Echinocereus Explained

Echinocereus is a genus of ribbed, usually small to medium-sized, cylindrical shaped cacti, comprising about 70 species native to the southern United States and Mexico in very sunny, rocky places. Usually the flowers are large and the fruit edible.

The name comes from the Ancient Greek ἐχῖνος (echinos), meaning "sea urchin", and the Latin cereus meaning "candle". They are sometimes known as hedgehog cacti, a term also used for the Pediocactus and Echinopsis.^[1]

Description

The species of the genus Echinocereus grow solitary or branching with prostrate to erect shoots that are spherical to cylindrical. The roots are fibrous or bulbous. The plants reach heights of growth between 1 and 60 centimeters. On the tips of the 4 to 26 ribs, which are mostly clear and only rarely resolved into humps, are the areoles, from which differently shaped spines can arise.

A distinctive characteristic and likely synapomorphy of the genus is the erumpent flowers.^[2] The floral buds develop internally and break through the epidermis of the stem. This flower morphology is likely an adaptation to protect the developing buds from low temperatures. Upon maturity, the flowers are usually brightly colored and open during the day. Echinocereus floral color is variable because perianth color reflects pollinator specificity. Red flowers are generally associated with hummingbird pollination, while pink flowers tend to correspond to moth pollination. Their pericarp and floral tubes are studded with thorns, bristles, and sometimes wool. The scar is usually green, but sometimes white in color.

The spherical to ovoid fruits are green to red and mostly thorny. They are mostly juicy and open along a longitudinal slit. The sometimes fragrant fruits contain broadly oval, black, tuberous seeds 0.8 to 2 millimeters long.^[3]

Taxonomy

Echinocereus is a genus in the tribe Echinocereeae within the subfamily Cactoideae of the Cactaceae family.^[4] The Cactoideae can be further divided into two sister clades, Cactoideae I and II.^[5] Echinocereus is situated within the Cactoideae I clade within the Pachycereeae tribe, a tribe that represents a diversification that yielded columnar and arborescent forms. Echinocereus emerged 4.6 ± 1.7 million years ago.^[6] Echinocereus is a strongly supported monophyletic genus that is sister to Stenocereus, although there has historically been substantial debate about infrageneric classification because of the genus's high rates of morphological variation and convergent evolution.

Cultivation

Echinocereus spp. are easier to cultivate than many other cacti. They need light soil, a sunny exposure, and a fresh and dry winter to flower. They grow better in soil slightly richer than other cacti. In the wild, several of the species are cold hardy, tolerating temperatures as low as −23 °C, but only in dry conditions.

Species

The following species are recognized in the genus Echinocereus by Plants of the World Online:^[7] separated by sections established in Phylogeny in Echinocereus (Cactaceae) based on combinedmorphological and molecular evidence: taxonomic implications 2017.^[8]

