Ferocactus
Ferocactus glaucescens
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Cactaceae
Subfamily: Cactoideae
Tribe: Cacteae
Genus: Ferocactus
Britton & Rose[1]
Species

See text.

Synonyms

Bisnaga Orcutt
Brittonia C.A.Armstr.[1]

Ferocactus is a genus of large barrel-shaped cacti, mostly with large spines and small flowers. There are about 30 species included in the genus. They are found in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico.

Description

The young specimens are columnar but as they grow older ribs form and they take on a barrel form. Most of the species are solitary but some, such as Ferocactus robustus and F. glaucescens, have clustering habits. The flowers are pink, yellow, red or purple depending on the species, and the petals sometimes have a stripe of a darker colour.

Habitat

They are desert dwellers and can cope with some frost and intense heat. The typical habitat is hot and very arid, and the plants have adapted to exploit water movement to concentrate their biomass in areas where water is likely to be present. Like Sclerocactus, Ferocactus typically grow in areas where water flows irregularly or depressions where water can accumulate for short periods of time. They are most often found growing along arroyos (washes) where their seeds have been subjected to scarification due to water movement, but they oddly also tend to grow along ridges in spots where depressions have formed and can hold water for some period of time.

Adaptations

Ferocactus have very shallow root systems and are easily uprooted during flash floods. The "fishhook" spines and the armored web of spines enclosing the cactus body in many species of this genus are adaptations which allow the plant to move to more favorable locations. The seeds germinate in areas where water movement occurs or in areas where standing water accumulates for some period of time, and during flash floods, the hooked spines allow the plants to be caught on waterborne debris, uprooted and carried to areas where water tends to accumulate.

Cultivation

In cultivation Ferocactus require full sun, little water, and good drainage. They are popular as houseplants. They cannot tolerate freezing temperatures for extended periods, which typically cause them to yellow, bleach, then slowly die. Propagation is usually from seeds, but clustering species such as Ferocactus robustus and F. glaucescens can be propagated by removing a rooted offset and planting it.

Ecology

Many ferocactus species are ant plants, exuding nectar along the upper meristem from extrafloral nectaries above each areole, and hosting ant colonies.

Species

SectionImageScientific nameCommon NameDistribution
Section Bisnaga Ferocactus echidneSonora Barrel Cactus, Coville's Barrel Cactus, Emory's Barrel Cactus, Traveler's FriendMexico
Ferocactus flavovirensMexico.
Ferocactus glaucescensHidalgo, México.
Ferocactus haematacanthus (Salm-Dyck) Bravo ex Backeb. & F.M.Knuth[2]Mexico.
Ferocactus hamatacanthus (Muehlenpf.) Britton & RoseTurk's-Head Barrel Cactus, Biznaga-barril CostillonaChihuahuan Desert of north-western Mexico, New Mexico, and south-western Texas.
Ferocactus histrix (DC.) G.E.Linds.Electrode CactusMexico.
Ferocactus latispinus (Haw.) Britton & Rosesoutheastern Durango, through Zacatecas, Aguascalientes, east to the western parts of San Luis Potosí, Hidalgo and Puebla, as well as to eastern Jalisco, Guanajuato, Querétaro and Mexico State.
Ferocactus lindsayi Mexico (Michoacán, Guerrero)
Ferocactus macrodiscusMexico.
Ferocactus schwarziiSchwarz's Barrel CactusMexico.
Section Ferocactus Ferocactus alamosanusMexican state of Sonora, in northwestern Mexico
Ferocactus chrysacanthusMexico.
Ferocactus cylindraceus (Engelm.) OrcuttCalifornia Barrel Cactus, Biznaga-barril cilíndricaeastern Mojave Desert and western Sonoran Desert Ecoregions in: Southern California, Nevada, Arizona, and Utah in the Southwestern United States; and Baja California, and Sonora state in Northwestern Mexico.
Ferocactus diguetiiMexico.
Ferocactus emoryi (Engelm.) OrcuttEmory's Barrel Cactus, Biznaga-barril de EmoryMexico (Sonora, Sinaloa and Baja California Sur) and in the United States (Arizona).
Ferocactus fordiiBaja California in Mexico.
Ferocactus gracilis H.E.GatesFire Barrel CactusMexico.
Ferocactus herreraeTwisted Barrel CactusMexico (Sinaloa, Sonora)
Ferocactus johnstonianus Britton & RoseJohnston's Barrel CactusAngel de la Guardia Island, Baja California, Mexico.
Ferocactus mathssoniiMexico (Guanajuato to San Luis Potosí)
Ferocactus peninsulae (F.A.C.Weber) Britton & RoseMexican state of Baja California Sur.
Ferocactus pilosusMexican Lime Cactus, Viznaga de LimaMéxican states of Coahuila, Durango, Nuevo Leon, San Luis Potosí, and Tamaulipas
Ferocactus pottsiiMexico.
Ferocactus robustusPuebla and Veracruz in Mexico.
Ferocactus santa-mariaSanta-Maria Barrel CactusMexico.
Ferocactus tiburonensisMexico (Gulf of California: Tiburon Island)
Ferocactus townsendianusTownsend Barrel CactusMexico.
Ferocactus uncinatus (Galeotti) Britton & RoseMexico, New Mexico, Texas
Ferocactus viridescens (Torr. & A.Gray) Britton & RoseSan Diego Barrel Cactus, Biznaga-barril Verdosanorthern Baja California, Mexico and California
Ferocactus wislizeni (Engelm.) Britton & RoseFishhook Barrel Cactus, Candy Barrel Cactus, Biznaga-barril de Nuevo México[2][3]southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico.

Formerly placed here

References

  1. 1 2 "Genus: Ferocactus Britton & Rose". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. 2004-02-13. Archived from the original on 2012-10-09. Retrieved 2010-11-14.
  2. 1 2 3 "GRIN Species Records of Ferocactus". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. Archived from the original on 2012-07-30. Retrieved 2010-11-14.
  3. "Ferocactus". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 2010-11-14.
  • The species list is referenced in part from cactiguide.com which is in turn referenced from several books which are listed on that site. The principal book listed there is The Cactus Family by Edward F. Anderson, (2001).
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