Echinomastus erectocentrus Photo by: Prof. Ilham Alakbarov
Origin and Habitat: Sclerocactus erectocentrusSN|31310]]SN|31310]] is distributed in the Mexican state of Sonora and in the United States in southern Arizona.
Altitude range: It occurs at elevations of 450 to 1,500 metres above sea level.
Habitat and Ecology: The species occurs in granite soil hills, alluvial soil areas with chipping, and small rocks in Sonoran desert scrub. Sometimes it grows below small scrubs. In southeastern Arizona it occurs in rocky areas, in grasslands and desert scrub. The species occurs as a series of four isolated metapopulations. It grows in groups of 10 to 50 individuals, scattered on hill tops. A large portion of the population died approximately in 2005-2006, probably as a consequences of droughts, other subpopulations are very healthy and there are no major threats. Grazing is a threat in portions of the species range. Illegal collection takes place in some populations, however other populations are inaccessible.
Synonyms:
See all synonyms of Echinomastus erectocentrus
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Accepted name in llifle Database:Echinomastus erectocentrus (J.M.Coult.) Britton & RoseCactaceae (Britton & Rose) 3: 148, fig. 154. 1922Synonymy: 14
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Common Names include:
ENGLISH: Acuña cactus, Needle-spine pineapple cactus, Pineapple cactus, Purple-spined viznagita, Red pineapple cactus, , Red-spine Butterfly-cactus, Redspine Fishhook Cactus
SPANISH (Español): Biznaga-Bola de Centrales Erectas
Description: Echinomastus erectocentrusSN|31307]]SN|31307]] is a small solitary cactus heavily covered by spines. It is a distinct species, without varieties. Sometimes placed in genus Sclerocactus, Echinocactus, or Neolloydia. The varieties erectocentrus and acunensis are sometimes distinguished.
Stems: Broadly ovoid to short-cylindric, 8 to 14(-37) cm high, (4-)7-12 cm broad, pale bluish green.
Ribs: 15-21, somewhat oblique, very low, made up of closely set tubercles sharply divided by indentations.
Areoles: Broadly elliptical, 1.5-2 mm wide, 2.5-3.5 mm long.
Tubercles: Nipple-like, 2-6(-12) mm high with a narrow groove in the upper side.
Radial spines: 11-17 (usually 13-14), ashy grey at base, grading into yellowish, pink, dull red or purplish toward the tips, round, straight, terete, 1.2-2.5 cm long, pale below, red above (in old dead plants dense and interwoven above but pectinate-appressed on lower part of plant).
Central spines: Solitary or 2(-4), round, straight, or slightly curving, 1.2-3.5 cm long, slightly bulbous at base, yellowish to purplish and dark tipped, uppermost one (or three) pointed upward sometimes very short, porrect, like the radials, lowermost one much longer pointing downward.
Flowers: Diurnal, short funnelform, pinkish to orange-pink (rarely white), (2-) 4 to 5 cm long, 3.8-5 cm across. Stamens short, greenish yellow. Style longer than the stamens, pale green. Stigma-lobes 6-8, pinkish to deep red. Ovary bearing a few ovate scarious scales.
Fruits; Green, drying to brown, dehiscing by slits, to 1 cm long and 7.5 mm in diameter.
Seeds: 1.5 x 2 mm.
Subspecies, varieties, forms and cultivars of plants belonging to the Echinomastus erectocentrus group
Echinomastus erectocentrus (J.M.Coult.) Britton & Rose: has ovoid to short-cylindric stems to 37 cm high and 12 cm broad, pale bluish green. Radial spines 11-17. Central spines 1-4. Distribution: Mexican state of Sonora and southern Arizona. - Echinomastus erectocentrus subs. acunensis (W.T.Marshall) U.Guzmán: has ovoid to short-cylindric stems to 27 cm high and 10 cm broad. Radial spines 11-15. Central spines 1-4. Distribution: Acuna valley and Gila River, east of Florence in south central Arizona and adjacent Mexico (Sonora).
