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Sometimes referred to as F. pottsii var. alamosanus, this rare and
distinctive barrel cactus has relatively delicate spines for a
Ferocactus, and is very hard to find a good size plant like this in
cultivation. |
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Description: Small barrel cactus, usually solitary but
sometimes clumping.
Stem: Depressed globose to shortly cylindrical,
up to 30 cm in
diameter, 25 cm tall, occasionally much taller;
Ribs: 12-20 narrow,
acute ribs.
Spines: Needle-like.
Densely intermeshed with a reddish tinge in
the new growth
Central spine: 1, sometimes flattened, up
to 6 cm long;
Radial spines: 8,
straw-coloured, 3 to 4 cm long .
Flowers: Wide open greenish yellow, up to 4.5 cm long, 3.5 cm in diameter.
The petals are spatulate and broad.
Fruit: Dull brown-red fruits splitting open when ripe.Cultivation: Prefers
full sun, Will take some frost.
Propagation: Seeds are the only
way of reproducing.
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Taxonomy note: The
differences with Ferocactus pottsii are in reality very
small, the ribs in F. alamosanus are more numerous and the
central ribs is more long, The subspecies 'alamosanus' has
usually about 20 acute ribs, heavy spination, and only grows to 25 cm
high. The subspecies 'reppenhagenii' has 12-18 rounder
ribs and connecting areoles and will grow up to about 70-100 cm.).
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Family:
Cactaceae (Cactus
Family)
Scientific name: Ferocactus alamosanus
(Britton et Rose) Britton et Rose 1922
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Origin:
Known only from a restricted area in the mountains at
East of Alamos, Sonora, Mexico. Said to be heading for endangered
species list.
Conservation status: Listed in
CITES appendix 2.
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Synonyms:
- Echinocactus alamosanus Britton
et Rose 1913
- Ferocactus alamosanus var. platygonus
G.E.Lindsay 1942
- Ferocactus alamosanus ssp. reppenhagenii
(G. Unger) N.P. Taylor
Pubblished in: Cactaceae Consensus Initiatives 6: 15, 1998
- Ferocactus reppenhagenii G.
Unger,
Pubblished in: Kakt. And. Sukk., 25 (3): 50., 1974
- Ferocactus alamosanusvarp. reppenhagenii
- Ferocactus pottsii var. alamosanus.
- Parrycactus alamosanus ssp. reppenhagenii,
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(This
Taxon belong to a group of six closely
allied species. The group is: F.
alamosanus,
F. pottsii,
F. schwarzii,
F. reppenhagenii,
F. glaucescens, & F. echidne)
F. alamosanus which flowers early in spring.
Photo of conspecific taxa, varieties, forms and cultivars of plants
belonging to the Ferocactus pottsii
complex (This
Taxon has lots of
synonyms ( like many other
cacti),
with controversial varieties and
subspecies:
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