Species Information
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Anthophyta
Class: Dicotyledoneae
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Cactaceae
Genus: Escobaria
Species: orcuttii
Orcutt's Pincushion Cactus - Escobaria orcuttii
Image courtesy of New Mexico Rare Plants
601730
Species Extent (New Mexico)
General Description
Escobaria orcuttii is distinguished by the relatively even and short length of the central spines, which seem to grade into the radial spines of similar length. This gives the plants something of a "groomed" appearance.
Stems solitary, few in a clump, or commonly branched to form small dense clusters, the individual stems up to 6 cm thick and 15 cm tall; tubercles on mature stems with upper surface bearing a groove; spines whitish, usually with purplish or brownish tips, often brittle and breaking readily at the touch, about 45-60 per areole, spreading, about 70 percent slender and about 8 mm long, the remainder thicker and 9-11 mm long; flowers not opening widely, to 2 cm wide (usually smaller); tepals pale yellowish to pinkish or nearly white, usually with midribs darker, stigmas white to pink; fruits elongate, 1.5-2 cm long, green to somewhat reddish; seeds about 1 mm long, kidney-shaped, pitted, brown, with hilum lateral. Flowers April and May.
Stems solitary, few in a clump, or commonly branched to form small dense clusters, the individual stems up to 6 cm thick and 15 cm tall; tubercles on mature stems with upper surface bearing a groove; spines whitish, usually with purplish or brownish tips, often brittle and breaking readily at the touch, about 45-60 per areole, spreading, about 70 percent slender and about 8 mm long, the remainder thicker and 9-11 mm long; flowers not opening widely, to 2 cm wide (usually smaller); tepals pale yellowish to pinkish or nearly white, usually with midribs darker, stigmas white to pink; fruits elongate, 1.5-2 cm long, green to somewhat reddish; seeds about 1 mm long, kidney-shaped, pitted, brown, with hilum lateral. Flowers April and May.
Status
Observations in Natural Heritage New Mexico Database
Number of Subpopulations: 10
Number of Mapped Locations: 25
Number of Observations: 31
Observation date range: 05-22-1963 to 03-21-2020
External Links
View More Information about this species at:
NatureServe Explorer
New Mexico Rare Plants Website
Environmental Conservation Online System (ECOS)
NatureServe Explorer
New Mexico Rare Plants Website
Environmental Conservation Online System (ECOS)