Pediocactus simpsonii

(Engelmann) Britton & Rose

in N. L. Britton and A. Brown, Ill. Fl. N. U.S. ed. 2, 2: 570. 1913.

Common names: Mountain cactus Simpson’s footcactus Simpon’s hedgehog cactus
IllustratedEndemic
Basionym: Echinocactus simpsonii Engelmann Trans. Acad. Sci. St. Louis 2: 197. 1863 (as simpsoni)
Synonyms: Echinocactus simpsonii var. minor Engelmann Echinocactus simpsonii var. robustior J. M. Coulter Mammillaria simpsonii Pediocactus simpsonii subsp. bensonii (Engelmann) Hochstätter Pediocactus simpsonii var. hermannii (W. T. Marshall) W. T. Marshall Pediocactus simpsonii subsp. idahoensis Hochstätter Pediocactus simpsonii var. indraianus Hochstätter Pediocactus simpsonii subsp. robustior (J. M. Coulter) Hochstätter Pediocactus simpsonii var. robustior (Engelmann) L. D. Benson
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 4. Treatment on page 214. Mentioned on page 212, 215.

Plants only occasionally branched. Stems depressed-ovoid to ovoid or globose, 2.5–15(–25) × 2.5–15 cm; areoles circular to oval, villous. Spines smooth, relatively hard, distinguishable as radial and central; radial spines 15–35 per areole, widely spreading, white, slender, 3–13 mm; central spines 4–11 per areole, reddish brown (rarely black) with basal 1/2 cream or yellow, rigid, straight or slightly curved, 5–21 × 0.3 mm. Flowers 1.2–3 × 1–2.5 cm; scales and outer tepals minutely toothed and laciniate or entire and often undulate; outer tepals with greenish brown midstripes, oblong-cuneate, 9–20 × 3–5(–6) mm; inner tepals white, pink, magenta, yellow, or yellow-green, 12–25 × 4.5–6(–9) mm. Fruits green tinged with red, drying reddish brown, short cylindric, 6–11 × 5–10 mm. Seeds gray to black, 2–3 × 1.5–2 mm, papillate but not rugose.


Phenology: Flowering spring–early summer.
Habitat: Pinyon-juniper woodlands, sagebrush, montane, and prairie grasslands, coniferous forests
Elevation: 1400-3500 m

Distribution

V4 401-distribution-map.gif

Ariz., Colo., Idaho, Mont., Nev., N.Mex., S.Dak., Utah, Wyo.

Discussion

Pediocactus simpsonii is an exceedingly variable species. The segregation of the many forms, varieties, and subspecies on the basis of morphology, however, is difficult to support, given the continuous range of variation in stem size and flower color over its geographic range. The species has the widest distribution of any Pediocactus, and is found at the highest elevation.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Pediocactus simpsonii"
Kenneth D. Heil +  and J. Mark Porter +
(Engelmann) Britton & Rose +
Echinocactus simpsonii +
Mountain cactus +, Simpson’s footcactus +  and Simpon’s hedgehog cactus +
Ariz. +, Colo. +, Idaho +, Mont. +, Nev. +, N.Mex. +, S.Dak. +, Utah +  and Wyo. +
1400-3500 m +
Pinyon-juniper woodlands, sagebrush, montane, and prairie grasslands, coniferous forests +
Flowering spring–early summer. +
in N. L. Britton and A. Brown, Ill. Fl. N. U.S. ed. +
Illustrated +  and Endemic +
Echinocactus simpsonii var. minor +, Echinocactus simpsonii var. robustior +, Mammillaria simpsonii +, Pediocactus simpsonii subsp. bensonii +, Pediocactus simpsonii var. hermannii +, Pediocactus simpsonii subsp. idahoensis +, Pediocactus simpsonii var. indraianus +, Pediocactus simpsonii subsp. robustior +  and Pediocactus simpsonii var. robustior +
Pediocactus simpsonii +
Pediocactus +
species +