(DRAFT) - Taxonomy
Species CACTUS, HEDGEHOG, PURPLE-SPINED
Species Id ESIS706008
Date 13 MAR 96
TAXONOMY
NAME - CACTUS, HEDGEHOG, PURPLE-SPINED
OTHER COMMON NAMES - CACTUS, HEDGEHOG and PURPLE-SPINED
ELEMENT CODE -
CATEGORY - Angiosperm
PHYLUM AND SUBPHYLUM - MAGNOLIOPHYTA,
CLASS AND SUBCLASS - MAGNOLIOPSIDA,
ORDER AND SUBORDER - CARYOPHYLLALES,
FAMILY AND SUBFAMILY - CACTACEAE,
GENUS AND SUBGENUS - ECHINOCEREUS,
SPECIES AND SSP - ENGELMANNII, VAR.
SCIENTIFIC NAME - ECHINOCEREUS ENGELMANNII VAR.
AUTHORITY -
TAXONOMY REFERENCES -
COMMENTS ON TAXONOMY -
Purple-spined Hedgehog Cactus
Echinocereus engelmannii var. purpureus L. Benson
KINGDOM: Plant GROUP: Angiosperm
DIVISION: Magnoliophyta CLASS: Magnoliopsida
ORDER: Caryophyllales FAMILY: Cactaceae
Echinocereus engelmannii var. purpureus are cylindrical,
solitary, or with 4-10 branches from the base. These cacti are 15-20
cm tall and about 5 cm thick. The central spines are purplish,
straight or curved. The lower spine is slender, 2-3.5 cm long and
1 mm wide while the upper three central spines are 2-2.5 cm long and
0.7-0.8 mm wide. The flowers are purple and 5-6.2 cm wide (01).
It is unclear how this taxon differs from E. engelmannii var.
chrysocentrus (02).
Dr. Stan Welsh, Brigham Young University, still recognizes
E. engelmannii var. purpureus. He feels that the purple-spined
hedgehog cactus is transitional to E. engelmannii var. chrysocentrus
and includes specimens from near Leeds to west of Santa Clara, and
might be regarded as a dark-spined phase of var. chrysocentrus;
however, he also states it seems best to recognize this entity at
some taxonomic rank (03).
Taxonomy - 1 (DRAFT) - Taxonomy
Species CACTUS, HEDGEHOG, PURPLE-SPINED
Species Id ESIS706008
Date 13 MAR 96
The purple-spined hedgehog cactus was first published in the
Cactus and Succulent Journal in 1969 by Dr. L. Benson (05).
TYPE: "Mojavean Desert north of St. George, Washington County, Utah;
2,900 feet elevation; Lyman Benson 13,637, May 5, 1949", POM 285578
(on 2 sheets) (04).
Taxonomy - 2 (DRAFT) - Status
Species CACTUS, HEDGEHOG, PURPLE-SPINED
Species Id ESIS706008
Date 13 MAR 96
STATUS
Coded Status
E: Federal Endangered
Commercial
COMMENTS ON STATUS -
U.S. STATUSES AND LAWS:
The purple-spined hedgehog cactus (Echinocereus engelmannii var.
purpureus) has been designated as Endangered pursuant to the
Endangered Species Act of 1973 (50 CFR 17.12; P.L. 93-205, 87 Stat.
884; 16 U.S.C. 1531-1540), as amended. The species has this status
wherever found including the State of Utah.
Removal and reduction to possession of any federally listed plant
from an area under Federal jurisdiction is unlawful (50 CFR 17.61 and
17.71).
This subspecies is protected by the Lacey Act (P.L. 97-79,
as amended; 16 U.S.C. 3371 et seq.) which makes it unlawful
to possess any wild plant (including roots, seeds, and other
parts) within U.S. territorial or special maritime jurisdiction
(as defined in 18 U.S.C. 7); or to import, export, transport, sell,
receive, acquire, or purchase in interstate or foreign commerce any
wild plant (including roots, seeds, and other parts) taken, possessed,
transported, or sold in violation of any State law or regulation. It
is also unlawful to import, export, transport, sell, receive, acquire,
or purchase any wild plant (including roots, seeds, and other parts)
taken or possessed in violation of any U.S. law, treaty, or regulation
or in violation of Indian tribal law.
