# Echinocereus

Echinocereus is a genus of ribbed, usually small to medium-sized, cylindrical shaped cacti, comprising about 70 species native to the southern United States and Mexico in very sunny, rocky places. Usually the flowers are large and the fruit edible.
The name comes from the Ancient Greek ἐχῖνος (echinos), meaning "sea urchin", and the Latin cereus meaning "candle". They are sometimes known as hedgehog cacti, a term also used for the Pediocactus and Echinopsis.

## Description

The species of the genus Echinocereus grow solitary or branching with prostrate to erect shoots that are spherical to cylindrical. The roots are fibrous or bulbous. The plants reach heights of growth between 1 and 60 centimeters. On the tips of the 4 to 26 ribs, which are mostly clear and only rarely resolved into humps, are the areoles, from which differently shaped spines can arise.
A distinctive characteristic and likely synapomorphy of the genus is the erumpent flowers. The floral buds develop internally and break through the epidermis of the stem. This flower morphology is likely an adaptation to protect the developing buds from low temperatures. Upon maturity, the flowers are usually brightly colored and open during the day. Echinocereus floral color is variable because perianth color reflects pollinator specificity. Red flowers are generally associated with hummingbird pollination, while pink flowers tend to correspond to moth pollination. Their pericarp and floral tubes are studded with thorns, bristles, and sometimes wool. The scar is usually green, but sometimes white in color.
The spherical to ovoid fruits are green to red and mostly thorny. They are mostly juicy and open along a longitudinal slit. The sometimes fragrant fruits contain broadly oval, black, tuberous seeds 0.8 to 2 millimeters long.

## Taxonomy

Echinocereus is a genus in the tribe Echinocereeae within the subfamily Cactoideae of the Cactaceae family. The Cactoideae can be further divided into two sister clades, Cactoideae I and II. Echinocereus is situated within the Cactoideae I clade within the Pachycereeae tribe, a tribe that represents a diversification that yielded columnar and arborescent forms. Echinocereus emerged 4.6 ± 1.7 million years ago. Echinocereus is a strongly supported monophyletic genus that is sister to Stenocereus, although there has historically been substantial debate about infrageneric classification because of the genus's high rates of morphological variation and convergent evolution.

## Cultivation

Echinocereus spp. are easier to cultivate than many other cacti. They need light soil, a sunny exposure, and a fresh and dry winter to flower. They grow better in soil slightly richer than other cacti. In the wild, several of the species are cold hardy, tolerating temperatures as low as −23 °C, but only in dry conditions.

