Echinocereus bonkerae
Echinocereus pentalophus
bonker hedgehog, pinkflower hedgehog cactus
alicoche, ladyfinger cactus
mostly erect, ovoid to cylindric, 15–30(–50) × 3.5–7 cm;
ribs (11–)12–18(–20), crests slightly undulate;
areoles 8–20 mm apart.
weak, sprawling, soon decumbent [erect and rhizomatous], ± 10–60 × 1–2[–6] cm;
ribs 4–5, crests sharp and straight to poorly defined and undulate;
areoles 5–12 mm apart.
(9–)12–17 per areole, straight in short-spined forms, sometimes curved or twisted in long-spined forms, appressed (radial spines) or porrect to spreading or descending (central spines when present), dull yellowish to brown or white to gray, often brown to black especially at bases or tips;
radial spines (9–)11–16 per areole, 5–18 mm;
central spines (0–)1(–3) per areole, 2–100 mm, white to yellow or brown, often becoming gray, all terete.
(3–)4–7(–9) per areole, usually very stiff and straight, yellowish, tan, ashy white to dark gray, or pale pink, tips dark, all terete;
radial spines (3–)4–6(–8) per areole, spreading, 6–37 mm;
central spines 0–1 per areole, porrect or ascending, 4–36(–60) mm.
5–7 × 4–9 cm;
flower tube 12–20 × 10–30 mm;
flower tube hairs 1 mm;
inner tepals deep magenta (to dark purple) with darker midstripes, proximally green (to very dark purple), 20–60 × 8.5–20 mm, tips relatively thin and delicate;
anthers yellow;
nectar chamber 2–4 mm.
6–10 × 7.5–10(–15) cm;
flower tube 20–25 × 8–20 mm;
flower tube hairs 3–6 mm;
inner tepals brilliant pink or magenta distally with distinct white or yellow proximal regions of variable extent [very rarely white throughout], 3.5–6 × 9–18 mm, tips relatively thin and delicate;
anthers orange-yellow;
nectar chamber 3–6 mm.
bright red or orange red, 15–25 mm, pulp white (or pale pink).
green, (10–)15–25 mm, pulp white.
= 22.
= 22.
Echinocereus bonkerae
Echinocereus pentalophus
Plants in most populations of Echinocereus bonkerae have radial spines almost pectinately arranged and central spines very short or absent, creating the superficial appearance of E. dasyacanthus, E. pectinatus, or similar species. Formerly, all short-spined plants in central and southern Arizona were treated as E. bonkerae, including unusually short-spined individuals of E. fendleri and E. fasciculatus. Today we recognize that E. bonkerae, E. fendleri, and E. fasciculatus all vary from short-spined to long-spined.
Populations at the lowest altitude for the species have taller stems and unusually long, slender central spines (to 10 cm); they have recently been named Echinocereus apachensis. Such plants were part of the basis for L. D. Benson’s polyphyletic concept (1969, 1982) of E. fasciculatus var. boyce-thompsonii (see 8. E. fasciculatus).
Echinocereus bonkerae is a poorly defined species, frequently lumped with E. fendleri or E. fasciculatus, and it is not always identifiable in the field. Although rib number, blooming season, habitat preference, and, in particular regions, spine length or central spine presence are helpful characteristics, ploidy level is the most objective criterion for distinguishing E. bonkerae from E. fasciculatus. Immature plants of E. bonkerae are like E. fasciculatus and unlike the immature plants of E. fendleri, which are tuberculate with their spines long, few, soft, and often curved or twisted.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Our northern plants of Echinocereus pentalophus are var. procumbens (Engelmann) P. Fournier; they have often been misidentified as E. berlandieri. Both taxa have often been misidentified as the Mexican species E. blanckii [often misspelled as E. “blankii”], of confused authorship. Confusing variation of E. pentalophus has promulgated misidentifications, misapplications of names, and attempts to recognize multiple taxa.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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