Accepted Scientific Name: Ferocactus hamatacanthus subs. sinuatus (A.Dietr.) N.P.Taylor
Cactaceae Consensus Init. 5: 13. 1998
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Hamatocactus hamatocanthus var. sinuatus (Ferocactus hamatacanthus subs. sinuatus) Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli
Old dried fruits persist for a long time on the plant.
Origin and Habitat: Ferocactus hatnatacanthus subsp. sinuatus replaces Ferocactus hatnatacanthusin more easterly habitats in Tamaulipan thorn scrub front the Pecos River east and south through Eagle Pass to the brush-lands near Brownsville, North-east to the edge of the Hill County near Camp Wood, and on West past the Devil River, and adjacent Mexico East of Sierra Madre Oriental.
Altitude: 0-500 metres above sea level.
Synonyms:
See all synonyms of Ferocactus hamatacanthus
Common Names include:
ENGLISH: Yellow Turk's Head, Viznaga Barrel Cactus, Turks Head Cactus, Turks Head Barrel Cactus, Texas Barrel Cactus, Turks Head
SPANISH (Español): Viznaga, Biznaga de Tuna
Description: Ferocactus hamatacanthusSN|3403]]SN|3403]] subsp. sinuatus is a smaller version of Ferocactus hamatacanthusSN|3403]]SN|3403]]. The two subspecies are geographically separated at east and south of the Pecos River.
Habit: Solitary, or sparsely clumping.
Roots: Diffuse.
Stems: Spheric to ovoid, dark green to grey-green 10-30 cm tall, 7,5-20 cm across.
Ribs: typically 13 ( to 17), narrowly compressed, and acute at the crest, somewhat undulate to deeply crenate and slightly tuberculate.
Areoles: Circular to elliptic 1-3 cm apart, young ones with white, yellow or grey felt with elongated glands, 2 to 4 mm long between the flower and the spines; these at first are soft, but in age become hard and spine like.
Spines: 12-16 per areole.
Central spines: up to 4 per areole, yellow or straw coloured, terete or somewhat flattenedn curved or slightly hooked, principal central spine thin more or less flattened, 5-10 cm long, 0,4-3 mm broad, more or less flexible.
Radial spines: 8-12 terete, grey to reddish, especially near the stem apex upper ascending, lower descending, laterals appressed, 3,5-7,0 cm long.
Flowers: Near apical in a ring, funnelform, pale yellow 6-7,5 long, 7-9 cm across. Filaments yellow to orange-yellow, anthers and pollen yellow. Stigma stigma yellow wit 8-10 lobes.
Blooming season: Late summer to autumn, flowers open midday, partially close at night, and reopen again for several days.
Fruits: Globose to elongate, 20-45 mm long, 10-35 mm in diameter, green, yellow-green, or olive becoming dark brownish red at maturity. The fruit of this species is unlike that of most other species of the genus; the skin is thin and the flesh juicy and edible.
Seeds: About 1 mm long, shiny black, pitted.
Blooming season: Early summer to autumn in succession.
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Subspecies, varieties, forms and cultivars of plants belonging to the Ferocactus hamatacanthus group
Ferocactus hamatacanthus (Muehlenpf.) Britton & Rose: has stems up to 60 cm tall, ribs rounded but not compressed and brownish-reddish spines. Distribution: Southern Texas, New Mexico, and northern Mexico.
- Ferocactus hamatacanthus var. crassispinus (Engelm.) L.D.Benson
Ferocactus hamatacanthus f. cristata hort.: is a crested cactus that forms fan-shaped stems with especially hooked spines. There are several quite different clones.
Ferocactus hamatacanthus var. davisii (Houghton): This form differs for having very clear (almost white) and very shining flowers. Distribution: Tamaulipas, Mexico.
Ferocactus hamatacanthus var. flavispinus (Meinsh.): has long golden yellow spines. In some plants, particularly on the upper one-half or one-third of the stems, the collective dominant colour of the spines is yellow. (Same as Hamatocactus sinuatus ?)
