View source for Sclerocactus

{{Treatment/ID
|accepted_name=Sclerocactus
|accepted_authority=Britton & Rose
|publications={{Treatment/Publication
|title=Cact.
|place=3: 212, fig. 224. 1922
|year=1922
}}
|common_names=Eagle-claw cactus;fishhook cactus
|basionyms=
|synonyms={{Treatment/ID/Synonym
|name=Coloradoa
|authority=Boissevain & C. Davidson
|rank=genus
}} {{Treatment/ID/Synonym
|name=Ferocactus sect. Sclerocactus
|authority=(Britton & Rose) N. P. Taylor
|rank=section
}} {{Treatment/ID/Synonym
|name=Pediocactus sect. Sclerocactus
|authority=(Britton & Rose) Halda
|rank=section
}} {{Treatment/ID/Synonym
|name=Toumeya
|authority=Britton & Rose
|rank=genus
}}
|hierarchy=Cactaceae;Cactaceae subfam. Cactoideae;Sclerocactus
|hierarchy_nav=<div class="higher-taxa"><div class="higher-taxon"><small>family</small>[[Cactaceae]]</div><div class="higher-taxon"><small>subfamily</small>[[Cactaceae subfam. Cactoideae]]</div><div class="higher-taxon"><small>genus</small>[[Sclerocactus]]</div></div>
|etymology=Greek sclero, hard, cruel, in reference to the hooked spines, and Cactus, an old genus name
|volume=Volume 4
|mention_page=page 98, 99, 193
|treatment_page=page 197
}}<!--

--><span class="statement" id="st-undefined" data-properties=""><b>Plants </b>erect, usually unbranched, sometimes deep-seated in substrate in winter but never flat-topped. <b>Roots</b> diffuse. <b>Stems</b> unsegmented, pale to dark green or bluish green, ovoid, spheric, depressed-spheric, depressed hemispheric, cylindric, or elongate cylindric, 1–40(–45) × 1.8–15(–20) cm, occasionally glaucous; tubercles usually coalescent into ribs (rarely remaining as separate tubercles); ribs 10–17(–20), crests deeply notched above each areole, thus ribs tuberculate; tubercles ± prominent on ribs; areoles 8–20 mm apart, elliptic to pyriform, with fertile portion as short adaxial prolongation confluent with spine cluster or connected to spine cluster by very broad groove, woolly; areolar glands few or absent; cortex and pith highly mucilaginous. <b>Spines</b> 2–17(–29); radial spines 2–11(–18) per areole, usually white or gray, sometimes straw colored, brown, pink, purplish pink, or black, straight or curved; central spines (0–)1–6(–11) per areole, gray, white, yellow, straw colored, red, reddish brown, brown, pink to purplish pink or black, usually of 2–3 distinct types, 1 or more hooked (rarely none hooked), acicular or subulate, or both (ribbonlike and papery in <i>S. papyracanthus</i>), longest spines 7–15 mm. <b>Flowers</b> diurnal, borne at adaxial edge of areoles at or near stem apex or in short extension of spine-bearing areoles, campanulate or funnelform, 1–6.7 × 1–6(–7) cm; outer tepals with greenish lavender, reddish brown, yellowish brown, or purple midstripes, white, cream, gold, rose, pink, or purple margins, oblanceolate, 10–45 × 3–10 mm, margins entire or fimbriate; inner tepals erect to ascending white, cream, yellow, or pink to purplish, often with dark midstripes, lanceolate to oblanceolate, 15–50 × 4–12 mm, margins entire or fimbriate; ovary scaly, spineless; stigma lobes 5–12, pink, green, yellow, or creamy white, 1.5–3.5 mm. <b>Fruits</b> dehiscent along 2–4 irregular, short vertical slits above base, or through basal abscission pore, green, often turning tan, pink or red, cylindric to subspheric, 4.2–30 × 3.5–21(–25) mm, thin walled, fleshy, becoming dry at maturity, naked or with few broad, thin scales; pulp greenish to white, scant; floral remnant persistent. <b>Seeds</b> brown or black, 1.5–3 × 1.9–4.5 mm, glossy or shiny; testa papillate (rarely furrowed). <b>x</b> = 11.</span><!--

