Flora of North America species comparison

The characteristics distinguishing Echinocereus engelmannii from E. fasciculatus to the east are poorly documented, and W. Blum et al. (1998) combined the two as separate subspecies of E. engelmannii. Historically, E. engelmannii has been characterized as having the abaxial central spine in each areole particularly long, pale, and strongly compressed dorsiventrally (sharply angled, hence daggerlike), contrasting with the other spines. In practice that trait is not always diagnostic. Plants called Echinocereus engelmannii var. acicularis L. D. Benson are essentially morphologically and geographically intermediate between those referred to E. fasciculatus and E. engelmannii var. chrysocentrus.

The history of confusion with Echinocereus nicholii has resulted in misidentification of yellow-spined individuals of E. engelmannii.

Spine color polymorphism, common within Echinocereus engelmannii, provided the original basis for varieties chrysocentrus and purpureus. The well-marked, identifiable extremes often occur in populations that include individuals easily assigned to other named varieties, or not assignable to any. L. D. Benson (1969, 1982) and subsequent authors (e.g., N. P. Taylor 1985; W. Blum et al. 1998) have attempted to recognize infraspecific taxa within E. engelmannii. However, one of those is clearly a distinct species (E. nicholii), while the remainder are either too poorly defined or too poorly known to treat fully here. At higher elevations beyond the western edge of the desert, E. engelmannii var. munzii (Parish) P. Pierce & Fosberg has been distinguished by its curving, twisting, gray spines, somewhat resembling spines of westernmost plants of E. triglochidiatus var. mojavensis. Plants of the western Sonoran Desert margin in the Mexican boundary region in California are the typical E. engelmannii var. engelmannii. Similar plants from the opposite, eastern, side of the Sonoran Desert, in Arizona, have been called E. engelmannii var. acicularis L. D. Benson. In the intervening Colorado River Valley is spinier E. engelmannii var. chrysocentrus (Engelmann & J. M. Bigelow) Rümpler. In E. engelmannii var. acicularis at the lowest altitudes, central spines are usually four, in which cases taxonomic segregation from E. engelmannii var. chrysocentrus seems arbitrary. At higher altitudes, plants of E. engelmannii var. acicularis with only one or two central spines per areole are frequent, and the abaxial central spine may be terete instead of angular and daggerlike as in E. engelmannii var. chrysocentrus. The most formidably spiny extremes of the species were segregated as E. engelmannii vars. howei and armatus; however, other individuals in the original populations (type localities) are readily assigned to E. engelmannii var. chrysocentrus. W. Blum et al. (1998) placed all of the above varieties under E. engelmannii subsp. engelmannii.

Plants smaller in all parts and with fewer central spines from north-central Arizona are Echinocereus engelmannii subsp. decumbens (Clover & Jotter) W. Blum & Mich. Lange. L. D. Benson (1969) referred those to var. variegatus (Engelmann & J. M. Bigelow) Rümpler, but the type locality of var. variegatus is in a different region. The status of E. engelmannii var. purpureus L. D. Benson remains uncertain; its similarity to unidentified diploid material found in northern Arizona suggests that it could be a separate species, but more variable than its original diagnosis allowed.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Genera ca. 111, species ca. 1500 (28 genera, 121 species in the flora).

Subfamily Cactoideae is the most diverse group of the Cactaceae, in terms of size, architecture, habitat, and habit. The vast majority of North American species are xerophytic, with columnar to spheric or barrel-shaped stems. A few are geophytic, that is, stems are mostly deep-seated in the soil substrate, often with the plant consisting mostly of an enlarged taproot and the visible parts of the stems appearing nearly flush with the soil surface or nearly buried during drought, becoming taller and slightly more conspicuous only during the growing season. Fewer species still, are epiphytic, and those only in the tropical and subtropical regions of North America and South America.

In the following treatments, most authors have attempted to recognize varieties wherever current evidence is compelling. Where evidence is equivocal, our tendency has been to include greater variability within varieties and, hence, fewer formal trinomials. Unfortunately, in the absence of strong supporting evidence, herbarium specimens of cacti are usually inadequate for the purpose of making taxonomic decisions. As a consequence, some populations of conservation interest here have been placed into synonmy before critical studies have been conducted to determine quantitatively and objectively how distinct each population is, or which deserve varietal status. Authors do not intend to imply that other varieties should not eventually be recognized. More systematic work, including DNA research and field research of all variants, is needed as a prelude to reassessing the status of currently listed and proposed populations. Such populations need to be protected during the entire phase of analysis and reassessment.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)