## Species

The following species are recognized in the genus Echinocereus by Plants of the World Online: separated by sections established in Phylogeny in Echinocereus (Cactaceae) based on combined morphological and molecular evidence: taxonomic implications 2017.
| Section | Scientific name | Subspecies | Distribution |
| Costati (Engelm.) N.P.Taylor (1994) | Echinocereus berlandieri (Engelm.) Haage | | Mexico, Texas |
| Costati (Engelm.) N.P.Taylor (1994) | Echinocereus cinerascens (DC.) Lem. | Echinocereus cinerascens subsp. cinerascens Echinocereus cinerascens subsp. septentrionalis (N.P.Taylor) N.P.Taylor Echinocereus cinerascens subsp. tulensis (Bravo) N.P.Taylor | Texas to Mexico |
| Costati (Engelm.) N.P.Taylor (1994) | Echinocereus enneacanthus Engelm. | | Mexico (Jalisco) |
| Costati (Engelm.) N.P.Taylor (1994) | Echinocereus freudenbergeri G.Frank | | Mexico (S. Coahuila) |
| Costati (Engelm.) N.P.Taylor (1994) | Echinocereus longisetus (Engelm.) Lem. | Echinocereus longisetus subsp. delaetii (Gürke) N.P.Taylor Echinocereus longisetus subsp. longisetus | Mexico (Coahuila). |
| Costati (Engelm.) N.P.Taylor (1994) | Echinocereus nivosus Glass & R.A.Foster | | Mexico (SE. Coahuila, Nuevo León) |
| Costati (Engelm.) N.P.Taylor (1994) | Echinocereus papillosus Linke ex Rümpler | | Texas to NE. Mexico |
| Costati (Engelm.) N.P.Taylor (1994) | Echinocereus parkeri N.P.Taylor | Echinocereus parkeri subsp. arteagensis W.Blum & Mich.Lange Echinocereus parkeri subsp. gonzalezii (N.P.Taylor) N.P.Taylor Echinocereus parkeri subsp. mazapilensis W.Blum & Mich.Lange Echinocereus parkeri subsp. parkeri | Mexico. |
| Costati (Engelm.) N.P.Taylor (1994) | Echinocereus rayonesensis N.P.Taylor | | Mexico (Coahuila, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas). |
| Costati (Engelm.) N.P.Taylor (1994) | Echinocereus stramineus (Engelm.) F.Seitz | | New Mexico to W. Texas and NE. Mexico |
| Costati (Engelm.) N.P.Taylor (1994) | Echinocereus viereckii Werderm. | Echinocereus viereckii subsp. morricalii (Říha) N.P.Taylor Echinocereus viereckii subsp. viereckii | Mexico (SW. Tamaulipas, Nuevo León, Coahuila). |
| Echinocereus | Echinocereus canus D.Felix & H.Bauer | | Texas |
| Echinocereus | Echinocereus mapimiensis E.F.Anderson, W.C.Hodgs. & P.Quirk | | Mexico (Coahuila, Durango) |
| Echinocereus | Echinocereus pentalophus (DC.) J.N.Haage | Echinocereus pentalophus subsp. leonensis (Mathsson) N.P.Taylor Echinocereus pentalophus subsp. pentalophus Echinocereus pentalophus subsp. procumbens (Engelm.) W.Blum & Mich.Lange | Texas, Mexico (to Jalisco) |
| Echinocereus | Echinocereus occidentalis (N.P.Taylor) W.Rischer, S.Breckw. & Breckw. | Echinocereus occidentalis subsp. breckwoldtiorum De-Nova, Cast.-Lara & W.Blum Echinocereus occidentalis subsp. occidentalis | Mexico |
| Echinocereus | Echinocereus russanthus D.Weniger | | Texas to Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila) |
| Echinocereus | Echinocereus viridiflorus Engelm. | Echinocereus viridiflorus subsp. chloranthus (Engelm.) N.P.Taylor Echinocereus viridiflorus subsp. correllii (L.D.Benson) W.Blum & Mich.Lange Echinocereus viridiflorus subsp. cylindricus (Engelm.) N.P.Taylor Echinocereus viridiflorus subsp. davisii (Houghton) N.P.Taylor Echinocereus viridiflorus var. neocapillus (Weniger) A.D.Zimmerman Echinocereus viridiflorus subsp. viridiflorus | SW. South Dakota to N. Texas and Mexico (Coahuila) |