-->{{Treatment/Body
|distribution=w United States.
|discussion=<p>Species 15 (15 in the flora).</p><!--
--><p>There has been considerable controversy concerning generic circumscription of <i>Sclerocactus</i>. Some treatments include <i>Ancistrocactus</i>, <i>Echinomastus</i>, <i>Glandulicactus</i>, and <i>Sclerocactus</i> as a single genus; whereas others exclude those groups, in addition to Toumeya, from <i>Sclerocactus</i>. Molecular phylogenetic studies of chloroplast DNA sequences (J. M. Porter et al. 2000; R. Nyffeler 2002) support a close relationship among <i>Ancistrocactus</i>, <i>Echinomastus</i>, Toumeya, and <i>Sclerocactus</i>; only Toumeya is included with <i>Sclerocactus</i> here. Although morphologically cohesive, <i>Echinomastus</i> is inferred to be a paraphyletic group, with some species (i.e., <i>E. johnsonii</i>) more closely related to <i>Sclerocactus</i> than to other members of <i>Echinomastus</i>. <i>Ancistrocactus</i> is sister to <i>Echinomastus</i> and <i>Sclerocactus</i>, providing merit to a broader circumscription of <i>Sclerocactus</i>. <i>Glandulicactus</i> and <i>Pediocactus</i> are only distantly related to this group, bolstering their exclusion from <i>Sclerocactus</i>.</p>
|tables=
|references={{Treatment/Reference
|id=heil1994a
|text=Heil, K. D. and J. M. Porter. 1994. Sclerocactus (Cactaceae): A revision. Haseltonia 2: 20–46.
}}{{Treatment/Reference
|id=hochstatter1995a
|text=Hochstätter, F. 1995. The genus Sclerocactus (Cactaceae)—Part 1. Cact. Succ. J. Gr. Brit. 13: 73–79.
}}{{Treatment/Reference
|id=hochstatter1996a
|text=Hochstätter, F. 1996. The genus Sclerocactus (Cactaceae)—Part 2. Cact. Succ. J. Gr. Brit. 14: 76–84.
}}{{Treatment/Reference
|id=hochstatter1996b
|text=Hochstätter, F. 1996b. The genus Sclerocactus (Cactaceae)—Part 3. Cact. Succ. J. Gr. Brit. 14: 183–188.
}}{{Treatment/Reference
|id=hochstatter1997a
|text=Hochstätter, F. 1997. The genus Sclerocactus (Cactaceae)—Part 4. Cact. Succ. J. Gr. Brit. 15: 74–81.
}}
}}<!--

