''Thelocactus bicolor'', the glory of Texas, is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

in the cactus

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

, widely distributed in the northern

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 lo ...

of the USA (Texas) and Mexico. Plants are usually solitary, but may form clumps. Growing to tall, it is a

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wid ...

with spiny, ribbed, succulent stems. Large daisy-like flowers, up to in diameter, are borne in summer. The petals are purplish-pink, fading to white. The inner petal tips form a circle of red surrounding a prominent yellow boss. This cactus is grown as an ornamental. A warm, dry, sunny spot in sharply-drained specialist cactus compost must be provided. It has gained the

Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (Nor ...

’s Award of Garden Merit.

Lower taxa

*''Thelocactus bicolor'' subsp. ''bolaensis'' (Runge) Doweld *''Thelocactus bicolor'' subsp. ''flavidispinus'' (Backeb.) N.P. Taylor *''Thelocactus bicolor'' subsp. ''schwarzii'' (Backeb.) N.P. Taylor

Gallery

File:ThelocactusBicolor.jpg , ''Thelocactus bicolor'' File:Thelo bic schwarzii.jpg, ''Thelocactus bicolor'' subsp. ''schwarzii'' File:Thelocactus bicolor v. tanquecillos (14686836828).jpg, ''Thelocactus bicolor'' v. ''tanquecillos'' File:Thelocactus bicolor - Stempel und Staubgefäße (14379643272).jpg, Pistil and stamens File:Thelocactus bicolor - 大統領(だいとうりょう) (3897866806).jpg, ''Thelocactus bicolor'' subsp. ''bicolor'' File:Thelocactus bicolor 1.jpg, ''Thelocactus bicolor''

References

bicolor Flora of Mexico Least concern plants Plants described in 1922 {{Cactus-stub