Bergerocactus

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Bergerocactus
Bergerocactus emoryi1MIBEA.jpg

Imperiled (NatureServe)
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Cactaceae
Subfamily: Cactoideae
Tribe: Echinocereeae
Genus: Bergerocactus
Britton & Rose
Species:
B. emoryi
Binomial name
Bergerocactus emoryi
(Engelm.) Britton & Rose
Synonyms

Cereus emoryi

Bergerocactus emoryi (golden cereus, golden-spined cereus, golden snake cactus, velvet cactus, golden club cactus) is a species of cactus. It is the sole member of the genus Bergerocactus, named after Alwin Berger. The plant is also known as snake cactus, though this latter name also applies to Echinocereus pensilis.[1]

Description[]

This cactus is frail, appears in clusters, and has up to 20 ribs and ramifications. It is rarely taller than 1 m, and its diameter is usually less than 5 cm. Flowers are yellow and appear near the plant's apex, reaching 2 cm in length and diameter. They are tunnel-shaped. The plant flowers from May through June.[2]

Taxonomy[]

The cactus has a chromosome count of 2n=44.

Hybrids[]

The golden cereus is known to hybridize with other species of cacti. Both occur in the vicinity of El Rosario. Hybrids include:

  • × Myrtgerocactus lindsayi Moran (Lindsay hybrid cactus) – A naturally occurring intergeneric hybrid between Myrtillocactus cochal.[1]
  • × Pacherocactus orcuttii (K. Brandegee) G.D. Rowley (Orcutt hybrid cactus) – A naturally occurring intergeneric hybrid with Pachycereus pringlei.[1]

Distribution, habitat, and conservation[]

The plant is near-endemic to Baja California, with the exception of populations on Santa Catalina Island, San Clemente Island, and San Diego, California. The populations remaining in San Diego are disjunct, located in Border Field State Park, Torrey Pines State Park, and Cabrillo National Monument, as the urban development in San Diego has relegated many species to these protected areas.[3][4]

Other rare species that inhabit these enclaves of maritime succulent scrub in San Diego include Shaw's Agave, the Torrey Pine, the Tapertip liveforever, cliff spurge, and the San Diego barrel cactus.[5] Aside from urban development, the plant is also threatened by collecting and feral goats.[2]

The species is represented on the two of the southern California Channel Islands. On San Clemente Island, the golden cactus is found inhabiting rocky canyon walls.[6]

In Baja California, the species continues from the border south into the succulent scrub to El Rosario.[1] It occurs on numerous islands off the coast; however, climate change and other anthropogenic influences are threatening the insular populations. On Isla San Martin, a volcanic island off of the San Quintin Bay, only a single clump of the cactus is left.[7]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Rebman, J. P.; Gibson, J.; Rich, K. (2016). "Annotated checklist of the vascular plants of Baja California, Mexico" (PDF). San Diego Society of Natural History. 45.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b Parfitt, Bruce D. (2012). "Bergerocactus emoryi". Jepson eFlora. Jepson Flora Project.
  3. ^ Oberbauer, Tom (February 13, 2018). "Botany in San Diego Before European Contact". California Native Plant Society, San Diego Chapter. California Native Plant Society.
  4. ^ "Bergerocactus emoryi". NatureServe. Arlington, Virginia: NatureServe. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  5. ^ "Native Plant Species". National Park Service. September 10, 2018.
  6. ^ Raven, Peter H. (1963) "A Flora of San Clemente Island, California," Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany: Vol. 5: Iss. 3, Article 8. Available at: http://scholarship.claremont.edu/aliso/vol5/iss3/8
  7. ^ Vanderplank, Sula; Mata, Sergio (1 November 2010). "The Succulent Scrub of San Martín Island, Baja California, Mexico" (PDF). Cactus and Succulent Journal. Cactus and Succulent Society of America. 82(6): 252–258.

External links[]


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