Section	Image	Scientific name	Subspecies	Distribution
Costati		Echinocereus berlandieri		Mexico, Texas
		Echinocereus cinerascens	Echinocereus cinerascens subsp. cinerascens Echinocereus cinerascens subsp. septentrionalis Echinocereus cinerascens subsp. tulensis	Texas to Mexico
		Echinocereus enneacanthus		Mexico (Jalisco)
		Echinocereus freudenbergeri		Mexico (S. Coahuila)
		Echinocereus longisetus	Echinocereus longisetus subsp. delaetii Echinocereus longisetus subsp. longisetus	Mexico (Coahuila).
		Echinocereus nivosus		Mexico (SE. Coahuila, Nuevo León)
		Echinocereus papillosus		Texas to NE. Mexico
		Echinocereus parkeri	Echinocereus parkeri subsp. arteagensis Echinocereus parkeri subsp. gonzalezii Echinocereus parkeri subsp. mazapilensis Echinocereus parkeri subsp. parkeri	Mexico.
		Echinocereus rayonesensis		Mexico (Coahuila, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas).
		Echinocereus stramineus		New Mexico to W. Texas and NE. Mexico
		Echinocereus viereckii	Echinocereus viereckii subsp. morricalii Echinocereus viereckii subsp. viereckii	Mexico (SW. Tamaulipas, Nuevo León, Coahuila).
Echinocereus		Echinocereus canus		Texas
		Echinocereus mapimiensis		Mexico (Coahuila, Durango)
		Echinocereus pentalophus	Echinocereus pentalophus subsp. leonensis Echinocereus pentalophus subsp. pentalophus Echinocereus pentalophus subsp. procumbens	Texas, Mexico (to Jalisco)
		Echinocereus occidentalis	Echinocereus occidentalis subsp. breckwoldtiorum Echinocereus occidentalis subsp. occidentalis	Mexico
		Echinocereus russanthus		Texas to Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila)
		Echinocereus viridiflorus	Echinocereus viridiflorus subsp. chloranthus Echinocereus viridiflorus subsp. correllii Echinocereus viridiflorus subsp. cylindricus Echinocereus viridiflorus subsp. davisii Echinocereus viridiflorus var. neocapillus Echinocereus viridiflorus subsp. viridiflorus	SW. South Dakota to N. Texas and Mexico (Coahuila)
Erecti		Echinocereus apachensis		Arizona.
		Echinocereus barthelowianus		Mexico (Island Magdalena)
		Echinocereus bonkerae		Arizona
		Echinocereus brandegeei		Mexico (Baja California)
		Echinocereus dasyacanthus	Echinocereus dasyacanthus subsp. ctenoides Echinocereus dasyacanthus subsp. dasyacanthus Echinocereus dasyacanthus subsp. multispinosus Echinocereus dasyacanthus subsp. rectispinus	Mexico (Coahuila)
		Echinocereus engelmannii	Echinocereus engelmannii subsp. engelmannii Echinocereus engelmannii subsp. llanuraensis	United States (Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Utah), Mexico
		Echinocereus fasciculatus		Colorado to NE. Mexico.
		Echinocereus felixianus		New Mexico, Texas, Mexico (N. Sonora to N. Chihuahua)
		Echinocereus fendleri	Echinocereus fendleri subsp. fendleri Echinocereus fendleri subsp. rectispinus	Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah; Mexico (Baja California, NW. Sonora).
		Echinocereus ferreirianus	Echinocereus ferreirianus subsp. ferreirianus Echinocereus ferreirianus subsp. lindsayorum	Mexico (C. Baja California)
		Echinocereus ledingii		Arizona.
		Echinocereus maritimus		Mexico (Baja California).
		Echinocereus nicholii		Arizona to Mexico (Sonora)
		Echinocereus pectinatus	Echinocereus pectinatus subsp. pectinatus Echinocereus pectinatus subsp. rutowiorum Echinocereus pectinatus subsp. wenigeri	Mexico.
		Echinocereus relictus		Utah
Pulchellus		Echinocereus acanthosetus		Mexico
		Echinocereus adustus	Echinocereus adustus subsp. adustus Echinocereus adustus subsp. roemerianus Echinocereus adustus subsp. schwarzii	Mexico (Chihuahua)
		Echinocereus knippelianus		Mexico (SE. Coahuila, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas, San Luis Potosí).
		Echinocereus laui		Mexico (E. Sonora, Chihuahua)
		Echinocereus pamanesii	Echinocereus pamanesii subsp. bonatzii Echinocereus pamanesii subsp. pamanesii	Mexico (Zacatecas)
		Echinocereus pulchellus		Mexico (Hidalgo, Puebla)
		Echinocereus schereri		Mexico (Durango).
		Echinocereus sharpii		Mexico (Nuevo León)
		Echinocereus weinbergii	Echinocereus weinbergii subsp. venustus Echinocereus weinbergii subsp. weinbergii	Mexico (Jalisco)
Reichenbachii		Echinocereus bristolii		Mexico (Sonora)
		Echinocereus chisosensis	Echinocereus chisosensis subsp. chisosensis Echinocereus chisosensis subsp. fobeanus	Texas to Mexico
		Echinocereus grandis		Mexico (Islands de las Animas)
		Echinocereus palmeri	Echinocereus palmeri subsp. mazapil Echinocereus palmeri subsp. palmeri	Mexico (Chihuahua, Durango)
		Echinocereus primolanatus		Mexico (to Jalisco).
		Echinocereus pseudopectinatus		Arizona to Mexico (NE. Sonora)
		Echinocereus reichenbachii	Echinocereus reichenbachii subsp. armatus Echinocereus reichenbachii subsp. baileyi Echinocereus reichenbachii subsp. burrensis Echinocereus reichenbachii subsp. fitchii Echinocereus reichenbachii subsp. perbellus Echinocereus reichenbachii subsp. reichenbachii	Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas; Mexico
		Echinocereus rigidissimus	Echinocereus rigidissimus subsp. rigidissimus Echinocereus rigidissimus subsp. rubispinus	New Mexico, Arizona and N. Mexico
		Echinocereus sciurus	Echinocereus sciurus subsp. floresii Echinocereus sciurus subsp. sciurus	Mexico (S. Baja California Sur)
		Echinocereus scopulorum		Mexico (to Nayarit)
		Echinocereus spinigemmatus		Mexico (NW. Jalisco, W. Zacatecas)
		Echinocereus stolonifer	Echinocereus stolonifer subsp. stolonifer Echinocereus stolonifer subsp. tayopensis	Mexico (SE. Sonora, Sinaloa)
		Echinocereus subinermis	Echinocereus subinermis subsp. ochoterenae Echinocereus subinermis subsp. subinermis	Mexico (Sonora, Sinaloa, SW. Chihuahua, Durango)
		Echinocereus websterianus		Mexico (Sonora: Island San Pedro Nolasco)
Triglochidiata		Echinocereus acifer		Mexico
		Echinocereus arizonicus	Echinocereus arizonicus subsp. arizonicus Echinocereus arizonicus subsp. matudae Echinocereus arizonicus subsp. nigrihorridispinus	Arizona, New Mexico, Mexico
		Echinocereus bakeri		Arizona, Nevada, Utah
		Echinocereus coccineus	Echinocereus coccineus subsp. coccineus Echinocereus coccineus subsp. paucispinus Echinocereus coccineus subsp. rosei	New Mexico and Mexico (Sonora, Sinaloa, Chihuahua)
		Echinocereus gurneyi		Texas.
		Echinocereus ortegae	Echinocereus ortegae subsp. koehresianus Echinocereus ortegae subsp. ortegae	Mexico
		Echinocereus pacificus	Echinocereus pacificus subsp. mombergerianus Echinocereus pacificus subsp. pacificus	Mexico (Baja California)
		Echinocereus polyacanthus		Mexico (Chihuahua to Jalisco).
		Echinocereus salm-dyckianus		Mexico (E. Sonora to W. Chihuahua)
		Echinocereus santaritensis	Echinocereus santaritensis subsp. bacanorensis Echinocereus santaritensis subsp. santaritensis	Arizona to New Mexico and Mexico (Sonora, Chihuahua)
		Echinocereus scheeri	Echinocereus scheeri subsp. gentryi Echinocereus scheeri subsp. scheeri	Mexico (E. Sonora to W. Durango)
		Echinocereus triglochidiatus	Echinocereus triglochidiatus subsp. mojavensis Echinocereus triglochidiatus subsp. triglochidiatus	Colorado to New Mexico and NW. Mexico.
		Echinocereus yavapaiensis		Arizona
Wilcoxia		Echinocereus kroenleinii		Mexico (Coahuila)
		Echinocereus leucanthus		Mexico (NW. Sonora, NW. Sinaloa)
		Echinocereus poselgeri		Texas to NE. Mexico.
		Echinocereus schmollii		Mexico (SE. Querétaro to Hidalgo)
		Echinocereus waldeisii		Mexico (San Luis Potosí)