--><div class="treatment-key">
==Key==
<div class="treatment-key-group">
  
{| class="wikitable fna-keytable"
|-id=key-0-1
|1
|Central spines (0-)1(-4) per areole, ribbonlike, flexible, twisting or curled, papery, with obscure adaxial midrib, lacking hook, if central spine absent, then radial spines strongly flattened
|[[Sclerocactus papyracanthus|Sclerocactus papyracanthus]]
|-id=key-0-1
|1
|Central spines (0-)1-6(-11) per areole, terete to angled, or if all flattened and papery, then some hooked, if central spine absent, then radial spines not flattened
|[[#key-0-2| > 2]]
|-id=key-0-2
|2
|Abaxial central spine nearly always absent, if present, then hooked, 7-15 mm, brown; flowers yellow or cream (rarely pink); nw New Mexico and sw Colorado
|[[Sclerocactus mesae-verdae|Sclerocactus mesae-verdae]]
|-id=key-0-2
|2
|Abaxial central spines nearly always present, usually hooked (sometimes straight), 10-100 mm, variable in color; flowers variable in color, but if from nw New Mexico, then deep pink to purple, never cream to golden; widespread
|[[#key-0-3| > 3]]
|-id=key-0-3
|3
|Fruits dehiscent by 1-4 vertical slits forming before fruits dry
|[[#key-0-4| > 4]]
|-id=key-0-3
|3
|Fruits not vertically dehiscent, irregularly shattering when dry or dehiscent through basal abscission pore and easily removed when fruits still succulent
|[[#key-0-7| > 7]]
|-id=key-0-4
|4
|Flowers yellowish, 2.5-3 cm; inner tepal margins crisped or minutely toothed; styles minutely but densely papillate; radial spines usually 6-8 per areole, to 15 mm; nc Arizona
|[[Sclerocactus sileri|Sclerocactus sileri]]
|-id=key-0-4
|4
|Flowers lavender, red-purple, pink, or yellow, 2-5 cm; inner tepal margins entire to minutely toothed; styles very minutely and sparsely papillate, appearing smooth; radial spines usually 8-11 per areole, to 35 mm; w Utah, Nevada
|[[#key-0-5| > 5]]
|-id=key-0-5
|5
|Flowers cream with yellow, greenish, reddish purple, lavender, or brownish margins; inner tepal apices generally rounded, usually not mucronate; adaxial central spine usually to 25 mm, 0.7 mm wide at base
|[[Sclerocactus pubispinus|Sclerocactus pubispinus]]
|-id=key-0-5
|5
|Flowers usually violet to rose or pink (rarely cream); inner tepal apices usually mucronate; adaxial central spine to 30-50+ mm, to 16 mm wide at base
|[[#key-0-6| > 6]]
|-id=key-0-6
|6
|Central spines pubescent only in very young, pre-reproductive plants; lateral central spines 10-30 mm, terete; adaxial central spines 1-3 per areole, 0.7-1.6 mm diam
|[[Sclerocactus spinosior|Sclerocactus spinosior]]
|-id=key-0-6
|6
|Central spines pubescent in young and early reproductive plants; lateral central spines 10-40 mm, usually terete, sometimes flattened and ribbonlike; adaxial central spine usually 1 per areole, 1.5-2.5 mm diam
|[[Sclerocactus blainei|Sclerocactus blainei]]
|-id=key-0-7
|7
|Hooked spines typically 5 or more per areole; California, Nevada
|[[#key-0-8| > 8]]
|-id=key-0-7
|7
|Hooked spines 0-4 per areole; Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah
|[[#key-0-9| > 9]]
|-id=key-0-8
|8
|Central spines usually 9-12 per areole; radial spines 20-50 mm; flowers 5-10 cm; fruits 2.2-5 cm; California, Nevada
|[[Sclerocactus polyancistrus|Sclerocactus polyancistrus]]
|-id=key-0-8
|8
|Central spines usually 6-8 per areole; radial spines 8-20 mm; flowers 3-4 cm; fruits 1.5-2 cm; Nevada
|[[Sclerocactus nyensis|Sclerocactus nyensis]]
|-id=key-0-9
|9
|Central spines straight, not hooked, if hooked, then shorter than 10 mm
|[[#key-0-10| > 10]]
|-id=key-0-9
|9
|Abaxial central spine hooked, generally longer than 10 mm
|[[#key-0-12| > 12]]
|-id=key-0-10
|10
|Seed surface composed of convex cells; Colorado
|[[Sclerocactus glaucus|Sclerocactus glaucus]]
|-id=key-0-10
|10
|Seed surface composed of flattened cells; Utah
|[[#key-0-11| > 11]]
|-id=key-0-11
|11
|Abaxial central spines usually not hooked; perianth funnelform; outer and inner tepals brownish lavender, violet, or pink, 2.5-5 cm diam
|[[Sclerocactus wetlandicus|Sclerocactus wetlandicus]]
|-id=key-0-11
|11
|Abaxial central spines often absent, or if present, then all curved or hooked; perianth campanulate; outer tepals greenish to purple, inner tepals purple, 1.1-3 cm diam
|[[Sclerocactus brevispinus|Sclerocactus brevispinus]]
|-id=key-0-12
|12
|Flowers 2.2-3.5 × 1.5-3.5 cm; ovary minutely papillate, appearing smooth; adaxial central spine 1.5-2 mm wide, or if less than 1.5 mm wide, then radial spines 4-6 per areole; radial spines 4-12 per areole
|[[#key-0-13| > 13]]
|-id=key-0-12
|12
|Flowers 3-5.7 × 2-5.5 cm; ovary papillate, appearing granular; adaxial central spine 0.5-1.5 mm wide; radial spines 5-17 per areole
|[[#key-0-14| > 14]]
|-id=key-0-13
|13
|Flowers yellow; radial spines 7-12; ne Arizona, se Utah
|[[Sclerocactus whipplei|Sclerocactus whipplei]]
|-id=key-0-13
|13
|Flowers purple; radial spines 4-6; sw Colorado, nw New Mexico
|[[Sclerocactus cloverae|Sclerocactus cloverae]]
|-id=key-0-14
|14
|Flowers pale pink to white or cream; filaments magenta; central spines (3-)4 per areole, abaxial spine white to tan, 10-30 mm; fruits 0.9-1.5 cm
|[[Sclerocactus wrightiae|Sclerocactus wrightiae]]
|-id=key-0-14
|14
|Flowers purple, pink, or yellow (rarely white); filaments green to whitish, or if magenta, then flowers not pale pink or white; central spines 4-8 per areole, abaxial spine usually purple-black, 15-72 mm; fruits 1-3 cm
|[[Sclerocactus parviflorus|Sclerocactus parviflorus]]
|}
</div></div><!--

-->{{#Taxon:
name=Sclerocactus
|author=Kenneth D. Heil;J. Mark Porter
|authority=Britton & Rose
|rank=genus
|parent rank=subfamily
|synonyms=Coloradoa;Ferocactus sect. Sclerocactus;Pediocactus sect. Sclerocactus;Toumeya
|basionyms=
|family=Cactaceae
|distribution=w United States.
|reference=heil1994a;hochstatter1995a;hochstatter1996a;hochstatter1996b;hochstatter1997a
|publication title=Cact.
|publication year=1922
|special status=
|source xml=https://bibilujan@bitbucket.org/aafc-mbb/fna-data-curation.git/src/bb6b7e3a7de7d3b7888a1ad48c7fd8f5c722d8d6/coarse_grained_fna_xml/V4/V4_371.xml
|subfamily=Cactaceae subfam. Cactoideae
|genus=Sclerocactus
}}<!--

-->[[Category:Treatment]][[Category:Cactaceae subfam. Cactoideae]]