Origin and Habitat: This species has an extensive distribution in the dryer areas of central and southern Mexico (Coahuila, Nuevo Leon, and south)

• Ferocactus latispinus var. flavispinus (Haage ex C.F.Först.) Backeb. & F.M.Knuth
• Echinocactus cornigerus var. flavispinus Haage ex C.F.Först.
• Echinocactus latispinus var. flavispinus (Haage ex C.F.Först.) F.A.C.Weber in Bois
• Ferocactus recurvus f. flavispinus (Haage ex C.F.Först.) G.Unger

• Ferocactus latispinus Britton & Rose
• Bisnaga latispina (Haw.) Doweld
• Bisnaga recurva subs. latispina (Haw.) Doweld
• Cactus latispinus Haw.
• Echinocactus cornigerus var. latispinus C.F.Först.
• Echinocactus cornigerus f. latispinus (Haw.) Voss
• Echinocactus latispinus (Haw.) hort. ex C.F.Först.
• Echinocactus recurvus var. latispinus (Haw.) Mittler
• Ferocactus latispinus var. latispinus (C.F.Först.) Backeb. & F.M.Knuth
• Mammillaria latispina (Haw.) Tate
• Melocactus latispinus (Haw.) Pfeiff.
• Ferocactus cornigerus (DC.)
• Bisnaga cornigera (DC.) Orcutt
• Cactus cornigerus Moc. & Sessé ex DC.
• Echinocactus cornigerus DC.
• Ferocactus latispinus var. flavispinus (Haage ex C.F.Först.) Backeb. & F.M.Knuth
• Echinocactus cornigerus var. flavispinus Haage ex C.F.Först.
• Echinocactus latispinus var. flavispinus (Haage ex C.F.Först.) F.A.C.Weber in Bois
• Ferocactus recurvus f. flavispinus (Haage ex C.F.Först.) G.Unger
• Ferocactus latispinus var. flavispinus f. cristatus hort.
• Ferocactus latispinus var. greenwoodii (Glass) N.P.Taylor
• Ferocactus cylindraceus var. greenwoodiae (Glass) N.P.Taylor
• Ferocactus latispinus subs. greenwoodii (Glass) N.P.Taylor
• Ferocactus recurvus var. greenwoodii Glass
• Ferocactus multangularis (Voigt ex Steud.)
• Cactus multangularis Voigt ex Steud.

• Ferocactus latispinus subs. spiralis (Karw. ex Pfeiff.) N.P.Taylor
• Bisnaga latispina subs. spiralis (Karw. ex Pfeiff.) Doweld
• Echinocactus spiralis Karw. ex Pfeiff.
• Ferocactus latispinus var. spiralis (Karw. ex Pfeiff.) N.P.Taylor
• Ferocactus recurvus f. spiralis (Karw. ex Pfeiff.) G.Unger
• Ferocactus nobilis (L.) Britton & Rose
• Cactus nobilis L.
• Echinocactus nobilis (L.) Druce
• Ferocactus recurvus (Mill.) Borg
• Bisnaga recurva (Mill.) Orcutt
• Cactus recurvus Mill.
• Echinocactus recurvus (Mill.) Link & Otto
• Echinocactus stellatus Scheidw. non Speg.
• Echinofossulocactus recurvus Lawr. in Loudon
• Ferocactus latispinus var. recurvus (Mill.) Lodé

Description: The standard Ferocactus latispinusSN|4259]]SN|4259]] is a modest-sized ball-shaped or flat-topped barrel cactus, which normally remains a solitary plant, without dividing or producing offsets. The var. flavispinus differs only for the spines colour which is yellow instead of reddish-brown.
Stem: Flattened to spherical (in cultivation), diameter 25 to 45 cm, 35 cm tall, most often wider than tall.
Ribs: 13 to 23 ribs, sharp.
Areoles: Large, grey to blackish.
Central spines: 4 large, large, of which the lowest one is conspicuously wider, thick and flat, apically bent downward and hooked up to 4 cm long and lie flat against the body. This prominent spine is yellow coloured. The other central spines are still stout, but much narrower and not curved.
Radial spines: 6-12 up to 2,5 cm long, spreading out, smaller, translucent yellow straight that have almost no width at all.
Flowers: Beautiful “glassy” straw-yellow (or pink-purple), up to 6cm long and 3cm broad.
Blooming time: Late autumn to early winter, usually in October

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) N. L. Britton, J. N. Rose “The Cactaceae. Descriptions and Illustrations of Plants of the Cactus Family” Volume II, The Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington 1920
5) George Edmund Lindsay, J. Hugo Cota “The taxonomy and ecology of the genus Ferocactus: explorations in the USA and Mexico” Tireless Termites Press, 1996
6)
7) Curt Backeberg “Die Cactaceae, Handbuch der Kakteenkunde:Volume 5, Cereoideae (Boreocactinae)” 1961
8) Hiroshi Hirao “Colour encyclopaedia of cacti” Seibundo Shinkosha, 1979
9) Willy, Cullmann Erich Götz, Gerhard Gröner: Kakteen: Kultur, Vermehrung und Pflege. Lexikon der Gattungen und Arten. Ulmer, Stuttgart edn 5.1984
10) William Davidson “The illustrated directory of house plants: a practical guide to growing over 500 plants for the home” Salamander, 01/Nov/1990
11) Michael Taborsky, Barbara Taborsky “Advances in Ethology”, Volume 32 Parey, 1997
12) Brian Lamb “Letts guide to cacti of the world” Letts, 17/Oct/1991

Cultivation and Propagation: Slow growing to start but does well under cultivation. Use very draining soil, water during the aestival growth cycle (this plant need plenty of water) 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 scars or even fungal infections and death.
Needs full sun. Keep dry at 10°C in winter, but can tolerate sporadic light frost.
Propagation: Seeds are the only way of reproducing.
Warning: The spines that hook around can graph you if you get too close.