Echinocereus fendleri
Echinocereus fendleri is a species of cactus known by the common names pinkflower hedgehog cactus and Fendler's hedgehog cactus. It is named in honor of Augustus Fendler.
It grows in deserts and woodlands in the Southwestern United States and Northeastern Mexico. It is most common in New Mexico.
The taxonomy of the species is uncertain, with authors recognizing up to eight varieties.
Description
Echinocereus fendleri grows solitary with an erect oval or cylindrical stem, sometimes forming a clump of several spreading stem branches. The stem may reach in maximum height and in diameter. They have eight to ten non-tuberculated ribs. There are up to 16 spines per areole, generally in shades of brown and white, or white with a brown stripe. The single dark central spine, which may be absent, is straight or slightly curved and lightens with age, measuring long. The five to nine light-colored, spreading, straight marginal spines are long.The showy flower is most any shade of pink, from nearly white to deep maroon. It can be long and wide, each tepal measuring up to long. The fruit is spherical, red and a few centimeters long.
The flesh of the plant is edible, and Native American groups consumed the stems and fruits.
Subspecies
There are two recognized subspecies:| Image | Scientific name | Distribution |
| Echinocereus fendleri subsp. fendleri | Arizona to W. Texas and Mexico | |
| Echinocereus fendleri subsp. rectispinus | SE. Arizona to W. Texas, Mexico |
Echinocereus fendleri subsp. fendleri, Kuenzler's hedgehog cactus, is rare and federally listed as an endangered species of the United States. When it was listed in 1979, there were only 200 known individuals of this variety remaining, all in the Sacramento Mountains of New Mexico. It was threatened with extinction by poachers, who removed many plants from the wild.
More populations have since been discovered. The US Fish and Wildlife Service has suggested it be downlisted to threatened status. Kuenzler's hedgehog cactus differs from other varieties of the species by having large flowers, reaching 11 centimeters long and magenta in color, and white spines.