Natural hybrids

Image	Scientific name	Subspecies	Distribution
	Echinocereus × kunzei (E. coccineus × E. dasyacanthus.)		New Mexico
	Echinocereus × neomexicanus (E. chloranthus × E. coccineus subsp. rosei.)		Mexico (Chihuahua)
	Echinocereus × roetteri (E. coccineus × E. dasyacanthus)	Echinocereus ×roetteri var. lloydii Echinocereus ×roetteri var. neomexicanus	New Mexico to SW. Texas and Mexico (Chihuahua)

Formerly placed here

• Echinopsis candicans (Gillies ex Salm-Dyck) F.A.C.Weber ex D.R.Hunt (as E. candicans (Gillies ex Salm-Dyck) Rümpler)^[9]

Further reading

• Fischer, Pierre C. 70 Common Cacti of the Southwest. City unknown: Southwest Parks and Monuments Association, 1989.
• Anderson, Miles (1998). The Ultimate Book of Cacti and Succulents. . Lorenz Books.
• Innes C, Wall B (1995). Cacti' Succulents and Bromaliads. Cassell & The Royal Horticultural Society.
• Anderson, Edward F. : "The Cactus Family" (2001)
• Taylor, Nigel P.: The Genus Echinocereus. Kew Magazine Monograph, Timber Press 1985,
• Blum, Lange, Rischer & Rutow: Echinocereus, (1998)

External links

• • • Echinocereus on CactiGuide.com
• Echinocereus Online (in German)
• USDA PLANTS Profile
• Web site: Black Lace Cactus (Echinocereus reichenbachii var. albertii) . Endangered and Threatened Species . Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Echinopsis (Hedgehog Cacti) . 2008-07-29 . Cactus and Succulent Society of Australia . https://web.archive.org/web/20080720010527/http://cssaustralia.org.au/content/view/72/104/ . 2008-07-20 . dead .
2. Sánchez, D., Grego-Valencia, D., Terrazas, T., & Arias, S. (2015). How and why does the areole meristem move in Echinocereus (Cactaceae)?. Annals of Botany, 115(1), 19-26.
3. Book: Taylor, Nigel P. . The Genus Echinocereus . Timber Press . 1985 . 0-88192-052-5 .
4. United States Department of Agriculture. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN) [Online Database]. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. URL: http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/genus.pl?4097 (11 October 2012).
5. Hernández‐Hernández, T., Hernández, H. M., De‐Nova, J. A., Puente, R., Eguiarte, L. E., & Magallón, S. (2011). Phylogenetic relationships and evolution of growth form in Cactaceae (Caryophyllales, Eudicotyledoneae). American journal of botany, 98(1), 44-61.
6. Arakaki, M., Christin, P. A., Nyffeler, R., Lendel, A., Eggli, U., Ogburn, R. M., ... & Edwards, E. J. (2011). Contemporaneous and recent radiations of the world's major succulent plant lineages. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108(20), 8379-8384.
7. Web site: Echinocereus Engelm. - Plants of the World Online . Plants of the World Online . 2021-07-08 . 2022-11-27.
8. Web site: Phylogeny in Echinocereus (Cactaceae) based on combined morphological and molecular evidence: taxonomic implications . 2024-07-20.
9. Web site: GRIN Species Records of Echinocereus . Germplasm Resources Information Network . United States Department of Agriculture . 2011-04-10 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150924115129/http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/splist.pl?4097 . 2015-09-24 . dead .