| Erecti (K.Schum.) Bravo (1982) | Echinocereus apachensis W.Blum & Rutow | | Arizona. |
| Erecti (K.Schum.) Bravo (1982) | Echinocereus barthelowianus Britton & Rose | | Mexico (Island Magdalena) |
| Erecti (K.Schum.) Bravo (1982) | Echinocereus bonkerae Thornber & Bonker | | Arizona |
| Erecti (K.Schum.) Bravo (1982) | Echinocereus brandegeei (J.M.Coult.) K.Schum. | | Mexico (Baja California) |
| Erecti (K.Schum.) Bravo (1982) | Echinocereus dasyacanthus Engelm. | Echinocereus dasyacanthus subsp. ctenoides (Engelm.) Lodé Echinocereus dasyacanthus subsp. dasyacanthus Echinocereus dasyacanthus subsp. multispinosus D.Felix & H.Bauer Echinocereus dasyacanthus subsp. rectispinus (Trocha & Fethke) W.Blum, W.Rischer & Rutow | Mexico (Coahuila) |
| Erecti (K.Schum.) Bravo (1982) | Echinocereus engelmannii (Parry ex Engelm.) Lem. | Echinocereus engelmannii subsp. engelmannii Echinocereus engelmannii subsp. llanuraensis (Rutow) Felger | United States (Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Utah), Mexico |
| Erecti (K.Schum.) Bravo (1982) | Echinocereus fasciculatus (Engelm. ex B.D.Jacks.) L.D.Benson | | Colorado to NE. Mexico. |
| Erecti (K.Schum.) Bravo (1982) | Echinocereus felixianus H.Bauer | | New Mexico, Texas, Mexico (N. Sonora to N. Chihuahua) |
| Erecti (K.Schum.) Bravo (1982) | Echinocereus fendleri (Engelm.) Sencke ex J.N.Haage | Echinocereus fendleri subsp. fendleri Echinocereus fendleri subsp. rectispinus (Peebles) N.P.Taylor | Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah; Mexico (Baja California, NW. Sonora). |
| Erecti (K.Schum.) Bravo (1982) | Echinocereus ferreirianus H.E.Gates | Echinocereus ferreirianus subsp. ferreirianus Echinocereus ferreirianus subsp. lindsayorum (J.Meyrán) N.P.Taylor | Mexico (C. Baja California) |
| Erecti (K.Schum.) Bravo (1982) | Echinocereus ledingii Peebles | | Arizona. |
| Erecti (K.Schum.) Bravo (1982) | Echinocereus maritimus (M.E.Jones) K.Schum. | | Mexico (Baja California). |
| Erecti (K.Schum.) Bravo (1982) | Echinocereus nicholii (L.D.Benson) B.D.Parfitt | | Arizona to Mexico (Sonora) |
| Erecti (K.Schum.) Bravo (1982) | Echinocereus pectinatus (Scheidw.) Engelm. | Echinocereus pectinatus subsp. pectinatus Echinocereus pectinatus subsp. rutowiorum W.Blum Echinocereus pectinatus subsp. wenigeri (L.D.Benson) W.Blum & Rutow | Mexico. |
| Erecti (K.Schum.) Bravo (1982) | Echinocereus relictus Wellard | | Utah |
| Pulchellus N.P.Taylor (1985) | Echinocereus acanthosetus (S.Arias & U.Guzmán) Gómez-Quintero & Dan.Sánchez | | Mexico |
| Pulchellus N.P.Taylor (1985) | Echinocereus adustus Engelm. | Echinocereus adustus subsp. adustus Echinocereus adustus subsp. roemerianus W.Rischer Echinocereus adustus subsp. schwarzii (A.B.Lau) N.P.Taylor | Mexico (Chihuahua) |
| Pulchellus N.P.Taylor (1985) | Echinocereus knippelianus Liebner | | Mexico (SE. Coahuila, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas, San Luis Potosí). |
| Pulchellus N.P.Taylor (1985) | Echinocereus laui G.Frank | | Mexico (E. Sonora, Chihuahua) |
| Pulchellus N.P.Taylor (1985) | Echinocereus pamanesii A.B.Lau | Echinocereus pamanesii subsp. bonatzii (R.C.Römer) R.C.Römer Echinocereus pamanesii subsp. pamanesii | Mexico (Zacatecas) |
