Ferocactus gracilis
| Ferocactus gracilis | |
|---|---|
| File:Ferocactus gracilis 01.JPG | |
| Scientific classification Edit this classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Cactaceae |
| Subfamily: | Cactoideae |
| Genus: | Ferocactus |
| Species: | F. gracilis
|
| Binomial name | |
| Ferocactus gracilis H.E.Gates
| |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Ferocactus gracilis, the fire barrel cactus, is a species of Ferocactus from Northwestern Mexico.[2] This cactus gets its common name from the striking red coloration of its defensive spines and flowers.
Description
[edit | edit source]Ferocactus gracilis is a solitary cactus that grows up to 3 meters tall, with cylindrical or spherical stems reaching heights of up to 150 cm (59 in) and diameters of 30 cm (12 in). It has deep green stems with 16 to 24 slightly tuberculated ribs. The areoles are light gray bearing 7 to 13 central spines that are red, flattened, and up to 7 cm (2.8 in) long, with a slightly curved to hook-shaped yellow tip. Additionally, there are eight to twelve white radial spines, occasionally twisted and around 6 cm (2.4 in) long.
The plant blooms in spring to early summer, producing funnel-shaped flowers with a purple-red midvein and red,yellow to white margins, reaching lengths of up to 4 cm (1.6 in) and diameters of 3.5 cm (1.4 in). The elongated yellow fruits are about 2.5 cm (0.98 in) long and do not open at a basal pore. The seeds are round, black, shiny, and measure 1.7-2 mm (0.079 in) long and 1.1-1.3 mm (0.051 in) wide.[3][4]
Subspecies
[edit | edit source]There are four accepted subspecies:[5]
| Image | Scientific name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
| File:Ferocactus gracilis ssp. coloratus 01.JPG | Ferocactus gracilis subsp. coloratus (H.E.Gates) N.P.Taylor | Mexico (C. Baja California) |
| File:Biznaga Barrel Cactus Ferocactus gracilis gatesii (26290176568).jpg | Ferocactus gracilis subsp. gatesii (G.E.Linds.) N.P.Taylor | Mexico (Baja California: Islands in Los Angeles Bay) |
| File:Baja Fire Barrel Cactus Ferocactus Gracilis gracilis (25291274397).jpg | Ferocactus gracilis subsp. gracilis | Mexico (C. Baja California) |
| Ferocactus gracilis subsp. tortulispinus (H.E.Gates) Lodé | Mexico (N. Central Baja California) |
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Distribution
[edit | edit source]Ferocactus gracilis is native to southern Sierra San Pedro Martir, south to Punta Prieta, and northern Baja California, Mexico, growing at elevations of 10 to 30 meters. It thrives in rocky hillsides, outwash fans, silt flats, and gravelly plains, often alongside other desert plants like Mammillaria dioica, Cochemiea hutchisoniana, Echinocereus engelmannii, Pachycereus pringlei, Stenocereus thurberi, Fouquieria burragei, Cylindropuntia cholla, Idria columnaris, Lophocereus schottii, and Stenocereus gummosus.[3]
Taxonomy
[edit | edit source]This species was first described in 1933 by Howard Elliott Gates who named it after its slender growth habit.[6]
References
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External links
[edit | edit source]- Error creating thumbnail: File missing Media related to Lua error in Module:Commons_link at line 62: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). at Wikimedia Commons
- File:Wikispecies-logo.svg Data related to Ferocactus gracilis at Wikispecies
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