Introductory
SPECIES: Echinocereus triglochidiatus | Hedgehog Cactus 



ABBREVIATION : 
ECHTRI

SYNONYMS : 
   E. t. var. gonacanthus (Engelm.) Boissevain = typical variety [23]


SCS PLANT CODE : 
   ECTR


COMMON NAMES : 
   hedgehog cactus
   red-flowered hedgehog cactus
   claretcup cactus
   strawberry cactus


TAXONOMY : 
The currently accepted scientific name of hedgehog cactus is
Echinocereus triglochidiatus Engelmann (Cactaceae) [3,10,11,14,20].  The
species is composed of a complex group of local populations, and the
appearance of extreme types differs substantially [3].  Hickman [10]
stated that varietal designations are not acceptable.  However, the
following varieties are recognized by some authorities:

E. triglochidiatus var. triglochidiatus [3,23,26]
E. t. var. arizonicus (Rose) L. Benson [3,26]   Arizona hedgehog cactus
E. t. var. gurneyi L. Benson [3,26]
E. t. var. inermis Rowley [3]   spineless hedgehog cactus
E. t. var. melanacanthus (Engelm.) L. Benson [3,9,11,14,20,26]
E. t. var. mojavensis (Engelm. & Bigel.) L. Benson [3,9,11,14,20,23,26]
E. t. var. neomexicanthus (Standl.) Standl. ex W. T. Marshall [3,9,26]
E. t. var. paucispinus (Engelm.) Engelm. ex W. T. Marshall [3,9,26]

The variety E. t. variety toroweapensis Fischer has been proposed [24].

A spineless form of E. t. variety mojavensis occurs in the mountains and
mesas of western Colorado and eastern Utah [23].  

Echinocereus coccineus was formerly considered a synomyn, but is now
considered a distinct species [23,25].


LIFE FORM : 
Cactus

FEDERAL LEGAL STATUS : 
See OTHER STATUS

OTHER STATUS : 
Arizona hedgehog cactus (E. t. var. arizonicus) is federally listed as
endangered.  Spineless hedgehog cactus (Echinocereus triglochidiatus
var. inermis) has been delisted from Endangered and Threatened
Wildlife and Plants [28].

Arizona hedgehog cactus is protected from international trade by CITES
(Convention on International Trade on Endangered Species of Wild Fauna
and Flora) and is also protected by the Arizona Native Plant Law [2].


COMPILED BY AND DATE : 
Robin F. Matthews, April 1994


LAST REVISED BY AND DATE : 
NO-ENTRY


AUTHORSHIP AND CITATION : 
Matthews, Robin F. 1994. Echinocereus triglochidiatus. In: Remainder of Citation

Related categories for Species: Echinocereus triglochidiatus | Hedgehog Cactus