RESPONSIBLE FEDERAL AGENCIES:
USFWS -Responsible for the management/recovery, listing, and
law enforcement/protection of this species.
BLM -Responsible for the law enforcement/protection of this
species with applicable State and Federal laws on
public land under their control (43 CFR 4140). Also
responsible for management/recovery on Bureau of Land
Management lands.
All Federal agencies have responsibility to ensure that any
action authorized, funded, or carried out by that agency is not likely
to jeopardize the continued existence of the species or result in the
destruction or adverse modification of Critical Habitat (50 CFR 402),
and to utilize their authorities to carry out programs for the
conservation of the species.
STATE STATUSES AND LAWS:
STATE: Utah
Status - 1 (DRAFT) - Status
Species CACTUS, HEDGEHOG, PURPLE-SPINED
Species Id ESIS706008
Date 13 MAR 96
DESIGNATED STATUS: None
INTERNATIONAL STATUSES, TREATIES, AND AGREEMENTS:
The purple-spined hedgehog cactus is listed in Appendix II of
CITES.
ECONOMIC STATUSES:
The purple-spined hedgehog cactus is a part of Utah's natural
diversity, and is also sought after by collectors and dealers for its
rarity.
75/07/01:40 FR 27823/27924 - Acceptance of Petition
76/06/16:41 FR 24523/24572 - Proposed listing
77/06/24:42 FR 32373/32381 - Regulations to protect plant species
79/10/11:44 FR 58866/58868 - Listed as Endangered
85/07/22:50 FR 29901/29909 - 5 year review
Status - 2 HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS
HABITAT - TERRESTRIAL
TERRESTRIAL
LAND USE -
Shrub and Brush Rangeland
Bare Exposed Rock
COMMENTS ON HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS -
The purple-spined hedgehog cactus was found in sandy soils
derived from the Navajo formation (05), and also on barren sandstone
outcrops (06). It grows at 2,900 feet elevation at the
eastern-most extension of the Mojave Desert. This habitat is
characterized by Larrea divaricata (creosote bush), Coleogyne
ramosissima (blackbush), Oryzopsis hymenoides (Indian ricegrass), and
Hilaria jamesii (galleta grass) (05).
Habitat Associations - 1 (DRAFT) - Food Habits
Species CACTUS, HEDGEHOG, PURPLE-SPINED
Species Id ESIS706008
Date 13 MAR 96
FOOD HABITS
TROPHIC LEVEL -
AUTOTROPH
Food Habits - 1 (DRAFT) - Environment Associations
Species CACTUS, HEDGEHOG, PURPLE-SPINED
Species Id ESIS706008
Date 13 MAR 96
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS
G = General A = Adult
LIM = Limiting RA = Resting Adult
J = Juvenile FA = Feeding Adult
RJ = Resting Juvenile BA = Breeding Adult
FJ = Feeding Juvenile P = Pupae
L = Larvae E = Egg
RL = Resting Larvae
FL = Feeding Larvae
LIFESTAGE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS
G Terrestrial Features: Rock outcrops
G
Environment Associations - 1 (DRAFT) - Life History
Species CACTUS, HEDGEHOG, PURPLE-SPINED
Species Id ESIS706008
Date 13 MAR 96
LIFE HISTORY
HABIT:
The purple-spined hedgehog cactus is a succulent (05).
LIFE CYCLE:
Perennial (05)
TYPE OF REPRODUCTION:
Reproduction is sexual (05).
REPRODUCTIVE PHENOLOGY:
Little is known about the purple-spined hedgehog cactus. Budding
occurs in April, with anthesis and fruiting occurs in May (01).
SEX OR SPORE STATUS:
Monoecious (01).
