Echinocereus fasciculatus
Echinocereus chisosensis
pinkflower hedgehog cactus
Chisos Mountains hedgehog cactus
mostly erect, cylindric, (5–)10–40 × 4.5–8 cm;
ribs 10–15, crests slightly undulate;
areoles 10–15 mm apart.
erect or ascending, short cylindric, 12.5–20(–30) × 3–5 cm;
ribs (10–)13–16, crests strongly undulate;
areoles 5–8.5 mm apart.
8–16 per areole, usually straight, individual spines with broad zones of different colors: yellowish, reddish brown, or gray to black, or white to black, becoming gray;
radial spines 7–15 per areole, 5–15 mm;
central spines 1–3 per areole, divergent-porrect, 15–75 mm, all terete.
11–20 per areole, straight, white, pinkish gray, pale pink, dark brown, or purplish black, tipped brown, central spines darkest (sometimes with annual rings of ± contrasting spine color);
radial spines 10–17 per areole, 5–20 mm;
central spines (1–)2(–6) per areole, appressed to slightly projecting or spreading, terete, 3.5–17 mm.
6–10 × 8–10 cm;
flower tube 10–20 × 15–40 mm;
flower tube hairs 2.3–4 mm;
inner tepals rose-pink to magenta [rarely nearly white], with midstripes darker, darker magenta or sometimes purplish maroon near base, (20–)35–52 × 12–20 mm, tips relatively thin and delicate;
anthers yellow;
nectar chamber 3.3–5 mm.
6–9.5 × 5–7 cm;
flower tube 10–30 mm;
flower tube hairs 3–5(–10) mm;
inner tepals white proximally, with basal marks crimson or maroon, bright rose-pink distally, 1.8–5 × 5–16 mm, tips relatively thin and delicate;
anthers yellow;
nectar chamber 1–2 mm.
bright red or orange-red, 20–30 mm, pulp white or sometimes pink.
green, 15– 35 mm, pulp white.
= 44.
= 22.
Echinocereus fasciculatus
Echinocereus chisosensis
New Mexico records of Echinocereus fasciculatus are at least in part based on vigorous old plants of E. fendleri, which sometimes have 1–2 short supplementary central spines (and which appear very different from younger plants in the same populations). Echinocereus fasciculatus may prove to intergrade clinally with E. engelmannii var. acicularis wherever their geographic ranges approach each other. At its upper altitudinal limit, E. fasciculatus tends to have shorter spines, fewer central spines, shorter stems, and more compact growth habit.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Of conservation concern.
Echinocereus fobeanus Oehme, of Mexico, sometimes has been considered a variety of E. chisosensis. Both species seem to be relicts and rare.
Echinocereus chisosensis is in the Center for Plant Conservation’s Collection of Endangered Plants.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