| Pulchellus N.P.Taylor (1985) | Echinocereus pulchellus (Mart.) K.Schum. | | Mexico (Hidalgo, Puebla) |
| Pulchellus N.P.Taylor (1985) | Echinocereus schereri G.Frank | | Mexico (Durango). |
| Pulchellus N.P.Taylor (1985) | Echinocereus sharpii (N.P.Taylor) Dan.Sánchez & Gómez-Quintero | | Mexico (Nuevo León) |
| Pulchellus N.P.Taylor (1985) | Echinocereus weinbergii Weing. | Echinocereus weinbergii subsp. venustus (W.Blum & W.Rischer) Gómez-Quintero & Dan.Sánchez Echinocereus weinbergii subsp. weinbergii | Mexico (Jalisco) |
| Reichenbachii N.P.Taylor (1985) | Echinocereus bristolii W.T.Marshall | | Mexico (Sonora) |
| Reichenbachii N.P.Taylor (1985) | Echinocereus chisosensis W.T.Marshall | Echinocereus chisosensis subsp. chisosensis Echinocereus chisosensis subsp. fobeanus (Oehme) N.P.Taylor | Texas to Mexico |
| Reichenbachii N.P.Taylor (1985) | Echinocereus grandis Britton & Rose | | Mexico (Islands de las Animas) |
| Reichenbachii N.P.Taylor (1985) | Echinocereus palmeri Britton & Rose | Echinocereus palmeri subsp. mazapil H.M.Hern. & Gómez-Hin. Echinocereus palmeri subsp. palmeri | Mexico (Chihuahua, Durango) |
| Reichenbachii N.P.Taylor (1985) | Echinocereus primolanatus Fritz Schwarz ex N.P.Taylor | | Mexico (to Jalisco). |
| Reichenbachii N.P.Taylor (1985) | Echinocereus pseudopectinatus (N.P.Taylor) N.P.Taylor | | Arizona to Mexico (NE. Sonora) |
| Reichenbachii N.P.Taylor (1985) | Echinocereus reichenbachii (Terscheck ex Walp.) J.N.Haage | Echinocereus reichenbachii subsp. armatus (Poselger) N.P.Taylor Echinocereus reichenbachii subsp. baileyi (Rose) N.P.Taylor Echinocereus reichenbachii subsp. burrensis G.Frank, Metorn & E.Scherer Echinocereus reichenbachii subsp. fitchii (Britton & Rose) N.P.Taylor Echinocereus reichenbachii subsp. perbellus (Britton & Rose) N.P.Taylor Echinocereus reichenbachii subsp. reichenbachii | Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas; Mexico |
| Reichenbachii N.P.Taylor (1985) | Echinocereus rigidissimus (Engelm.) Rose | Echinocereus rigidissimus subsp. rigidissimus Echinocereus rigidissimus subsp. rubispinus (G.Frank & A.B.Lau) N.P.Taylor | New Mexico, Arizona and N. Mexico |
| Reichenbachii N.P.Taylor (1985) | Echinocereus sciurus (K.Brandegee) Dams | Echinocereus sciurus subsp. floresii (Schwarz ex Backeb.) N.P.Taylor Echinocereus sciurus subsp. sciurus | Mexico (S. Baja California Sur) |
| Reichenbachii N.P.Taylor (1985) | Echinocereus scopulorum Britton & Rose | | Mexico (to Nayarit) |
| Reichenbachii N.P.Taylor (1985) | Echinocereus spinigemmatus A.B.Lau | | Mexico (NW. Jalisco, W. Zacatecas) |
| Reichenbachii N.P.Taylor (1985) | Echinocereus stolonifer W.T.Marshall | Echinocereus stolonifer subsp. stolonifer Echinocereus stolonifer subsp. tayopensis (W.T.Marshall) N.P.Taylor | Mexico (SE. Sonora, Sinaloa) |
| Reichenbachii N.P.Taylor (1985) | Echinocereus subinermis Salm-Dyck ex Scheer | Echinocereus subinermis subsp. ochoterenae (J.G.Ortega) N.P.Taylor Echinocereus subinermis subsp. subinermis | Mexico (Sonora, Sinaloa, SW. Chihuahua, Durango) |
| Reichenbachii N.P.Taylor (1985) | Echinocereus websterianus G.E.Linds. | | Mexico (Sonora: Island San Pedro Nolasco) |
| Triglochidiata Bravo 1973 | Echinocereus acifer (Otto ex Salm-Dyck) Jacobi | | Mexico |
