Echinocereus triglochidiatus

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

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

Familia: Cactaceae
Subfamilia: Cactoideae
Tribus: Phyllocacteae
Subtribus: Echinocereinae
Genus: Echinocereus
Sectio: E. sect. Triglochidiata
Species: Echinocereus triglochidiatus
Subspecies: E. t. subsp. mojavensis – E. t. subsp. triglochidiatus
Name

Echinocereus triglochidiatus Engelm. in Wisl., Mem. Tour N. Mexico 93. 1848.
Synonyms

Homotypic
Cereus triglochidiatus (Engelm.) Engelm., in A.Gray, Mem. Amer. Acad. Arts ser. 2, 4(1): 51. 1849.
Echinocereus paucispinus f. triglochidiatus (Engelm.) Schelle, Handb.Kakteenkultur: 136. 1907.
Echinocereus paucispinus var. triglochidiatus (Engelm.) K.Schum., Gesamtb.Kakteen: 281. 1898.

Heterotypic
Cereus gonacanthus Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow, Description Cactaceae: 33, 34, pl. 5, fig. 2 + 3, in Reports Explorations Surveys for Railroad Mississippi River to Pacific Ocean, Vol. IV 1856. 1857.
Cereus hexaedrus Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow, Description Cactaceae: 33, 34, pl. 5, fig. 1, in Reports Explorations Surveys for Railroad Mississippi River to Pacific Ocean. Vol. IV 1856. 1857.
Echinocereus gonacanthus Engelm. ex Rümpler, Handb. Cacteenk. (ed. 2 - Rümpler) 806. 1886.
Echinocereus gonacanthus Loder., The Garden: 444. 1882.
Echinocereus hexaedrus (Engelm.) Rümpler, Handb. Cacteenk. (ed. 2 - Rümpler) 807. 1886.
Echinocereus monacanthus Heese, Gartenflora 53: 215, f. 32. 1904.
Echinocereus paucispinus f. gonacanthus Schelle, Handb. Kakteenkultur: 137. 1907.
Echinocereus paucispinus var. gonacanthus K.Schum., Gesamtb. Kakteen: 281. 1898.
Echinocereus paucispinus var. hexaedra K.Schum., Gesamtb. Kakteen: 281. 1898.
Echinocereus paucispinus var. hexaedrus Schelle, Handb. Kakteenkultur: 137. 1907.

References

eFloras 2008. Echinocereus triglochidiatus in Flora of North America . Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Engelmann, G. in Wislizenus, F.A. (1848) Mem. Tour N. Mexico 93.
USDA, ARS, Germplasm Resources Information Network. Echinocereus triglochidiatus in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service. Accessed: 07-Oct-06.

Echinocereus triglochidiatus is a species of hedgehog cactus known by several common names, including kingcup cactus, claretcup, and Mojave mound cactus. This cactus is native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, where it is a resident of varied habitats from low desert to rocky slopes, scrub, and mountain woodland. It is most abundant in shady areas.

A number of varieties of this highly variable cactus species are known, but not all are universally recognized. In general, it is a mounding cactus, forming bulbous piles of a few to hundreds of spherical to cylindrical stems. It is densely spiny and somewhat woolly. The showy flower is a funnel-shaped bloom up to 8-9 cm wide and bright scarlet red to orange-red tepals. A thick nectar chamber and many thready pink stamens are at the center of the corolla. The flowers are pollinated by hummingbirds.

One variety, E. t. arizonicus, is federally listed as an endangered species in the United States.[1] It is limited to the intersection of Arizona and New Mexico in the United States with Mexico.[2] This variety is sometimes included within Echinocereus coccineus.[3]

The conservation status of several subspecies differs from that displayed. Examples include:

E. t. var. arizonicus Arizona hedgehog cactus (endangered)
E. t. var. melanacanthus black-spine claret-cup hedgehog (salvage restricted)
E. t. var. neomexicanus Mexican claret-cup hedgehog (salvage restricted)

E. triglochidiatus is the official state cactus of Colorado.[4]

Etymology

Presumably, the specific epithet comes from tri- and glochidium, with a meaning of "having three arrow points".
References

USFWS Species Profile, var arizonicus.
FWS Redbook Profile
USDA Plants: var. arizonicus
"State Cactus". Archives. 2015-02-18. Retrieved 2019-08-09.