005.