Ferocactus hamatacanthus var. longihamatus (Galeotti ex Pfeiff.): has great rounded ribs composed of massive tubercles swelling around each areole and very long central spines, curved or slighly hooked. Distribution: Durango.
Ferocactus hamatacanthus var. papyracanthus (Kunth): has central spines apically hooked or almost twist into ringlets, principal central spine flattened more or less papery. Distribution: Tamaulipas.
Ferocactus hamatacanthus subs. sinuatus (A.Dietr.) N.P.Taylor: Recognizable for its smaller stem up to 30 cm tall and 20 cm in diamter. Ribs are about 13, narrow and more acute at the crest than in var. hamatacanthus. Distribution: plain of the Rio Grande in southeastern Texas and neighboring Mexico.
Ferocactus hamatacanthus subs. sinuatus f. cristatus hort.: Crested form, recognizable for the yellow spines. Known in cultivation only.
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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) Urs Eggli, Leonard E. Newton: “Etymological Dictionary of Succulent Plant Names” Springer, Berlin/Heidelberg 2010
5) N. L. Britton, J. N. Rose: “The Cactaceae. Descriptions and Illustrations of Plants of the Cactus Family.” Volume III, The Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington 1922
6) Brian Loflin, Shirley Loflin “Texas Cacti: A Field Guide” Texas A&M University Press, 26/Oct/2009
7) Albert Michael Powell, James F. Weedin “Cacti of the Trans-Pecos and Adjacent Areas” Texas Tech University Press, 2004
8) Del Weniger “Cacti of Texas and Neighboring States: A Field Guide” University of Texas Press, 1984
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Hamatocactus hamatocanthus var. sinuatus (Ferocactus hamatacanthus subs. sinuatus) Photo by: Diego Armentano
Hamatocactus hamatocanthus var. sinuatus (Ferocactus hamatacanthus subs. sinuatus) Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli
Hamatocactus hamatocanthus var. sinuatus (Ferocactus hamatacanthus subs. sinuatus) Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli
Hamatocactus hamatocanthus var. sinuatus (Ferocactus hamatacanthus subs. sinuatus) Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli
Hamatocactus hamatocanthus var. sinuatus (Ferocactus hamatacanthus subs. sinuatus) Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli
Hamatocactus hamatocanthus var. sinuatus (Ferocactus hamatacanthus subs. sinuatus) Photo by: Valentino VallicelliCultivation and Propagation: This species is easy and well worth growing. Require little care once they have reached a nice flowering size. It is suited for any rich, well drained soil in full sun throughout the year (But do better with some light shade in summer).
Pot culture: Grows best in a well-drained container filled with a porous cactus soil mixture that doesn't contain too much humus. To insure robust plants water and fertilize during the aestival growth cycle, this plant need plenty of water (indicatively to about once a week) But needs to be avoided wetting the bodies of these plants while they are in sunlight. A wet cactus in the sun light can cause sun burning which can lead to scares or even fungal infections and death. Care must be taken to prevent sooty mould forming on the sugary secretions from near the areoles.
Frost Tolerance: In winter keep completely dry at 5°C this usually aids in maintaining a healthier plant, but it is hardy to -7°C.
Propagation:n: Seeds or cutting. Seeds are the typical way of reproducing. These cacti will easily grow from seeds and some from cuttings. Seeds can be sown in the spring or summer in well-drained pots of soil for cacti and sow the seeds thinly on top. Cover them with a bit of fine quartz grit. Moisten and lay a piece of glass across the top. The pots should be set in a warm greenhouse until they start to sprout after which the glass should be progressively removed so they can receive full light and air. It isn't good to keep the glass over the seedlings. The seedlings well developed can be planted separately in small pots.
Cuttings made from pieces of the stem of any size can be detached and laid aside for a few days to allow a protective "skin" to form over the cut. They can then be planted in pots. Place them in a spot where they'll receive sun and do not water until the soil becomes fairly dry. After a while the soil can be moistened regularly but never kept constantly saturated.
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