Escobaria


Escobaria, pincushion cactus or foxtail cactus is a genus of low-growing cacti that range from the southernmost parts of central and western Canada through northern Mexico, with one species in Cuba. The genus comprises about 23 species. The term "pincushion cactus" may also refer to the related Mammillaria.
The stems of Escobaria range from globose to cylindrical, and lack nectar-secreting glands; while ribs are absent, tubercles are present, tending to become corky and deciduous as they age. The flowers usually appear in spring and may have a variety of colors, while the fruits are almost always red. The seeds in this genus are notable for being deeply pitted.
Common species include the Missouri foxtail cactus E. missouriensis, widespread in grassland and forest west of the Mississippi, and the spinystar E. vivipara, distributed across the US and into Canada, first described by Nuttall in 1813.
Escobaria was defined by Nathaniel Britton and Joseph Rose in their major work The Cactaceae ; they named the genus after Rómulo and Numa Escobar. The cacti of this genus bear many similarities to Coryphantha and Mammillaria. Two species were recently moved to Acharagma.

Taxonomy

The following genera have been brought into synonymy with Escobaria:
SectionGroupImageScientific nameSubspeciesDistribution
Pleurantha N.P.Taylor|Escobaria chihuahuensis Britton & Rose
  • Escobaria chihuahuensis subsp. chihuahuensis
  • Escobaria chihuahuensis subsp. henricksonii N.P.Taylor
Mexico
EscobariaEscobaria tuberculosa Britton & RoseNew Mexico, Mexico
EscobariaSneedii GroupEscobaria albicolumnaria HesterBig Bend area of west Texas
EscobariaSneedii GroupEscobaria guadalupensis S.Brack & K.D.HeilTexas
EscobariaSneedii GroupEscobaria laredoi N.P.TaylorCoahuila de Zaragoza - Mexico
EscobariaSneedii GroupEscobaria orcuttii Boed.
  • Escobaria orcuttii var. orcuttii
  • Escobaria orcuttii var. koenigii Castetter, P.Pierce & K.H.Schwer.
  • Escobaria orcuttii var. macraxina Castetter, P.Pierce & K.H.Schwer.
    		• Arizona, New Mexico - United States
    EscobariaSneedii GroupEscobaria organensis Castetter, P.Pierce & K.H.Schwer.New Mexico
    EscobariaSneedii GroupEscobaria sandbergii Castetter, P.Pierce & K.H.Schwer.New Mexico
    EscobariaSneedii GroupEscobaria sneedii Britton & Rose
  • Escobaria sneedii subsp. sneedii
  • Escobaria sneedii subsp. leei D.R.Hunt
    		• New Mexico, Texas
    EscobariaSneedii GroupEscobaria villardii Castetter, P.Pierce & K.H.Schwer.New Mexico
    EscobariaVivipara GroupEscobaria alversonii N.P.TaylorArizona, California
    EscobariaVivipara GroupEscobaria deserti Buxb.Arizona, California
    EscobariaVivipara GroupEscobaria hesteri Buxb.Texas
    EscobariaVivipara GroupEscobaria vivipara Buxb.Canada, Mexico, United States
    Neobesseya N.P.TaylorEscobaria emskoetteriana Borg Mexico, United States
    Neobesseya N.P.TaylorDasyacantha GroupEscobaria dasyacantha Britton & Rose
  • Escobaria dasyacantha subsp. dasyacantha
  • Escobaria dasyacantha subsp. chaffeyi N.P.Taylor
    		• Mexico, USA
    Neobesseya N.P.TaylorDasyacantha GroupEscobaria duncanii Backeb.New Mexico, Texas
    Neobesseya N.P.TaylorDasyacantha GroupEscobaria lloydii Britton & RoseMexico
    Neobesseya N.P.TaylorDasyacantha GroupEscobaria minima D.R.HuntTexas
    Neobesseya N.P.TaylorDasyacantha GroupEscobaria robbinsorum D.R.HuntArizona
    Neobesseya N.P.TaylorMissouriensis GroupEscobaria cubensis D.R.HuntCuba
    Neobesseya N.P.TaylorMissouriensis GroupEscobaria missouriensis D.R.Hunt
  • Escobaria missouriensis subsp. missouriensis
  • Escobaria missouriensis subsp. asperispina N.P.Taylor
    		• USA, Mexico
    Neobesseya N.P.TaylorMissouriensis GroupEscobaria zilziana Backeb.Mexico