Echinocactus grusonii
Echinocactus grusonii
Echinocactus grusonii is a flowering plant in the genus Echinocactus from the cactus family ( Cactaceae ). The specific epithet honors the German entrepreneur and cacti collector Hermann Gruson. German common names are " Goldkugelkaktus " and " mother- chair." The German Cactus Society and the Society of Austrian cactus friends and the Swiss Cactus Echinocactus grusonii Society selected 2008 as the " cactus of the Year".
Description
Echinocactus grusonii grows solitary, rarely sprouting. The bright green, spherical to short cylindrical shoots are 20 to 130 centimeters tall and 40 to 80 centimeters in diameter. The plant body have 21 to 37 ribs. The young spines are colored golden yellow and darken with age. The 3-4 central spines are straight off. They are up to 5 inches long. The 8 to 10 radial spines are spread a little and up to 3 inches long.
The yellow flowers often do not open fully. They are 4-6 inches long and 3-5 centimeters in diameter. The flowers appear only in older specimens. The spherical somewhat elongated, greenish fruits are covered with white wool. They are 1.2 to 2 inches long and contain smooth, shiny brown seeds.
Distribution, systematics and hazard
Echinocactus grusonii is very locally distributed in the Mexican states of Hidalgo and Querétaro on steep slopes and cliffs. The first description was in 1886 by Heinrich Hildmann.
Echinocactus grusonii is on the Red List of Threatened Species IUCN as " Critically Endangered (CR ) ', ie classified threatened with extinction. The habitat at Zimapán in Querétaro has been almost completely destroyed by the construction of the dam Zimapán that accumulates the Río Moctezuma.