Pediocactus winkleri
Encyclopedia
Pediocactus winkleri, commonly known as Winkler's cactus or Winkler's pincushion cactus, is a small cactus
found only in Emery County, Utah
or Wayne County, Utah
in eastern Utah
.
The cactus is shaped like a small ribbed ball. There are no central spines, and 9 – 14 short radial spines, each 1.5 – 4 mm long. The flowers range from peach to pink in color. They are cold hardy and are native to high altitude sandy hilltops and slopes.
When this cactus was first discovered in the early 1960's by Jim Winkler (who was camping with his mother Agnes Winkler in Utah's San Rafael Swell), Lyman Benson was in the process of naming a species that was then thought to be the same or that was similar (Pediocactus bradyi
discovered in Arizona in 1958 and which only occurs there), and it was therefore not until 1979 until Ken Heil recognized P. winkleri as a new species. In 1999 David Hunt
listed the cactus as a provisionally accepted taxon under the name of Pediocactus bradyi ssp. winkleri in the Second Edition of the CITES Cactaceae Checklist.
P. winkleri was listed as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act
on August 20, 1998, and it is currently a federally listed species and therefore covered under the provisions of the Act. As with many other cactus species, its most serious threat relates to poaching by plant collectors. Cacti such as P. winkleri should only be grown from legitimately obtained seed or plants legally grown from seed and should never be taken from the wild.
Cactus
A cactus is a member of the plant family Cactaceae. Their distinctive appearance is a result of adaptations to conserve water in dry and/or hot environments. In most species, the stem has evolved to become photosynthetic and succulent, while the leaves have evolved into spines...
found only in Emery County, Utah
Emery County, Utah
Emery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of 2000 the population was 10,860, and by 2009 had been estimated to decrease to 10,629. It was named for George W. Emery, governor of the Utah Territory in 1875...
or Wayne County, Utah
Wayne County, Utah
Wayne County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. It was formed from Piute County in 1892. The county gets its name from a man who served as delegate to the constitutional convention, in honor of his son who was dragged to death by a horse. As of 2000 the population was 2,509, and by...
in eastern Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
.
The cactus is shaped like a small ribbed ball. There are no central spines, and 9 – 14 short radial spines, each 1.5 – 4 mm long. The flowers range from peach to pink in color. They are cold hardy and are native to high altitude sandy hilltops and slopes.
When this cactus was first discovered in the early 1960's by Jim Winkler (who was camping with his mother Agnes Winkler in Utah's San Rafael Swell), Lyman Benson was in the process of naming a species that was then thought to be the same or that was similar (Pediocactus bradyi
Pediocactus bradyi
Pediocactus bradyi is a rare species of cactus known by the common names Brady's pincushion cactus, Brady's hedgehog cactus, and Marble Canyon cactus. It is endemic to Arizona in the United States, where it is known only from Marble Canyon in Coconino County...
discovered in Arizona in 1958 and which only occurs there), and it was therefore not until 1979 until Ken Heil recognized P. winkleri as a new species. In 1999 David Hunt
David Hunt (botanist)
David Richard Hunt is an English botanist and taxonomist. He is a specialist in cacti and notably compiled the 1999 CITES Cactaceae Checklist.- References :...
listed the cactus as a provisionally accepted taxon under the name of Pediocactus bradyi ssp. winkleri in the Second Edition of the CITES Cactaceae Checklist.
P. winkleri was listed as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act
Endangered Species Act
The Endangered Species Act of 1973 is one of the dozens of United States environmental laws passed in the 1970s. Signed into law by President Richard Nixon on December 28, 1973, it was designed to protect critically imperiled species from extinction as a "consequence of economic growth and...
on August 20, 1998, and it is currently a federally listed species and therefore covered under the provisions of the Act. As with many other cactus species, its most serious threat relates to poaching by plant collectors. Cacti such as P. winkleri should only be grown from legitimately obtained seed or plants legally grown from seed and should never be taken from the wild.
External links
- http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Cactaceae/Pediocactus_winkleri.html
- http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=PEWI2
- http://dwrcdc.nr.utah.gov/rsgis2/search/Display.asp?FlNm=pediwink
- http://www.nwf.org/endangered/pdfs/WinklerCactus.pdf
- http://www.tribecacteaeirt.com/pwinkleri.html
- http://www.utahrareplants.org
- http://www.unps.org