''Pediocactus peeblesianus'' is a rare 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 ...
known by the common names Navajo pincushion cactus. It is
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...
to the state of
Arizona
Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...
in the United States. The species is named after the Arizona botanist
Robert Hibbs Peebles.
Description
This petite cactus grows up to 6.5 centimeters tall by about 5.5 wide. It is grayish green in color and generally spherical or egg-shaped.
[''Pediocactus peeblesianus''.]
Flora of North America. Sometimes only the top is visible above the soil and the whole cactus body may shrink and disappear under the soil in dry times.
[''Pediocactus peeblesianus''.]
The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is a global environmental organization headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. it works via affiliates or branches in 79 countries and territories, as well as across every state in the US.
Founded in 1951, The Natu ...
. Each circular, hairy
areole on the surface of the cactus has a few spines, the longest of which may exceed 2 centimeters in length. The spines are mostly corky and flexible but have hard tips and are white or dull in color. The yellowish flowers are up to 2.5 centimeters wide. The fruit is green, ripening reddish, and reaches about a centimeter long.
Subspecies
This species is divided into two subspecies
In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...
,[ but these are sometimes referred to as varieties.][USFWS]
''Pediocactus peeblesianus'' var. ''peeblesianus''.
August 2008. One subspecies of the plant is federally listed as an endangered species
An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inv ...
of the U.S.
Habitat
The species occurs in desert habitat and the transition to Great Basin
The Great Basin is the largest area of contiguous endorheic basin, endorheic watersheds, those with no outlets, in North America. It spans nearly all of Nevada, much of Utah, and portions of California, Idaho, Oregon, Wyoming, and Baja California ...
grassland
A grassland is an area where the vegetation is dominated by grasses (Poaceae). However, sedge (Cyperaceae) and rush (Juncaceae) can also be found along with variable proportions of legumes, like clover, and other herbs. Grasslands occur natur ...
habitat. It grows in sandy soil and among rocks.[ ]Drought
A drought is defined as drier than normal conditions.Douville, H., K. Raghavan, J. Renwick, R.P. Allan, P.A. Arias, M. Barlow, R. Cerezo-Mota, A. Cherchi, T.Y. Gan, J. Gergis, D. Jiang, A. Khan, W. Pokam Mba, D. Rosenfeld, J. Tierney, an ...
has been a significant threat to this cactus in recent years. The Peebles Navajo cactus
References
External links
*
USDA Plants Profile
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2066293
Cacti of the United States
Flora of Arizona
Endemic flora of the United States
Plants described in 1962
peeblesianus
Taxa named by Léon Croizat