Pediocactus

Pediocactus nigrispinus in Idaho

Pediocactus is a plant genus of the subfamily Cactoideae in the cactus family ( Cactaceae ). Although some Pediocactus species are among the most common and most widespread cactus in the southwest and northwest of the United States, some extremely rare species have been included in Appendix 1 of CITES to protect endangered species. All Pediocactus species are regarded as hardy.

Description

The species of the genus Pediocactus grow small change, individually or sprouted and reach stature heights of up to 20 centimeters. The green to glauken shoots are cylindrical to spherical or depressed spherical. They reach diameter of 1 to 15 cm and heights of from 0.7 to 20 centimeters. Ribs are not provided, however, for 2 to 12 mm long with diameters warts 2-11 millimeters. The areolae have diameters from 1 to 6 millimeters. They are usually 1-6 mm (rarely up to 12 mm ) apart. The most the shoots obscuring thorns are different in number, color and position. The up to ten light gray or white central spines, which may be absent, are spread, straight or curved, acicular bristle- like or corky. They are 0.5 to 3.2 inches long. The three to 35 radial spines are reddish to whitish, spread, straight or curved. In some species they are made ​​of a comb. The spines reach a length of 0.1 to 2.1 centimeters.

The color of appearing at the apex of the shoots bell-shaped flowers ranging from yellow to magenta to white varying. The flowers have diameters of 1 to 2.5 centimeters. Your Perikarpell and the short corolla tube are bald or nearly bald. The flowering time is in the spring. Some species form flower buds already in late autumn. Some species are flowering size already in the juvenile stage.

The cylindrical to spherical fruits are initially green. At maturity, they are reddish- brown and dry. The fruits are occupied glabrous or with a few scales. Tear open with a vertical column. The flowers rest will fall only in part on the fruit. It leaves a residue, which makes its appearance at the opening fruit as Deckelchen. The fruits contain blackish brown, wrinkled up gehöckerte, obovate or pear-shaped seeds. The seeds are mature 4-6 weeks after flowering. They remain exceptionally long germinable (minimum 10 years).

Dissemination

The natural distribution of the genus Pediocactus extends across the U.S. states of Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Montana, Utah, Washington and Wyoming; Reserves are found on the Colorado Plateau, in the Rocky Mountains, the Great Plains, Great Basin Desert, in the Columbia River Basin, and on the Columbia Plateau. Climate and soil conditions vary greatly across the entire area of ​​distribution. The lowest occurrences are known from Pediocactus nigrispinus in Washington at altitudes of 260 meters, whereas Pediocactus simpsonii rises in Colorado at altitudes 3200 meters.

The desert-like conditions of the plateau (winter periods down to minus 30 ° C, summer periods to 45 ° C) appear to offer ideal conditions. The average annual rainfall is 250 to 500 mm.

System

The first description by Nathaniel Lord Britton and Joseph Nelson Rose was published in 1913. The type species of the genus Echinocactus is simpsonii.

There are different views on the scope and taxonomic classification of the genus.

Edward Frederick Anderson accepted 2005 the following species and varieties:

  • Pediocactus bradyi L.D.Benson
  • Pediocactus despainii S.L.Welsh & Goodrich
  • Pediocactus hermannii W.T.Marshall
  • Pediocactus knowltonii L.D.Benson
  • Pediocactus paradinei B.W.Benson
  • Pediocactus peeblesianus ( Croizat ) L.D.Benson
  • Pediocactus simpsonii ( Engelm. ) Britton & Rose Pediocactus simpsonii var minor ( Engelm. ) LDBenson
  • Pediocactus simpsonii var robustior ( JMCoult. ) LDBenson
  • Pediocactus simpsonii var simpsonii

David Richard Hunt acknowledged in his New Cactus Lexicon of 2006, the following species and subspecies:

  • Pediocactus bradyi L.D.Benson Pediocactus bradyi subsp. bradyi
  • Pediocactus bradyi subsp. despainii ( S.L.Welsh & Goodrich) Hochstätter
  • Pediocactus bradyi subsp. winkleri ( K.D.Heil ) Hochstätter
  • Pediocactus peeblesianus subsp. fickeiseniorum ( Hochstätter ) Lüthy
  • Pediocactus peeblesianus subsp. peeblesianus

Fritz Hochstätter, who studied the species in their natural habitats, represented in his monograph of 2007, the following subdivision:

  • Section Pediocactus Hochstätter Pediocactus knowltonii L.D.Benson
  • Pediocactus nigrispinus ( Hochstätter ) Hochstätter Pediocactus nigrispinus subsp. nigrispinus
  • Pediocactus nigrispinus subsp. beastonii ( Hochstätter ) Hochstätter
  • Pediocactus nigrispinus subsp. indranus ( Hochstätter ) Hochstätter
  • Pediocactus simpsonii subsp. simpsonii
  • Pediocactus simpsonii subsp. bensonii Hochstätter
  • Pediocactus simpsonii subsp. idahoensis Hochstätter
  • Pediocactus simpsonii subsp. robustior ( J.M.Coult. ) Hochstätter
  • Section Rhytidospermae Hochstätter Pediocactus bradyi L.D.Benson Pediocactus bradyi subsp. bradyi
  • Pediocactus bradyi subsp. despainii ( S.L.Welsh & Goodrich) Hochstätter
  • Pediocactus bradyi subsp. winkleri ( K.D.Heil ) Hochstätter

Which he took as the only species of the genus Navajoa Pediocactus peeblesianus.

Synonyms of the genus are Utahia Britton & Rose, Navajoa Croizat, Pilocanthus BWBenson & Backeb. , Neonavajoa Doweld and Puebloa Doweld

Endangering

The types Pediocactus sileri, Pediocactus bradyi, Pediocactus paradinei and Pediocactus knowltonii are listed in Appendix 1 of CITES. Pediocactus nigrispinus is classified as extremely vulnerable. Since almost all members of the genus (with the exception of Pediocactus simpsonii and subspecies ) extremely vulnerable, even a recording of the whole species in Appendix 1 would be analogous to the procedure in comparable genres imaginable.

Cacteae Glaucous Areole Washington (state) Colorado-Plateau David Hunt (botanist) Flora of North America
595521
de