POLLINATION, SPORE AND SEED DISSEMINATION:
Pollen and seed dissemination agents are unknown for the
purple-spined hedgehog cactus (01).
SEED BIOLOGY:
No information is known about seed biology for this species.
POPULATION BIOLOGY:
No information available.
ECOLOGICAL/EDAPHIC FACTORS:
The purple-spined hedgehog cactus grows in sandy soils over basalt
(01), and on sandstone out-crops (06).
TROPHIC STATUS:
Phototrophic (01).
CHARACTERISTIC DOMINANCE:
The purple-spined hedgehog cactus is a component species (01).
COMMUNITY ECOLOGY:
Dominant plants include Larrea divaricata (creosote bush),
Coleogyne ramosissima (blackbrush), Oryzopsis hymenoides (indian
ricegrass), and Hilaria jamesii (galleta grass) (05).
SPECIES INTERRELATIONSHIPS:
None are known.
OTHER LIFE HISTORY DESCRIPTORS:
Known.
Life History - 1 (DRAFT) - Management Practices
Species CACTUS, HEDGEHOG, PURPLE-SPINED
Species Id ESIS706008
Date 13 MAR 96
MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
RESULT MANAGEMENT PRACTICE
Adverse Collecting
Existing Collecting
Adverse Rural Residential/Industrial Areas
Existing Rural Residential/Industrial Areas
COMMENTS ON MANAGEMENT PRACTICES -
It is not clear whether this species is a valid taxon.
However, threats to the purple-spined hedgehog cactus would include
collecting for its unique purple spined coloration and threats from
residential expansion of the City of St. George, Utah.
UNAPPROVED PLAN:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. [n.d.] Recovery Plan for the
Purple-spined Hedgehog Cactus: Echinocereus engelmanni Parry var.
purpureus L. Benson. Tech. Review Draft. U.S. Fish and Wildl.
Serv., Denver, CO.
The purple-spined hedgehog cactus (Echinocereus engelmannii var.
purpureus) status is currently under review over its taxonomic value
as a distinct variety (current findings have indicated it will be
delisted). Therefore, recovery objectives are no longer under
consideration.
Management Practices - 1 (DRAFT) - References
Species CACTUS, HEDGEHOG, PURPLE-SPINED
Species Id ESIS706008
Date 13 MAR 96
References
***** REFERENCES FOR ALL NARRATIVES EXCEPT N-OCCURRENCE *****
01 Welsh, S.L. 1979. Status report on Echinocereus engelmannii var.
purpureus. Prepared for: U.S. Fish and Wildl. Serv., Denver, CO.
02 Welsh, S.L. 1979. Illustrated manual of proposed endangered and
threatened plants of Utah. U.S. Fish and Wildl. Serv., Denver, CO.
03 Welsh, S.L. 1984. Utah flora: Cactaceae. Great Basin Naturalist,
Provo, Utah.
04 Benson, Lyman. 1982. The Cacti of the United States and Canada.
Stanford Univ. Press, Stanford, CA.
05 Anderson, John. [n.d.] Recovery Plan for the Purple-spined
Hedgehog Cactus: Echinocereus engelmanni Parry var. purpureus
L. Benson. Tech. Review Draft. U.S. Fish and Wildl. Serv.,
Denver, CO.
06 England, John. 1988. Pers. comm. USFWS, Salt Lake City, UT
84138.
***** REFERENCES FOR N-OCCURRENCE NARRATIVE ONLY *****
01 Welsh, S.L. 1979. Status report on Echinocereus engelmannii var.
purpureus. Prepared for: U.S. Fish and Wildl. Serv., Denver, CO.
02 Anderson, John. [n.d.] Recovery Plan for the Purple-spined
Hedgehog Cactus: Echinocereus engelmanni Parry var. purpureus
L. Benson. Tech. Review Draft. U.S. Fish and Wildl. Serv.,
Denver, CO.
03 England, John. 1988. Pers. comm. USFWS, Salt Lake City, UT
84138.
References - 1