Bibliography: Major references and further lectures
1) Edward Anderson “The Cactus family” Timber Press, Incorporated, 2001
2) James Cullen, Sabina G. Knees, H. Suzanne Cubey "The European Garden Flora Flowering Plants: A Manual for the Identification of Plants Cultivated in Europe, Both Out-of-Doors and Under Glass" Cambridge University Press, 11/Aug/2011
3) David R Hunt; Nigel P Taylor; Graham Charles; International Cactaceae Systematics Group. "The New Cactus Lexicon" dh books, 2006
4) Butterworth, C. & Porter, J.M. 2013. Sclerocactus erectocentrus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2015.1. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 19 June 2015.
5) Britton & Rose "Cactaceae" 3: 1922 [12 Oct 1922]
6) Lyman David Benson “The Cacti of Arizona” edn. 3 1969
7) Lyman David Benson “The Cacti of the United States and Canada.” Stanford, California: Stanford University Press. 1982.
8) H. Krainz “Die Kakteen: : eine Gesamtdarstellung der eingefuhrten Arten nebst Anzucht- und Pflege-Anweisungen Herausgegeben von H. Krainz.” Stuttgart 1973
9) 9) Forrest Shreve, Ira Loren Wiggins “Vegetation and Flora of the Sonoran Desert” Volume 1 Stanford University Press, 1964
Echinomastus erectocentrus Photo by: Prof. Ilham Alakbarov
Echinomastus erectocentrus Photo by: Prof. Ilham AlakbarovCultivation and Propagation: Echinomastus erectocentrusSN|31307]]SN|31307]] is a most beautiful cactus but rarely seen in cultivation. It is quite difficult to grow on its own roots. Very easily rot! It’s thought that’s better to watch this species in photo or in the natural habitat rather than to try to cultivate it. For this reasons the plant is often grafted on a frost hardy stock.
Soil: Use mineral well-permeable substratum with very little organic matter (peat, humus). It needs perfect drainage to flourish.
Repotting: Repotting every 2-3 years. As it is especially prone to rot under-pot in a smaller container filled with very porous compost. Use pot with good drainage.
Exposition: This plant need full sun and above all a very good ventilation, especially in winter. Tends to bronze in strong light, which encourages flowering and heavy spine production.
Watering: Water sparingly during the growing season and keep totally dry during winter. In the rest period no high atmospheric humidity!!Care must be taken with watering as they tends to become swollen and untidy in growth habit if given too much water and shade.
Fertilization: During the growing season enrich the soil using a fertilizer rich in potassium and phosphorous, but poor in nitrogen, because this chemical element doesn’t help the development of succulent plants, making them too soft and full of water.
Hardiness: It can tolerate temperature below zero (-15° C or less).
Pests & diseases: It may be attractive to a variety of insects to watch for:
- Red spiders: Sensitive to red spider mite. Overhead watering is helpful in controlling mites.
- Mealy bugs: Occasionally mealy bugs they develop aerial into the new growth among the wool with disfiguring results, but the worst types develop underground on the roots and are invisible except by their effects.
- Rot: Rot it is the major threat. If the plants are not watered and “aired” correctly, fungicides won't help all that much. Mature individuals - if the growing conditions are not optimal, easily rot and die.
Remarks: Displaying your cacti on shelves has the added benefit of keeping them off the ground and away from potential rodent or snail damage.
Propagation: Seed or grafting. Seeds germinate in 7-14 days at 21-27° C in spring, remove the glass cover gradually as the plants develops and keep ventilated, no full sun for young plants! The seedlings should not be disturbed until they are well rooted, after which they can be planted separately in small pots. Seeds are relatively difficult to germinate (only a limited percentage of seeds germinate). Grafting is often used to speed growth rate and to create a back-up for plants in collection.
