''Echinocactus platyacanthus'', also known as the giant barrel cactus, golden barrel cactus, giant viznaga, or biznaga de dulce, is a species of

cactus 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 ...

(family Cactaceae). It is native to central

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

in the

Chihuahuan Desert The Chihuahuan Desert ( es, Desierto de Chihuahua, ) is a desert ecoregion designation covering parts of northern Mexico and the southwestern United States. It occupies much of far West Texas, the middle to lower Rio Grande Valley and the lower P ...

. This species is the largest of the barrel cacti. In Mexico the hairs are often used for

weaving Weaving is a method of textile production in which two distinct sets of yarns or threads are interlaced at right angles to form a fabric or cloth. Other methods are knitting, crocheting, felting, and braiding or plaiting. The longitudinal th ...

; a traditional candy is produced by boiling the

pith Pith, or medulla, is a tissue in the stem Stem or STEM may refer to: Plant structures * Plant stem, a plant's aboveground axis, made of vascular tissue, off which leaves and flowers hang * Stipe (botany), a stalk to support some other ...

Description

This slow-growing species can reach sizes up to tall and wide and can live over a hundred years. Photographs exist of specimens almost four feet (almost 1.2 m) in thickness. What is probably the largest individual living today is the one called "Goliat" at the "Area natural de Daxpe" in the municipio de Cadereyta, Querétaro State, Mexico, which is 9' 8" (2.95 meters) in height, at least three feet (0.9 meter) thick and weighs about three metric tons (6,600 pounds). Another at Ixmiquilpan, Mexico has a measured diameter of 3 ft 11 in (120 cm) and is 7 ft 10 in (2.4 meters) high. Their stems are a gray-ish blue color and the straight, rigid spines are black. The apex of the cactus is flat and covered with a yellow felt-like substance. They are heavily ribbed and have large

areole In botany, areoles are small light- to dark-colored bumps on cacti out of which grow clusters of spines. Areoles are important diagnostic features of cacti, and identify them as a family distinct from other succulent plants. Gordon Rowley - W ...

s. Their diurnal, tubular flowers bloom at the end of spring to summer and are a vivid yellow color; they grow to about in height and in width. The fruit is about long and is covered by a hairy wool.

Gallery

File:Echinocactus platyacanthus 16days 1.jpg, ''Echinocactus platyacanthus'' at 16 days File:Echinocactus platyacanthus9.jpg, At 14 cm File:Echinocactus platyacanthus pm.jpg, Inflorescence File:Echinocactus ingens3.jpg File:Echinocactusplatyacanthus2.JPG, In natural habitat

References

External links

{{Taxonbar, from=Q239734 platyacanthus Cacti of Mexico Endemic flora of Mexico Flora of the Chihuahuan Desert Flora of Central Mexico Near threatened biota of Mexico Plants described in 1827