''Echinocactus'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

cacti A cactus (, or less commonly, cactus) is a member of the plant family Cactaceae, a family comprising about 127 genera with some 1750 known species of the order Caryophyllales. The word ''cactus'' derives, through Latin, from the Ancient Greek ...

in the subfamily

Cactoideae The Cactoideae are the largest subfamily of the cactus family, Cactaceae. Around 80% of cactus species belong to this subfamily. , the internal classification of the family Cactaceae remained uncertain and subject to change. A classification inc ...

. The generic name derives from the

Ancient Greek Ancient Greek includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Dark Ages (), the Archaic peri ...

εχινος (''echinos''), meaning "spiny," and ''cactus''. It and ''

Ferocactus ''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 y ...

'' are the two genera of

barrel cactus Barrel cacti are various members of the two genera ''Echinocactus'' and ''Ferocactus'', endemic to the deserts of Southwestern North America southward to north central Mexico. Some of the largest specimens are found in the Sonoran Desert in Sout ...

. Members of the genus usually have heavy spination and relatively small flowers. The fruits are copiously woolly, and this is one major distinction between ''Echinocactus'' and ''Ferocactus''. Propagation is by seed. Perhaps the best known species is the golden barrel (''

Echinocactus grusonii ''Echinocactus grusonii'' or ''Kroenleinia grusonii'', popularly known as the golden barrel cactus, golden ball or mother-in-law's cushion, is a species of barrel cactus which is endemic to east-central Mexico. It is rare and endangered in the ...

'') from Mexico, an easy-to-grow and widely cultivated plant. Though common in the

houseplant A houseplant, sometimes known as a pot plant, potted plant, or an indoor plant, is an ornamental plant that is grown indoors. As such, they are found in places like residences and offices, mainly for decorative purposes. Common houseplants are us ...

and landscape industry, the golden barrel has become very rare in habitat.

Species

As of 2020, the genus includes 6 accepted species out of hundreds of plants having the name.

Formerly placed here

*''

Astrophytum asterias ''Astrophytum asterias'' is a species of cactus in the genus ''Astrophytum'', and is native to small parts of Texas in the United States and Mexico. Common names include sand dollar cactus, sea urchin cactus, star cactus and star peyote. Descr ...

'' (Zucc.) Lem. (as ''E. asterias'' Zucc.) *''

Aztekium ritteri ''Aztekium ritteri'' is a species of cactus, in the genus ''Aztekium''. It is one of the three species that make up the genus. The species originated in Mexico. Aztekium is a genus endemic to Mexico. In Mexico, Aztekium ritterii it is called ...

'' (Boed.) Boed. (as ''E. ritteri'' Boed.) *''

Ferocactus wislizeni ''Ferocactus wislizeni'', the fishhook barrel cactus, also called Arizona barrel cactus, candy barrel cactus, and Southwestern barrel cactus, is a species of flowering plant in the cactus family Cactaceae, native to northern Mexico and the southe ...

'' (Engelm.) Britton & Rose (as ''E. wislizeni'' Engelm.) *''

Lophophora williamsii The peyote (; ''Lophophora williamsii'' ) is a small, spineless cactus which contains psychoactive alkaloids, particularly mescaline. ''Peyote'' is a Spanish word derived from the Nahuatl (), meaning "caterpillar cocoon", from a root , "to gl ...

'' (Lem. ex Salm-Dyck) J.M.Coult. (as ''E. williamsii'' Lem. ex Salm-Dyck) *''

Turbinicarpus subterraneus ''Rapicactus subterraneus'', synonym ''Turbinicarpus subterraneus'', is a species of plant in the family Cactaceae. It is endemic to Mexico. Its natural habitat is hot deserts. Subspecies , Plants of the World Online Plants of the World Onli ...

'' (Backeb.) A.D.Zimm. (''as E. subterraneus'' Backeb.)

References

* Innes C, Wall B (1995). ''Cacti, Succulents and Bromeliads''. Cassell & The Royal Horticultural Society.

External links

Jepson Manual Treatment: ''Echinocactus''USDA Plants Profile — ''Echinocactus''Flora of North America; ''Echinocactus''
{{Taxonbar, from=Q133014 Cacti of Mexico Cacti of the United States Cactoideae genera