| Triglochidiata Bravo 1973 | Echinocereus arizonicus Rose ex Orcutt | Echinocereus arizonicus subsp. arizonicus Echinocereus arizonicus subsp. matudae (Bravo) Rutow Echinocereus arizonicus subsp. nigrihorridispinus W.Blum & Rutow | Arizona, New Mexico, Mexico |
| Triglochidiata Bravo 1973 | Echinocereus bakeri W.Blum, Oldach & J.Oldach | | Arizona, Nevada, Utah |
| Triglochidiata Bravo 1973 | Echinocereus coccineus Engelm. | Echinocereus coccineus subsp. coccineus Echinocereus coccineus subsp. paucispinus (Engelm.) W.Blum, Mich.Lange & Rutow Echinocereus coccineus subsp. rosei (Wooton & Standl.) W.Blum & Rutow | New Mexico and Mexico (Sonora, Sinaloa, Chihuahua) |
| Triglochidiata Bravo 1973 | Echinocereus gurneyi (L.D.Benson) W.Blum, Oldach & J.Oldach | | Texas. |
| Triglochidiata Bravo 1973 | Echinocereus ortegae Rose | Echinocereus ortegae subsp. koehresianus (G.Frank) W.Rischer & G.Frank Echinocereus ortegae subsp. ortegae | Mexico |
| Triglochidiata Bravo 1973 | Echinocereus pacificus (Engelm.) Britton & Rose | Echinocereus pacificus subsp. mombergerianus (G.Frank) W.Blum, W.Rischer & Rutow Echinocereus pacificus subsp. pacificus | Mexico (Baja California) |
| Triglochidiata Bravo 1973 | Echinocereus polyacanthus Engelm. | | Mexico (Chihuahua to Jalisco). |
| Triglochidiata Bravo 1973 | Echinocereus salm-dyckianus Scheer | | Mexico (E. Sonora to W. Chihuahua) |
| Triglochidiata Bravo 1973 | Echinocereus santaritensis W.Blum & Rutow | Echinocereus santaritensis subsp. bacanorensis (W.Rischer & Trocha) W.Rischer & D.Felix Echinocereus santaritensis subsp. santaritensis | Arizona to New Mexico and Mexico (Sonora, Chihuahua) |
| Triglochidiata Bravo 1973 | Echinocereus scheeri (Salm-Dyck) Scheer | Echinocereus scheeri subsp. gentryi (Clover) N.P.Taylor Echinocereus scheeri subsp. scheeri | Mexico (E. Sonora to W. Durango) |
| Triglochidiata Bravo 1973 | Echinocereus triglochidiatus Engelm. | Echinocereus triglochidiatus subsp. mojavensis (Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow) W.Blum & Mich.Lange Echinocereus triglochidiatus subsp. triglochidiatus | Colorado to New Mexico and NW. Mexico. |
| Triglochidiata Bravo 1973 | Echinocereus yavapaiensis M.A.Baker | | Arizona |
| Wilcoxia (Britton & Rose) N.P.Taylor (1985) | Echinocereus kroenleinii (Mich.Lange) W.Blum & Waldeis | | Mexico (Coahuila) |
| Wilcoxia (Britton & Rose) N.P.Taylor (1985) | Echinocereus leucanthus N.P.Taylor | | Mexico (NW. Sonora, NW. Sinaloa) |
| Wilcoxia (Britton & Rose) N.P.Taylor (1985) | Echinocereus poselgeri Lem. | | Texas to NE. Mexico. |
| Wilcoxia (Britton & Rose) N.P.Taylor (1985) | Echinocereus schmollii (Weing.) N.P.Taylor | | Mexico (SE. Querétaro to Hidalgo) |
| Wilcoxia (Britton & Rose) N.P.Taylor (1985) | Echinocereus waldeisii Haugg | | Mexico (San Luis Potosí) |

## Natural hybrids

| Scientific name | Subspecies | Distribution |
| Echinocereus × kunzei Gürke ( E. coccineus × E. dasyacanthus.) | | New Mexico |
| Echinocereus × neomexicanus Standl. (E. chloranthus × E. coccineus subsp. rosei. ) | | Mexico (Chihuahua) |
| Echinocereus × roetteri (Engelm.) Engelm. (E. coccineus × E. dasyacanthus) | Echinocereus ×roetteri var. lloydii (Britton & Rose) Backeb. Echinocereus ×roetteri var. neomexicanus (J.M.Coult.) A.D.Zimmerman | New Mexico to SW. Texas and Mexico (Chihuahua) |

### Formerly placed here

* Echinopsis candicans (Gillies ex Salm-Dyck) F.A.C.Weber ex D.R.Hunt (as E. candicans (Gillies ex Salm-Dyck) Rümpler)