Escobaria missouriensis

Escobaria missouriensis


Escobaria missouriensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Core eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Cactaceae
Subfamily: Cactoideae
Tribe: Cacteae
Genus: Escobaria
Species: E. missouriensis
Binomial name
Escobaria missouriensis
Synonyms

Coryphantha missouriensis
Escobaria missouriensis var. asperispina - Missouri foxtail cactus

Escobaria missouriensis, the Missouri foxtail cactus and formerly Coryphantha missouriensis, is a species of low-growing North American cacti. It is found in along the Missouri River in the tallgrass prairie and shortgrass Great Plains, from Arkansas to Montana, and in the Rocky Mountains woodlands of Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), pinyon-juniper, and Gambel oak (Quercus gambelii) west of it. It is also native to the Southwestern United States from Arizona to Texas.[1][2]

Contents

Description

Escobaria missouriensis grows up to 30 centimetres (12 in) high and forms clumps to 30 centimetres (12 in) or greater in diameter. They are generally larger in the Southwest. The plants are primarily unbranched, except eastern populations that can be profusely branched. The spines are bright white, pale gray, or pale tan, weathering to gray or yellowish brown.[1] The plant blooms in April to June, with flowers that are pale greenish yellow to yellow-green with midstripes of green or rose-pink to pale brown.[1][3]

Escobaria missouriensis has been extirpated from many of its historically known sites by introduced fire ants, suburban development, brush encroachment following fire suppression, and over-grazing.[1]

Synonyms

  • Cactus missourensis, Cactus notesteinii, Cactus similis
  • Coryphantha marstonii, Coryphantha missouriensis var. caespitosa, Coryphantha missouriensis var. marstonii, Coryphantha similis, Coryphantha wissmannii
  • Escobaria missouriensis var. caespitosa, Escobaria missouriensis var. marstonii, Escobaria missouriensis var. similis
  • Mammillaria missouriensis, Mammillaria missouriensis var. caespitosa, Mammillaria missouriensis var. similis, Mammillaria notesteinii, Mammillaria nuttallii var. caespitosa, Mammillaria similis, Mammillaria similis var. caespitosa, Mammillaria wissmannii
  • Neobesseya missouriensis, Neobesseya notesteinii, Neobesseya roseiflora, Neobesseya similis, Neobesseya wissmannii,
Common names
  • Ball cactus, Cream cactus, Missouri foxtail cactus, Missouri pincushion

References

  1. ^ a b c d Flora @ efloras.org_Coryphantha missouriensis—Escobaria missouriensis . accessed 4.4.2011
  2. ^ USDA_Escobaria missouriensis . accessed 4.4.2011
  3. ^ NPIN_Escobaria missouriensis . accessed 4.4.2011

External links



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